కుక్క తెచ్చేవన్నీ బొమికలే

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone undertakes a great or sacred journey (or a significant effort) only to return with something worthless or offensive. It highlights the irony of wasting a major opportunity or a noble mission by achieving a shameful or trivial result.

This proverb is used to describe someone who consistently brings back useless things or unreliable information. It implies that you cannot expect anything of value or quality from a person who lacks the capacity or merit to provide it, much like how a dog will only scavenge for bones.

'Tis the nature of the beast.

This proverb highlights the power of generosity or the allure of receiving something for free. It implies that the prospect of receiving a gift or charity is so motivating that it can revitalize someone even in their weakest state. It is often used to describe situations where people suddenly become active or interested when there is a profit or benefit to be gained.

This expression is used to describe a person who goes on a great or sacred journey (or takes on a significant opportunity) but returns with something worthless or engages in something trivial and disgraceful. It highlights the irony of wasting a valuable opportunity or a holy pilgrimage by focusing on or bringing back something foul.

This proverb reflects the difficult and often thankless nature of certain jobs where the worker is constantly subjected to criticism or physical abuse despite their hard work. It is used to describe situations where people in vulnerable or service-oriented positions are easy targets for blame and mistreatment by society.

This proverb highlights the futility of certain actions in specific circumstances. It suggests that a truly generous person will give without requiring formal documentation or legal proof, and similarly, no amount of medicine can save someone whose death is certain. It is used to describe situations where rules or remedies become irrelevant due to the inherent nature of the person or the inevitability of the outcome.

This proverb is used to describe someone who goes on a long, arduous journey or undertakes a significant task, only to return with something trivial, worthless, or useless. It highlights the irony of putting in great effort for a meaningless result.

Great labour and small results.

This proverb is used to warn that replacing a bad person or situation might lead to an even worse alternative. It suggests that sometimes the current hardship, though difficult, is more manageable than the potential unknown trouble that follows. It is similar to the English expression 'out of the frying pan and into the fire'.

This proverb is used to warn that if a bad person or a difficult situation is replaced, the successor might be even worse or more exploitative. It highlights the fear that the 'new' might be more desperate or damaging than the 'old'.

This proverb warns against trusting individuals from professions historically associated with manipulation, cruelty, or deception. In this context: the 'writer' (clerk/accountant) could manipulate records, the 'butcher' deals in death/slaughter, and the 'toddy-tapper' could dilute drinks or manipulate measurements. It is generally used to advise caution when dealing with people whose livelihoods depend on cleverness or cold-heartedness.

Put a miller, a weaver, and a tailor in a bag and shake them, the first that comes out will be a thief.