నీళ్లలో నిమ్మలు బ్రతికినవి, అడివిలో తుమ్మలు బ్రతికినవి.

nillalo nimmalu bratikinavi, adivilo tummalu bratikinavi.

Translation

Lime trees lived in the water, acacia trees lived in the jungle. Very common.

Meaning

This proverb is used to describe how different people or things thrive in their natural or specific environments. It suggests that survival depends on being in the right place or situation suited to one's nature. It can also be used to indicate that despite hardships or varying conditions, everyone finds a way to exist in their own niche.

Related Phrases

Even if you live for a long time, you cannot avoid going to the cremation ground.

This proverb emphasizes the inevitability of death. It signifies that no matter how long or prosperously one lives, life is temporary and death is the ultimate reality for every living being. It is often used to remind people to remain humble or to accept the cycle of life.

Does the one who rose from ruin have more courage, or does the one who fell from prosperity have more sorrows?

This proverb highlights the contrast between two life experiences: resilience and loss. It suggests that a person who has overcome failure (Chedi Brathikinavaadu) gains immense strength and bravery, whereas a person who has fallen from a high status (Brathiki Chedinavaadu) suffers from deep emotional pain and many hardships. It is often used to describe the psychological state of people based on their life's trajectory.

The life one lived is known at the time of death.

This proverb emphasizes that a person's true character, reputation, and the impact of their life's work are only fully realized and judged by society after they pass away. It is often used to suggest that one's legacy is defined by how they are remembered by others when they are gone.

The pumpkins have become rotten, the mustard plants have spread. Said when the base and wicked rise in power and the great and good disappear.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where great or powerful entities have fallen or perished, while small, insignificant, or weak entities are thriving or taking over. It highlights the irony of time or circumstances where the mighty fail and the lowly flourish.

No man has ever died from cursing, or lived from blessing. No one dies of threats. ( Dutch. )

This proverb is used to suggest that words alone—whether insults or blessings—do not determine a person's fate or lifespan. It emphasizes that one should not take curses to heart or rely solely on blessings, but rather focus on reality and one's own actions.

* Van dreigen sterft man neit.

He survived until the wedding ritual of pouring rice (Talambralu) because of the strength of the wedding thread (Thalibottu).

This expression is used to describe a person who narrowly escapes a fatal situation or survives a life-threatening crisis just in time for a significant event, often implying that their spouse's luck or the sanctity of their marriage (represented by the wedding thread) protected them.

Who has survived forever (after passing away)?

This expression is used to remind others of the inevitability of death. It suggests that since no one lives forever, one should focus on living a meaningful life or doing good deeds while they are still alive, rather than worrying excessively about the end.

Lemons survived in the water, and acacia trees survived in the forest.

This expression is used to describe a situation where life goes on naturally in its respective environment without much external help. It implies that every living being or entity finds a way to survive and thrive in its own habitat or circumstances. It is often used to reassure someone that things will naturally fall into place or that people will manage to get by in their own ways.

There is no one who died because of curses, nor anyone who lived because of blessings.

This proverb emphasizes that human life and destiny are governed by actions and natural laws rather than just the words of others. It suggests that mere words—whether malicious curses or benevolent blessings—do not have the power to change one's fate or physical reality. It is used to encourage people to ignore empty threats or not rely solely on praise.

Like a frog in a stone, living within the stone itself.

This expression refers to someone who lives in a very limited or confined environment but still manages to survive. It is often used to describe people who are content with their narrow surroundings or those who manage to find sustenance and life in the most unlikely and difficult circumstances without external help.