లాభం లేనిదే శెట్టి ఏట పడడు
labham lenide shetti eta padadu
Unless there is something to be gained by it, the Śetṭi will not venture into the river.
This proverb is used to describe a person who is extremely calculative and never performs an action unless there is a personal benefit or profit involved. It highlights a purely transactional mindset where even a risky or seemingly selfless act is driven by hidden gain.
The Śetṭis and Kômaṭis are very greedy and very cowardly. People do not risk their lives unless they have some great object to gain by it.
Related Phrases
వీరణం లేనిది కొలువు కాదు, ఊరణం లేనిది బూరె కాదు.
viranam lenidi koluvu kadu, uranam lenidi bure kadu.
A court is not complete without a war-drum, and a sweet bun (boore) is not complete without soaking.
This proverb emphasizes that certain things are incomplete or ineffective without their essential components. Just as a royal assembly lacks dignity without the sound of the veeranam (drum), a traditional sweet like Boore will not be tasty or soft if the batter/filling isn't soaked or fermented properly. It is used to highlight the importance of fundamental requirements for any task or entity to be successful.
లాభం లేనిదే శెట్టి వరదలో పడిపోడు
labham lenide shetti varadalo padipodu
Without a profit, a merchant wouldn't even jump into a flood.
This proverb describes a person who is extremely calculating and never does anything unless there is a personal benefit or profit involved. It is used to highlight the opportunistic or materialistic nature of individuals who prioritize gain over risk or logic.
శెట్టి శేరు, లింగం అరవీశెడు.
shetti sheru, lingam aravishedu.
The Šeṭṭi [weighs ] a seer and his lingam two and a half.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where an accessory or a secondary element becomes larger, more expensive, or more burdensome than the main object itself. It highlights ironical imbalances, similar to the English expression 'the tail wagging the dog.'
పిల్లలు లేనిది ఇల్లు కాదు, పిట్టలు లేనిది తోపు కాదు
pillalu lenidi illu kadu, pittalu lenidi topu kadu
A house without children is not a home, and a grove without birds is not a grove.
This proverb highlights the essential elements that bring life and joy to a place. Just as birds are vital for the vibrancy and identity of a grove (orchard), children are considered the soul and joy of a household. It is used to emphasize the importance of children in making a home feel complete and lively.
ఉన్నది పోదు, లేనిది రాదు.
unnadi podu, lenidi radu.
That which exists does not leave, and that which does not exist does not come.
This proverb expresses a sense of stoicism or fatalism regarding one's destiny or inherent nature. It means that what is meant to be yours will stay, and what is not destined for you cannot be acquired. It is often used to console someone facing loss or to suggest that some things are unchangeable and predetermined by fate.
కష్టపడి సుఖపడమన్నాడు.
kashtapadi sukhapadamannadu.
Work hard and then enjoy the happiness.
This expression emphasizes the importance of hard work as a prerequisite for success or comfort. It is used to advise someone that genuine satisfaction and prosperity come only after putting in dedicated effort and struggle.
లాభం లేని శెట్టి వరదలో పోతుంటే చెయ్యి చాచినా అందుకోలేదట
labham leni shetti varadalo potunte cheyyi chachina andukoledata
When a merchant who seeks no profit was being washed away in a flood, he didn't even reach out his hand to be saved.
This proverb is used to mock someone who is so extremely stingy or profit-oriented that they won't even perform a basic action to save themselves if they don't see a material gain in it. It describes a person who is obsessively calculative, even in life-threatening situations.
ఆదాయం లేనిదే శెట్టి వరదను పోడు
adayam lenide shetti varadanu podu
Without a profit, the merchant will not step into the flood.
This proverb describes a person who is extremely calculating and profit-oriented. It suggests that certain individuals will never take a risk or perform an action unless they are guaranteed a personal gain or benefit. It is used to mock someone's stinginess or their habit of never doing anything out of pure altruism.
ఎల్లి శెట్టి లెక్క ఏక లెక్క.
elli shetti lekka eka lekka.
Elli Šetti's account is a single account. Receipts and disbursements, profits and loss, all muddled up together.
This expression is used to describe a person who is extremely stubborn or inflexible in their reasoning. It refers to someone who makes an initial calculation or decision and refuses to change it, even when shown to be wrong or when circumstances change. It highlights a lack of logic or a 'one-track' mind.
ఆడది లేనిది అడవి, మగవాడు లేనిది మఠము
adadi lenidi adavi, magavadu lenidi mathamu
Without a woman it is a forest; without a man it is a monastery.
This proverb highlights the importance of both genders in maintaining a balanced household. It implies that a home without a woman's presence feels wild and disorganized like a forest, while a home without a man feels lonely or austere like a monastery. It emphasizes domestic completeness through partnership.