కుమ్మరపురుగుకు మన్ను వెంట అంటదు.

kummarapuruguku mannu venta antadu.

Translation

Earth does not adhere to the mole-cricket. Engaging in a business but keeping clear of all responsibility.

Meaning

This proverb describes a person who remains unaffected or untainted despite being in a corrupt, messy, or negative environment. Just as a dung beetle or mole cricket lives in the mud/dirt but stays clean, it refers to an individual's integrity or detachment from worldly impurities.

Related Phrases

Burnt earth will not adhere to unburnt. People in different positions in life cannot be very intimate.

This expression is used to describe two people or entities that are fundamentally incompatible or cannot reconcile their differences. Just as burnt clay/soil loses its binding property and cannot merge with raw, unburnt soil, people with opposing natures or those who have had a major falling out cannot be easily brought back together.

There is always someone who can kick the head of a person as tall as a palm tree.

This proverb conveys that no matter how powerful, tall, or talented a person is, there will always be someone even more capable or superior. It is used to humble those who are overconfident or arrogant about their status, reminding them that there is always a bigger fish in the sea.

Do not walk behind a debtor or someone wearing sandals.

This proverb warns against following people who are in a hurry or in trouble. A debtor is always running away from creditors, and someone with footwear can walk fast or tread on rough ground where you might not be able to keep up. It is used as a metaphor to advise staying away from people who are either fleeing their responsibilities or have an advantage that might lead you into difficult situations.

Like a struggle between curd and the water used to wash fermented rice.

This expression describes a situation where two people are arguing or fighting over something extremely trivial, or when a conflict arises between two things that are essentially the same or of very similar nature. It highlights the absurdity of intense disputes over insignificant differences.

Will a brass pot be found in a potter's kiln ? A worthy person is not to be found amongst the worthless.

This proverb is used to illustrate that things can only be found where they naturally belong. One should not expect to find something precious or different (like brass) in a place meant for something common or specific (like a clay kiln). It is often used to suggest that a person's nature or the quality of a product depends on its origin.

The manner of the mole-cricket. Never resting from doing mischief.

This expression is used to describe someone who is extremely busy, constantly moving around, or deeply involved in hard labor, much like the tireless burrowing activity of a mole cricket (kummara purugu). It often refers to someone who is preoccupied with many tasks at once.

As big as the tree is, so much is the wind.

This proverb suggests that responsibilities, problems, or rewards are proportional to one's stature, status, or capacity. For example, a larger business faces bigger risks, or a person with a high income has higher expenses.

If it stings, it is a scorpion; if it doesn't, it is a potter wasp.

This expression is used to describe a person's behavior based on its outcome or their current mood. It suggests that a person is judged entirely by their actions at a given moment—viewed as dangerous if they cause harm, but harmless if they remain quiet. It is often used to describe unpredictable people who can be either malicious or benign depending on the situation.

For as much light, there is that much darkness.

This expression is used to convey that every great success or positive situation often comes with an equivalent amount of hidden struggle, failure, or negative aspects. It emphasizes the balance between prosperity and adversity.

If it stings it is a scorpion, if it does not sting it is a mole cricket. A man's character is known by his acts.

This proverb describes someone whose character or intent is judged solely by their actions in the moment. It is used to describe unpredictable people who can be harmful or harmless depending on the situation, or to highlight that a person's reputation depends on their behavior.