లేడికి లేచిందే ప్రయాణం, పందికి పడుకుందే నిద్ర
lediki lechinde prayanam, pandiki padukunde nidra
For a deer, the moment it wakes up, the journey begins; for a pig, the moment it lies down, it is asleep.
This proverb highlights contrasting lifestyles or work ethics. It describes someone who is always active, spontaneous, or ready to move instantly like a deer, versus someone who is lazy, sedentary, or falls asleep instantly wherever they land like a pig. It is often used to comment on someone's restless nature or their extreme laziness.
Related Phrases
పాడిందే పాడరా పాచిపండ్ల దాసరి
padinde padara pachipandla dasari
Sing again what you have sung, O Dâsari with dirty teeth. Said to an ignorant imposter. Give the piper a penny, and two pence to leave off.
This proverb is used to describe someone who repeats the same thing over and over again, often to the point of annoyance. It is typically used when someone keeps making the same argument, telling the same story, or complaining about the same issue repeatedly without moving on.
దరిద్రానికి మాటలెక్కువ, తద్దినానికి కూరలెక్కువ.
daridraniki matalekkuva, taddinaniki kuralekkuva.
Poverty has many words; a funeral rite has many curries.
This proverb highlights irony and hypocrisy. It refers to people who lack resources or capability but overcompensate with empty talk or excuses. Similarly, it mocks how some people prepare an excessive variety of dishes for a funeral feast (Thaddinam) despite the occasion being one of mourning or limited means. It is used to describe someone who talks big but has nothing of substance to show.
ఊర్మిళ నిద్ర
urmila nidra
Urmila's sleep
Refers to a very deep, long, or uninterrupted sleep. In the Ramayana, Urmila (Lakshmana's wife) is said to have slept for fourteen years, taking over her husband's share of sleep so he could remain awake to serve Rama. It is used to describe someone who sleeps for a very long duration or is very difficult to wake up.
నంబి పెట్టిందే ప్రసాదం
nambi pettinde prasadam
What the priest serves is the sacred offering.
This expression is used to describe a situation where one has no choice but to accept whatever is given or decided by an authority figure. It implies that regardless of the quality or quantity, one must be content with what is offered because they are not in a position to demand more or question the source.
రెక్కాడితేనే గానీ డొక్కాడదు
rekkaditene gani dokkadadu
Only if the wings move, the stomach can be filled
This is a common Telugu proverb used to describe the lives of daily wage laborers or poor people. It means that one must work hard every single day just to afford a meal. If they stop working for even a day, they will go hungry. It highlights a hand-to-mouth existence where survival depends entirely on continuous physical labor.
దినమూ ప్రయాణం చద్దన్నం చేటు
dinamu prayanam chaddannam chetu
Every day's travel is a waste of cold rice.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where there is a lot of preparation and effort, but no actual progress or movement. It refers to a person who keeps packing and getting ready to travel every single day but never actually departs, thereby wasting the food (curd rice) packed for the journey.
లేడికి లేచినదే ప్రయాణము
lediki lechinade prayanamu
The antelope has only to rise to be ready for a journey. Said of a man ready to go any where.
This expression is used to describe someone who acts impulsively or starts a task immediately without any prior planning, preparation, or deliberation. It refers to a person who is always in a hurry to get things moving the moment the thought strikes them.
ప్రాయాన పెట్టిన వంట - ప్రాయాన గన్న కొడుకు
prayana pettina vanta - prayana ganna koduku
Cooking done in youth - A son born in youth
This proverb highlights that certain things are most effective or beneficial when done at the right age or time. Just as one has the energy to cook well and the health to enjoy food in their youth, having children while young ensures that the parents are strong enough to raise them and will have their children's support while the parents are still relatively active.
నలుగురు నడిచిందే బాట, పలువురు పలికిందే మాట
naluguru nadichinde bata, paluvuru palikinde mata
The path walked by four (the majority) is the way; the word spoken by many is the truth.
This proverb emphasizes social consensus and the power of the majority. It suggests that a path becomes established only when many people follow it, and a statement gains the weight of truth or law when it is widely accepted by the community. It is used to describe following traditions or acknowledging public opinion.
పిందెలో పండిన పండు
pindelo pandina pandu
A fruit ripened after being plucked. Said of a precocious youth.
This expression is used to describe someone who shows maturity, wisdom, or behaviors far beyond their actual age, often used in the context of a child acting like an adult or being 'precocious'. It can also imply someone who has gained experience or 'ripened' prematurely.