మురికి మురికి ముత్తైదువు కంటే, వెల్లడియైన విధవ మేలు

muriki muriki muttaiduvu kante, velladiyaina vidhava melu

Translation

An honest widow is better than a dirty, unchaste married woman.

Meaning

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.

Related Phrases

If you tend cattle by running and running, how many days will you be able to do it?

This proverb highlights the importance of sustainability and patience over frantic, unsustainable effort. It implies that working in a state of constant rush or panic will lead to burnout quickly. It is used to advise someone to find a steady, manageable pace for long-term tasks rather than exhausting themselves with temporary bursts of extreme energy.

Even for a widow, morning sickness is unavoidable.

This proverb is used to illustrate that the consequences of one's actions or natural laws cannot be escaped, regardless of one's social status or the scandalous nature of the situation. It implies that certain physical or situational realities are inevitable once a specific path has been taken.

The one who died first is a sumangali (auspicious woman), the one who followed is a widow.

This proverb is used to comment on irony or hypocritical situations where people judge others based on timing or status, even when they share a similar fate. It highlights that the first person to experience a situation or commit an act often gains a higher status or 'moral ground' compared to the second person who does the exact same thing.

If one stays for three days, they become a dirty relative.

This proverb highlights the social dynamic that hospitality has its limits. It implies that a guest is honored and welcomed initially, but if they overstay their welcome (specifically more than three days), they start to be seen as a burden or an annoyance by the hosts.

Six pairs of lacquered leaves for a three-day married life.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone makes an excessive or extravagant display for a very short-lived or insignificant event. It highlights the absurdity of over-preparing or over-spending on something that lacks longevity or substance.

If you go forward, she is a dirty woman; if you go backward, she is a mad woman.

This proverb is used to describe a 'catch-22' or a 'no-win' situation where every available option leads to a negative or unpleasant outcome. It is similar to the English expressions 'between a rock and a hard place' or 'between the devil and the deep blue sea.'

If ten stones are thrown, won't at least one hit? Like the tenth day's married woman.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where one makes multiple attempts or tries many different ways with the hope that at least one will succeed. It is often used in a slightly cynical or humorous context regarding persistence or trial-and-error efforts.

Neither a widow nor a married woman with a living husband.

This expression refers to a person or a situation that is in a state of limbo or ambiguity, not belonging to one clear category or another. It is used to describe something that is neither here nor there, often implying a lack of clear identity, status, or decision.

Better a 'muttumu' yield from rain than an 'edumu' yield from drought.

In agriculture, this proverb highlights the importance of timely rain. 'Edumu' and 'Muttumu' are traditional units of measurement. It means that it is better to have a smaller, healthy harvest resulting from moisture/rain (even if slightly over-saturated) than to hope for a larger harvest that eventually withers away due to dry conditions or drought. It emphasizes that basic sustenance from reliable conditions is superior to the promise of abundance under failing conditions.

A squint eye is better than a blind eye.

This proverb is used to convey that having something imperfect or partial is better than having nothing at all. It is similar to the English expression 'Half a loaf is better than no bread' or 'Something is better than nothing.'

Of two evils choose the least.