మసిగుడ్డతో మంచినీళ్ళు ఇచ్చాడట

masiguddato manchinillu ichchadata

Translation

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

Meaning

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.

Related Phrases

When asked to cook, Perakka said she would fetch water while looking at the crowd.

This proverb describes a lazy person who uses any excuse or distraction to avoid their main responsibility. It refers to someone who procrastinates on a difficult task by offering to do a minor, easier task or by simply wandering off under the guise of helping.

There is no gratitude for the one who gave a house or for the one who served buttermilk.

This proverb highlights the irony of human ingratitude. It suggests that people often fail to show appreciation or give credit even to those who have provided significant help (like a home) or basic hospitality (like buttermilk). It is used when someone's kindness is met with indifference or negativity.

Like drinking water after eating mud.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone performs a completely useless or harmful action and then tries to follow it up with something normal or helpful to cover it up. It signifies a futile attempt to rectify a foolish mistake or refers to an action that yields no benefit despite the effort.

Everyone is a relative, but one doesn't even get drinking water.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where despite being surrounded by family, relatives, or many known people, no one actually steps up to help in a time of need. It highlights the irony of having a large social circle or family that offers no practical support.

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.

Slitting the throat with a wet cloth

This expression describes someone who causes harm or betrays others in a very subtle, smooth, and seemingly harmless manner. It refers to a person who acts like a friend or well-wisher on the surface but performs an act of extreme cruelty or treachery without making a scene.

If you go to do good, you won't even get drinking water.

This proverb is used to express frustration when a person's good intentions or helpfulness result in bad outcomes, lack of appreciation, or even trouble for themselves. It suggests that in some cynical situations, being virtuous doesn't even yield the most basic reward or gratitude.

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

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.

Everyone is a relative, but one cannot even get a glass of drinking water.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where one is surrounded by many friends or relatives who claim to be close, yet none of them step forward to help when there is a genuine need. It highlights the irony of having a large social circle that offers no practical support.

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.