మొగుడొల్లక ముప్పై ఏండ్లు, ఆలొల్లక అరవై ఏండ్లు, బాలప్రాయం పదేండ్లు
mogudollaka muppai endlu, alollaka aravai endlu, balaprayam padendlu
Thirty years without a husband, sixty years without a wife, and ten years of childhood.
This proverb is used to comment on how time is wasted in life due to indecisiveness, avoidance of responsibilities, or unfavorable circumstances. It highlights a life spent in loneliness or procrastination, where the prime years pass away without fulfillment or purpose.
Related Phrases
పందిగా పదేండ్లు బ్రతికేకన్నా నందిగా నాలుగేండ్లు బతికితే చాలు
pandiga padendlu bratikekanna nandiga nalugendlu batikite chalu
Instead of living for ten years as a pig, it is enough to live for four years as a Nandi (sacred bull).
Quality of life is more important than quantity. It is better to live a short, dignified, and honorable life than to live a long life in disgrace or without any purpose.
ఆలి అలుక అరవై ఏళ్లు, మగని అలుక ముప్పయి ఏళ్లు, బాలప్రాయం పదేళ్లు.
ali aluka aravai ellu, magani aluka muppayi ellu, balaprayam padellu.
A wife's sulking lasts sixty years, a husband's sulking lasts thirty years, and childhood lasts ten years.
This proverb humorously highlights the typical durations of different life stages and domestic behaviors. It suggests that a wife's resentment or anger can be long-lasting (metaphorically sixty years), a husband's is relatively shorter (thirty years), and childhood is fleeting (only ten years). It is often used to comment on the enduring nature of domestic friction versus the shortness of youth.
బెండ్లు మునిగి గుండ్లు తేలినట్టు.
bendlu munigi gundlu telinattu.
Like corks sinking and stones floating.
This expression describes an unnatural, illogical, or topsy-turvy situation where things happen contrary to their nature. It is used to point out a state of injustice, corruption, or chaos where the deserving are neglected and the unworthy are elevated.
ఆలు ఒల్లక అరవై ఏళ్ళు, మొగుడు ఒల్లక ముప్పై ఏళ్ళు, బాలప్రాయం పదేళ్ళు.
alu ollaka aravai ellu, mogudu ollaka muppai ellu, balaprayam padellu.
Sixty years passed as the wife was unwilling, thirty years passed as the husband was unwilling, and ten years passed as childhood.
This proverb describes a wasted life or a failed relationship where time is squandered on mutual dislikes, disagreements, and hesitation. It is used to mock people who spend their entire lives complaining or avoiding responsibilities until it is too late.
అరవై ఏండ్లకు అగ్గిగండం అన్నట్లు.
aravai endlaku aggigandam annatlu.
Like saying there is a danger of fire at sixty years of age.
This expression is used to describe a situation where someone predicts or faces an unnecessary or unexpected catastrophe just when things are supposed to be settled or peaceful. It refers to an ironic or ill-timed misfortune occurring late in life or at an inappropriate time.
గుండ్లు తేలి బెండ్లు మునిగినట్లు
gundlu teli bendlu muniginatlu
Like heavy boulders floating and light corks sinking
This expression describes an unnatural or chaotic situation where things are happening contrary to their nature or the established order. It is used when merit is ignored while incompetence is rewarded, or when the impossible happens while the obvious fails.
గుండ్లు తేలి బెండ్లు ముణిగినట్టు
gundlu teli bendlu muniginattu
Bullets floating, Bendu sinking.
This expression is used to describe a topsy-turvy situation where things are happening contrary to their natural order or common sense. It refers to a scenario where heavy, solid things (boulders) are treated lightly or succeed, while light, buoyant things (corks) fail or are suppressed. It is often used to critique injustice, poor management, or illogical outcomes in society.
Bendu is the Eschynomene Indica from which pith hats, models, &c. are made. The order of nature reversed. * El abad de Bamba, lo que no puede comer, dalo por su alma,
ఆలు వల్లక అరవై యేండ్లు, మొగుడు వల్లక ముప్ఫయి యేండ్లు, బాలప్రాయము పది యేండ్లు.
alu vallaka aravai yendlu, mogudu vallaka mupphayi yendlu, balaprayamu padi yendlu.
For ten years they were children, for thirty years the husband disliked the wife, and for sixty years the wife disliked the husband. Applied to an unprofitable and unhappy life.
This proverb is used to describe a wasted life or a long period of time spent in procrastination and excuses. It humorously illustrates how an entire century (100 years) can pass by blaming others or circumstances—60 years blaming the wife, 30 years blaming the husband, and 10 years in childhood—without ever achieving anything meaningful.
అయ్య ఊరోళ్ళ పాలు, అమ్మ మాలోళ్ళ పాలు
ayya urolla palu, amma malolla palu
The father belongs to the villagers, and the mother belongs to the farmworkers.
This proverb describes a situation where both parents are constantly busy with outside work or social obligations, leaving no time for their own family or household. It is used to critique parents who neglect their responsibilities at home while being overly active in community affairs.
అరవై ఏండ్లు నిండిన వాడికి ఆలోచన అడక్కు, ఇరవై ఏండ్లు నిండని వానికి పెత్తనమీయకు.
aravai endlu nindina vadiki alochana adakku, iravai endlu nindani vaniki pettanamiyaku.
Do not ask for advice from a man over sixty, and do not give authority to a man under twenty.
This proverb highlights traditional views on age and capability. It suggests that those who are very old may sometimes lose their mental clarity or become outdated in their thinking, while those who are too young lack the maturity and experience required to handle administrative or household responsibilities effectively.