మనిషి మంచి చెడ్డలు తెలుసుకోవాలంటే అతనిని అధికార పీఠంలో పెట్టాలి.

manishi manchi cheddalu telusukovalante atanini adhikara pithamlo pettali.

Translation

If you want to know a person's good or bad qualities, you must place them in a seat of power.

Meaning

This expression means that a person's true character is revealed only when they are given authority or power. It suggests that while people may appear humble or virtuous when they have nothing, their real nature—whether noble or corrupt—emerges once they have the ability to control others.

Related Phrases

There is no medicine for the bite of a man. The bite of an enraged man is said to be fatally poisonous.

This proverb refers to the malicious nature of human behavior, specifically betrayal, gossip, or cruelty. While there are remedies for snake bites or animal wounds, the damage caused by a person's words or actions can be irreparable and impossible to heal with physical medicine.

The depth of a good person and the depth of an abandoned pit cannot be known.

This proverb suggests that just as it is difficult to measure the depth of an overgrown or abandoned pit, it is equally difficult to fathom the true intentions, thoughts, or internal nature of a seemingly quiet or good person. It is often used to remind others that appearances can be deceptive and that calm people often possess deep, complex characters or hidden strengths.

Words are good, but deeds are bad

This expression describes hypocrisy or a situation where someone talks very politely or makes grand promises but acts in a harmful or contrary manner. It is used to describe people whose actions do not match their virtuous words.

If there is a substitute person, there is a headache during the day.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where delegating a task to an incompetent or unreliable person causes more trouble and constant worry than doing the work oneself. It highlights that poor assistance can be more burdensome than no assistance at all.

Good and bad are the warp and the woof.

Life is a fabric woven with both good and bad experiences. This expression is used to convey that success and failure, or joy and sorrow, are inseparable parts of the human experience, just like the vertical (warp) and horizontal (woof) threads that make a cloth.

Words are the true ornament for a human

This expression emphasizes that a person's character and beauty are judged by their speech and behavior rather than physical jewelry or clothing. It is used to remind someone that polite and truthful words carry more value than external appearances.

Warp and woof for a cloth, good and bad for a human.

Just as warp (vertical threads) and woof (horizontal threads) are essential components that define the structure of a cloth, good and bad qualities/actions are what define a human being. It is used to express that life or a person's character is a combination of both virtues and flaws, and one must accept this duality as a natural part of human existence.

Even if you compete, compete for something that is worth getting branded for.

This proverb suggests that if one chooses to compete or strive for something, it should be for a prize or goal that is truly valuable and worth the sacrifice or effort involved. It discourages wasting energy on trivial competitions.

One who cannot keep his wife in control, can he control everyone else?

This proverb suggests that if a person cannot manage their own domestic affairs or immediate responsibilities, they are unlikely to be capable of leading or controlling a larger group of people. It is used to mock the leadership claims of those who lack discipline in their personal lives.

A human's inner thoughts and a tree's core strength are not visible from the outside.

This proverb highlights that outward appearances are deceptive. Just as you cannot judge the internal strength or quality of a tree's timber by looking at its bark, you cannot know a person's true intentions, character, or secrets just by their external behavior.