మెట్ట దున్నినవాడు, లొట్టె త్రాగినవాడు ఒకటే.

metta dunninavadu, lotte traginavadu okate.

Translation

The one who plows rain-fed land and the one who drinks toddy are the same.

Meaning

This proverb highlights the uncertainty and futility of certain actions. Plowing 'Metta' (dry/rain-fed land) is risky because the harvest depends entirely on unpredictable rain, often leading to no result. Similarly, a person who drinks 'Lotte' (toddy/liquor) loses their senses and ends up with nothing. It is used to describe situations where hard work or actions are likely to go to waste due to unfavorable conditions or bad habits.

Related Phrases

The one who falls into a whirlpool and the one who falls into a moat are both the same.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where two different paths or choices lead to the same unfortunate result. It suggests that whether a problem is caused by nature (whirlpool) or man-made (moat), the consequence of being trapped or ruined remains identical.

One who lets a farmhand do the plowing ends up in debt.

This proverb emphasizes the importance of personal supervision and hard work in one's business or agriculture. It suggests that if you rely entirely on others (like a farmhand or employee) to do your core work without oversight, the inefficiency or lack of care will eventually lead to financial loss or debt.

The one who is drunk and the one who has failed are the same.

This expression is used to highlight that people who are in an intoxicated state and those who have lost their sense of judgment or morals are equally unreliable. It suggests that both categories of people lack accountability for their actions and cannot be trusted or held to the same standards as a rational person.

One who has lost his way and one who has wandered around a school are the same.

This expression suggests that a person who has lost their direction in life is comparable to someone who has attended school without actually learning or applying anything. It is used to critique someone who lacks common sense or purpose despite having access to resources or opportunities.

One who is diseased and one who is forced into labor are the same.

This proverb highlights that a person suffering from a disease and a person forced into unpaid manual labor (vetti) share a similar plight—both lose their freedom of will and are under a constant state of suffering or compulsion. It is used to describe situations where a person has no choice but to endure hardship.

The one who listens to his wife and the one who falls in a forest are the same.

This proverb is traditionally used to caution men against being overly influenced or swayed by their wife's advice, suggesting that it leads to being lost or helpless, similar to being stranded in a wilderness. It is often used in a humorous or cautionary context regarding domestic decision-making.

No one has failed after farming under a lake, and no one has flourished solely by farming under a well.

This proverb highlights the reliability of water sources in agriculture. It suggests that farming near a large lake (abundant water) ensures success and prosperity, whereas relying on a small well (limited water) is much riskier and rarely leads to significant wealth.

There is no one who lived by plowing the wet land or was ruined by working the farm field.

This proverb emphasizes the dignity and reliability of agriculture. It suggests that hard work in farming consistently provides a livelihood and never leads to a person's downfall. It is used to encourage people to trust in honest labor and the fertility of the land.

The one who plows the lowlands will ride the palanquin.

This proverb emphasizes that hard work and perseverance lead to prosperity and high status. Lowlands are often the most fertile but difficult areas to cultivate; therefore, the person who puts in the effort to farm them will eventually earn enough wealth and respect to afford a luxury like a palanquin (an ancient symbol of status and comfort).

The over liberal man is ruined ; when a man dies, his debts go with him.

This proverb highlights two harsh realities of life: people only appreciate those who are generous or provide help, and once a person dies, their debts and obligations often perish with them, making it impossible to recover what was owed. It is used to describe the nature of gratitude and the finality of death regarding liabilities.