ముప్పై తట్టల పేడ మోసే పోలికి, మూడు పుంజాల దండ బరువా?
muppai tattala peda mose poliki, mudu punjala danda baruva?
Would a necklace of three skeins of thread be heavy for Pôli who carries thirty baskets of cowdung ?
This proverb is used to point out that a person who regularly handles massive responsibilities or very difficult tasks will not find a minor or trivial task to be a burden. It highlights the contrast between major hardships already overcome and a small additional effort being requested.
Related Phrases
మూడు మూరల ఒక చుట్టు, ముప్పై మూరల ఒక చుట్టు.
mudu murala oka chuttu, muppai murala oka chuttu.
Three cubits once round, thirty cubits once round [ the body ]. A woman on being given cloths of different lengths, complained in each case that the cloth would go only once round her body. Not to be satisfied.
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.
తీగెకు కాయ బరువా?
tigeku kaya baruva?
Is the gourd too heavy for the creeper? Applied to having a large family to support.
This expression is used to convey that parents or caretakers never consider their own children or dependents as a burden, no matter how difficult the circumstances. Just as a vine naturally supports its fruit, a person naturally bears the responsibility of their loved ones with love and ease.
ముప్ఫయి మూడు కోట్ల దేవతలూ కూడి ముక్కు పట్టించగలరు గాని, నారాయణా అనిపించగలరా?
mupphayi mudu kotla devatalu kudi mukku pattinchagalaru gani, narayana anipinchagalara?
Thirty-three crores of gods joined together can make me hold my nose, but can they make me say Nârâyaṇa?
This expression highlights the limits of external force or coercion. While someone can physically force or restrain you (holding the nose), they cannot force your inner will, devotion, or speech if you are unwilling. It is used to suggest that true conviction or action must come from within and cannot be compelled by power alone.
You cannot make an ass drink if he is not thirsty. (French.)* You may force a man to shut his eyes but not to sleep. (Danish.)†
లేదంటే పోతుందా పేదల మునక?
ledante potunda pedala munaka?
Will a poor person's bath be skipped just because they can't afford it?
This expression is used to emphasize that essential tasks or natural cycles do not stop just because one lacks resources or faces difficulties. It implies that life goes on and necessary actions must be performed regardless of one's financial or social status.
ముప్పై తట్టల పేడ మోసే పోలికి, మూడు పుంజాల దండ బరువా?
muppai tattala peda mose poliki, mudu punjala danda baruva?
For Poli who carries thirty baskets of cow dung, is a garland of three bundles of flowers a burden?
This proverb is used to describe a person who handles massive responsibilities or hardships with ease; for such a person, a trivial additional task or small problem is inconsequential. It implies that someone accustomed to heavy labor will not be bothered by minor duties.
ముప్ఫయి ఏళ్లు కష్టము అనుభవించినవాడూ లేడు, ముప్ఫయి ఏళ్లు సుఖము అనుభవించినవాడూ లేడు.
mupphayi ellu kashtamu anubhavinchinavadu ledu, mupphayi ellu sukhamu anubhavinchinavadu ledu.
There is no one who has suffered thirty years of trouble, there is no one who has enjoyed thirty years of happiness.
This proverb highlights the cyclical nature of life. It suggests that neither sorrow nor joy is permanent. Just as seasons change, a person's circumstances will inevitably shift over a long period. It is used to offer hope during difficult times or to encourage humility during prosperous times, reminding us that 'this too shall pass.'
ఉప్పుతో ముప్పై ఆరు ఉంటే, ఉత్తముండయినా వండుతుంది.
upputo muppai aru unte, uttamundayina vandutundi.
If you have with salt the thirty-six a stupid woman even can cook. There are thirty-six requisites, it is said, for cooking, salt included.
This proverb suggests that with the right resources and abundance of materials, even an unskilled person can achieve a good result. It is used to highlight that success is easier when one has all the necessary tools and supplies at their disposal.
మా పిల్లవానికి ముప్ఫయిరెండు గుణములు వున్నవిగాని, రెండు మాత్రము తక్కువ.
ma pillavaniki mupphayirendu gunamulu vunnavigani, rendu matramu takkuva.
My boy has the thirty-two qualities, only he is two short.
This is a sarcastic expression used to mock someone's complete lack of good character. While it starts as a compliment (32 qualities signify perfection), the 'two missing' qualities are 'Sathyam' (Truth) and 'Shaucham' (Purity/Cleanliness), implying the person is a liar and a scoundrel.
* Continuanza diventa usanza.
మూడు కాసుల దానికి ముప్పావలా బాడుగ
mudu kasula daniki muppavala baduga
The rent for a three-paise item is seventy-five paise.
This proverb describes a situation where the maintenance, overhead, or incidental costs of an object or task far exceed its actual value. It is used to criticize inefficiency or poor financial judgment.
ముప్ఫై ఏళ్ళ ఆడదీ, మూడేళ్ళ మొగవాడూ ఒకటి.
mupphai ella adadi, mudella mogavadu okati.
A woman thirty years old and a man three years old are one [ in strength ].
This proverb highlights a traditional observation regarding maturity and knowledge. It suggests that by the age of thirty, a woman typically attains a level of worldly wisdom, patience, and household management skills that makes her as sharp and capable in her sphere as a three-year-old boy is in his peak stage of rapid learning, curiosity, and observation. It is often used to emphasize the intelligence and practical sense of women.