తానొకటి తలిస్తే దైవమొకటి తలచినట్లు

tanokati taliste daivamokati talachinatlu

Translation

If one thinks of one thing, God thinks of another.

Meaning

This proverb is equivalent to the English saying 'Man proposes, God disposes'. It is used to describe situations where human plans fail or take an unexpected turn due to fate or circumstances beyond one's control.

Related Phrases

An uninvited gathering and an unannounced fast.

This expression is used to describe someone who attends an event or involves themselves in a situation without being invited. It highlights the awkwardness or inappropriateness of showing up at a social gathering (perantamu) where one's presence was not requested, or starting a religious fast (okkapoddu) without prior commitment or notification.

An uninvited gathering and an unannounced fast.

This proverb is used to describe an unwanted or uninvited guest who arrives unexpectedly. It highlights the awkwardness of someone participating in an event or making a commitment (like a religious fast) without proper invitation or prior notice, often causing inconvenience to others.

If you ask the sugar-cane to give you molasses will it do so? Strong measures must be used with stubborn folk.

This proverb is used to explain that processes take time and effort. You cannot get the final product (jaggery) directly from the source (sugarcane) without going through the necessary labor of crushing and boiling. It highlights that results require a systematic process and cannot be achieved through mere requests or shortcuts.

Attending a feast to which you are not invited, a fast you are not asked to observe. Fidders' dogs an' flees come to a feast unca'd. (Scatch.)

This expression is used to describe someone who interferes in others' business without being asked, or someone who shows up at an event without an invitation. It highlights the awkwardness or inappropriateness of being involved in something where one's presence was neither requested nor expected.

A monkey is the guest of honor at a langur's wedding.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where an incompetent or unworthy person is invited to lead or participate in an event managed by someone equally unsuitable. It highlights a mismatch of standards or a gathering of fools, implying that when the host and the guest are both ridiculous, the outcome will be chaotic or absurd.

Rented celebration leads to a dirty oil-pot.

This proverb highlights that borrowed things or services obtained through payment (rent) rather than genuine relationship result in poor quality or damage. Specifically, it suggests that when someone attends a function only for the sake of money or rent, they lack care, leading to messy outcomes. It is used to caution against relying on borrowed items or insincere participation.

Breast milk that hasn't fully come in, and curd that hasn't fully set.

This expression is used to describe something that is incomplete, half-baked, or in an intermediate state where it is neither here nor there. It highlights the uselessness or dissatisfaction caused by things that are not fully developed or finished, such as a task left halfway or a skill that is poorly acquired.

Like kinship and a formal ceremony coming together.

This expression is used to describe a situation where two beneficial or relevant events happen simultaneously or overlap perfectly. It refers to a scenario where one trip or action serves two purposes—visiting a relative (kinship) and attending a social/religious gathering (perantam) at the same time, thereby saving effort and making the most of the occasion.

Like inviting a tiger to a social gathering.

This proverb describes a situation where someone voluntarily invites a dangerous or troublesome person into their lives or affairs, essentially creating their own misfortune. It is used when a person's own actions or invitations lead to a predictable disaster or threat.

Eerangam in the street and a social gathering in the locality.

This proverb is used to describe a person who is hyperactive, meddling in everyone's business, or trying to be present everywhere at once. It often refers to someone who neglects their own responsibilities at home while staying busy with communal affairs or wandering around aimlessly participating in every local event.