మన్ను పెట్టితే బంగారము, బంగారము పెట్టితే మన్ను.

mannu pettite bangaramu, bangaramu pettite mannu.

Translation

You get gold out of earth and earth out of gold. i. e. you buy land with money.

Meaning

This proverb highlights the unpredictable nature of luck and timing. It suggests that when one is going through a fortunate period, even a worthless effort (mud) turns into wealth (gold), but during an unfortunate period, even a valuable investment (gold) can turn into a loss (mud). It is often used to describe the irony of success and failure.

Related Phrases

While the father gave to the Dasaris, the mother gave to the Jangams.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where a husband and wife (or two people in charge) are both overly generous or spendthrift in different ways, leading to the depletion of their resources. It highlights a lack of coordination or mutual recklessness in managing household wealth or assets.

If you give him butter he cannot swallow it, if you give him your finger he cannot bite it.

This expression is used to describe a person who appears extremely innocent, naive, or passive to the point of being helpless or dull-witted. It often refers to someone who lacks the basic initiative or reaction expected in common situations.

As demure as if butter would not melt in his mouth, and yet cheese will not choke him.

The decoration is proportional to the gold available.

This proverb means that the quality or extent of a result depends on the resources or effort invested. It is used to describe situations where you get exactly what you pay for, or where the outcome is limited by the budget or materials provided.

A golden knife. Said of something of intrinsic value but of no utility.

This expression is used to describe something that is beautiful or attractive but nonetheless harmful or dangerous. Just because a knife is made of gold, it doesn't mean it won't cut; it implies that one should not be deceived by outward elegance when the inherent nature is destructive.

Golden hooks do not necessarily catch golden fish.

This expression means that using expensive or high-quality tools does not always guarantee a superior or successful outcome. It highlights that merit, skill, or luck often matter more than the outward appearance or cost of the resources used. It is used to caution against the belief that money alone can buy success.

Woman is Goddess Lakshmi, man is gold

This expression highlights the traditional roles and values in a family. It suggests that a woman brings prosperity and grace (like the Goddess Lakshmi) to a home, while the man represents the wealth and strength (like gold) that provides security. It is often used to emphasize the importance of both genders in maintaining a balanced household.

If one is wealthy, do they eat gold?

This proverb highlights the essential nature of basic necessities over luxury. It implies that no matter how rich a person is, they still need food to survive just like anyone else. It is used to humble those who are arrogant about their wealth or to remind people that money cannot satisfy every human need.

Touching mud turns it into gold, touching gold turns it into mud

This proverb describes the extremes of luck or fortune. It refers to a person's current 'luck streak'—when someone is highly successful, even their smallest efforts (mud) yield great results (gold). Conversely, when someone is going through a period of extreme misfortune, even their most valuable assets or best efforts fail miserably.

When the master fed the Dâsaris (devotees of Vishṇu), the mistress fed the Jangams (devotees of Śiva). Applied to a spirit of contradiction.

This proverb describes a situation where both partners in a couple or group are equally charitable, or more commonly, equally wasteful and extravagant in spending resources on outsiders. It is used to highlight a lack of financial coordination or a mutual tendency to give away assets, often leading to the depletion of the household's wealth.

Like gold turning into mud and mud turning into gold.

This expression describes the volatility of luck or fortune. It refers to a situation where a person with bad luck can turn a valuable opportunity (gold) into a failure (mud), while a person with good luck or skill can turn even a worthless thing into something precious.