మలప గేదె మానెడు పాలు ఇచ్చును

malapa gede manedu palu ichchunu

Translation

The buffalo that has stopped giving milk for a while will give a gallon of milk.

Meaning

This proverb is used to describe a situation where a person or thing returns to a task after a long break with renewed energy or high productivity. It suggests that rest or a hiatus can lead to better results upon resumption.

Related Phrases

When the owner says the buffalo is barren, the neighbor says it is a milch buffalo.

This proverb describes a situation where someone who has no firsthand knowledge or responsibility regarding a matter contradicts the person who knows the actual facts. It is used to mock people who offer unsolicited, overly optimistic, or ignorant opinions that contradict the reality faced by the person involved.

He reportedly gave drinking water using a soot-stained cloth.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone performs a good deed or offers something pure in a very clumsy, dirty, or inappropriate manner. It highlights how the lack of proper presentation or a flawed method can ruin a virtuous act.

Like a buffalo giving birth at an inconvenient time.

This expression is used to describe a situation where an event—even a positive one—occurs at the worst possible time or under unfavorable circumstances, making it more of a burden than a blessing. It highlights bad timing or ironic misfortune.

Devotion gone into the water, and the mantra gone to the outcasts.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where all the hard work, meticulous effort, or ritualistic care put into a task goes completely to waste or is rendered useless due to a small mistake or an unfortunate turn of events. It implies that the sanctity or value of an endeavor has been lost.

When asked who granted this tax-free land, he said, "I gave it to myself."

This proverb is used to describe a self-proclaimed status or honor that lacks external validation. It refers to situations where someone boasts about an achievement or a position they gave themselves without any official recognition or authority. It is often used to mock someone who is being self-important or self-congratulatory.

The buffalo you intended to buy has eaten up the vegetables I intended to plant. Taunting a man who is always talking but never acts.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where a minor loss is exaggerated or when someone makes a big deal out of a small, easily replaceable resource being consumed by another common asset. It highlights that both the thing lost and the thing that consumed it are easily replaceable or attainable, so the loss is not catastrophic.

The house belongs to the flies, the backyard belongs to the mosquitoes.

This proverb is used to describe a state of utter neglect, lack of maintenance, or mismanagement of a property or household. It highlights a situation where, due to the absence or carelessness of the inhabitants, the premises have been completely overrun by pests.

Like selling a milk-giving buffalo to buy a male buffalo just to ride on it.

This proverb is used to describe a foolish person who gives up a productive or profitable asset for something that provides status or temporary pleasure but is ultimately unproductive or a liability. It highlights poor decision-making where one sacrifices long-term utility for short-term vanity or convenience.

You can milk down a Mânika, but you cannot put up a Chiṭṭi. Mânika and Chiṭṭi are measures. One of the former equals 16 of the latter.

This proverb is used to emphasize that once a word is spoken or a secret is leaked, it is impossible to take it back or undo the damage, no matter how small it was. It highlights the importance of being careful with one's speech and actions because while it is easy to release something, it is impossible to restore the original state.

Try giving a loan, try giving a daughter in marriage.

This proverb highlights two of the most significant responsibilities or risks in social life. It suggests that if you want to understand the true nature of a person or a relationship, you will find out once you either lend them money or entrust them with your daughter's life through marriage. Both acts involve a high level of trust and often lead to lasting worries or revelations about the other party's character.