మూడు దినాలుంటే మురికిచుట్టం.

This is a humorous observation or a 'sameta' used to point out that certain things, like a common cold, follow their natural course and cannot be rushed. Since a week and seven days are exactly the same, it implies that the medicine doesn't actually shorten the duration of the illness. It is used to describe situations where intervention doesn't yield a faster result than doing nothing.

This proverb is used to question the nature of a relationship. It asks whether a person is a genuine blood relative (pegu chuttam) who cares out of love, or a 'fair-weather friend' (pettu chuttam) who is only around for financial gain, gifts, or personal benefit. It is often used when someone shows sudden interest in a person's life only when they become wealthy or influential.

A table friend is changeable. (French.)‡ * Vache de loin a lait asses. † Geluk en glas brekt even ras. ‡ Ami de table est variable.

This proverb highlights that one can only exercise authority or manage affairs if they possess the necessary resources or capital. In an agricultural context, it means without seeds to sow, there is no farm to manage; in a broader sense, it implies that financial stability is the foundation of influence and leadership.

This proverb is used to describe situations where one incurs more loss than gain when trying to perform a task without the necessary resources. It refers to the futility of borrowing things to show off status, where the effort of cleaning up or the damage to the borrowed items outweighs the benefits of the event.

Piranṭam is an invitation given to married women on the occasion of any domestic festival. Family priests sometimes hire married women to attend on such occasions, the condition being that all presents received go to the priest. The food set before these substitutes is often bad. Come uncalled sit unserved. Go neither to a wedding nor a christening without invitation.

This proverb refers to efficiency and laziness. It describes a situation where one person wraps a rope or cloth carefully in small, precise loops (three cubits), while another person, out of laziness or haste, wraps it in huge, messy loops (thirty cubits) just to finish the job quickly. It is used to criticize sloppy work done without attention to detail.

This expression is used to convey the idea that one must wait for time to pass or for a current difficult phase to end before things get better. It implies that patience is required during challenging times, as the world or a specific situation is currently in a state of turmoil that will eventually resolve.

This proverb highlights that borrowed things or services obtained through payment (rent) rather than genuine relationship result in poor quality or damage. Specifically, it suggests that when someone attends a function only for the sake of money or rent, they lack care, leading to messy outcomes. It is used to caution against relying on borrowed items or insincere participation.

This proverb highlights the critical importance of rainfall for agriculture. It signifies that timely rains lead to prosperity and food security (crops), whereas a lack of rain leads to drought, starvation, and economic devastation (metaphorically referred to as fires/suffering).

This proverb emphasizes that integrity and transparency are more valuable than social status or outward appearances. It suggests that a person with low social standing (historically, a widow) who is honest and clean in character is superior to a person of high social status (a married woman/mutthaiduva) who is deceitful, immoral, or 'dirty' in her conduct.

This expression describes people who offer verbal sympathy or make grand promises but disappear when actual help or hospitality (like providing a meal) is required. It refers to someone who is friendly only on the surface and avoids the responsibility of true friendship or kinship.