ముష్టి మూడువిధాల సేద్యం

This proverb describes someone who sets ideal or impossible conditions before committing to a task. It highlights the tendency to blame external factors or demand perfect resources to justify one's willingness to work, implying that with such perfect comforts, anyone would be willing to do the job.

This expression is used to describe a person who has excessive or grand requirements for a very small or humble task. It highlights the irony of someone who, despite being in a position of seeking help or doing something minor, demands or carries more tools than necessary.

This proverb is used to describe tasks or situations that require constant attention, effort, and resources. Just as a chronic illness needs continuous care and a garden requires daily maintenance to prevent it from withering, certain responsibilities or businesses demand unending vigilance to stay viable.

This proverb highlights a traditional ideal for a prosperous and stable family. It suggests that if the father takes care of agriculture (ensuring food security) and the son becomes a doctor (ensuring health and income), the family will always have 'koodu' (food/sustenance) right in the middle or in abundance. It is used to describe a perfectly balanced and self-sufficient household.

This proverb emphasizes the power of teamwork and support. It suggests that even an incompetent or timid person can achieve great tasks, like agriculture, if they have a large family or a strong team to support and guide them. Success often depends more on collective strength than individual ability.

This is an agricultural proverb related to the lunar asterisms (Kartelu). It suggests that heavy rains during the Magha and Pubba periods are detrimental to crops. It implies that regardless of who is farming or how hard they work, the yield will be ruined (turned to dust/mud) if it rains excessively during this specific time of the season.

This expression is a play on words using 'Mushti' (which can mean both 'a fist' and 'begging/alms'). It highlights the ironic situation where someone who is already poor or a beggar themselves tries to help another beggar. It is used to describe an act of charity performed by those who have very little to give, emphasizing that even the smallest act of kindness from the poor is significant.

This expression is used to describe a situation where the reward or payment is just as poor or mediocre as the work performed. It implies that neither the service nor the compensation was of high quality, often used when one person's low-quality effort meets another's stingy response.

* Un mal chiama l'otro,

This expression refers to a situation where someone who is already in a state of seeking help or living on charity decides to share a portion of what they have received with someone even more needy. It signifies an act of extreme generosity or charity performed by a person who themselves has very little.

This proverb emphasizes the importance of using fertilizers or manure in agriculture. It suggests that if a farmer neglects to enrich the soil, the crop will inevitably fail, leading to poverty and hunger. It is used to highlight that success requires the right inputs and preparation.