నీరు పల్లమెరుగును, నిజము దేవుడెరుగును.

niru pallamerugunu, nijamu devuderugunu.

Translation

Water finds the low ground, God knows the truth.

Meaning

This expression means that just as water naturally flows towards lower ground, the ultimate truth is always known to the Divine. It is used to suggest that while humans may be deceived or facts may be hidden, the absolute truth cannot be concealed from God or will eventually be revealed by fate.

Related Phrases

The sari will tear, the heifer will grow.

This proverb is used to emphasize making wise investments or spending money on things that appreciate in value. It compares buying clothes (which wear out and lose value) to buying livestock (which grows and produces profit), suggesting one should prioritize long-term growth over temporary material possessions.

Water knows the slope, God knows the truth

Just as water naturally flows towards a low-lying area, the ultimate truth is known only to God. It is used to emphasize that even if people are deceived or facts are hidden, the absolute truth cannot be hidden from the divine or will eventually be revealed.

God knows right and wrong; the Brahman knows Dâl and rice.

This proverb is used to describe someone who is indifferent to moral complexities or the truth of a situation, and is instead solely focused on their own material needs or personal gain. It suggests that while higher matters are left to God, the individual is only concerned with what fills their stomach.

God knows the truth, just as water knows the slope.

This proverb expresses that truth is inevitable and self-evident to a higher power or the natural order, just as it is the natural property of water to flow towards lower ground. It is used to assert one's honesty or to imply that the truth will eventually find its way out regardless of attempts to hide it.

The gardener knows the taste of the brinjal; the king knows the taste of the plantain. Brinjals should be cooked and eaten fresh from the garden. Plantains when used in an unripe state as a vegetable, should be kept a few days. Before the brinjals are set before a king they have lost some of their flavour, and as the gardener cannot afford to keep the plantains he plucks, he cooks them before they are ready for the pot.

This proverb highlights how appreciation and value vary based on perspective and social standing. The gardener knows the true quality of the eggplant because he grows it and sees it daily (practical knowledge), while the King appreciates the banana as it is a staple of royal feasts and luxury (refined or final enjoyment). It is used to say that different people have different expertise or preferences based on their life experiences.

The mother knows the birth of the son. i. e. she knows who is his father.

This expression signifies that a person who is the source or the creator of something knows its true origins, essence, and secrets better than anyone else. It is used to suggest that certain internal truths are known only to those intimately involved from the beginning, much like a mother knows her child's history perfectly.

A thief is known by a thief. A thief knows a thief, as a wolf knows a wolf.

This proverb implies that people of the same kind, especially those with malicious or secretive habits, can easily recognize each other's traits or motives. It is equivalent to the English proverb 'It takes one to know one' or 'Birds of a feather flock together.'

The decorations of a fair and of a loose woman. Ornament which soon disappears and exposes the real wretchedness.

This proverb describes things that are temporary and superficial. Just as a marketplace is bustling and vibrant only during trading hours and becomes desolate afterward, or a courtesan's beauty is enhanced only for professional allure, some situations or appearances lack depth and permanent value.

The washerman knows the reduced state of the village; the peon knows the reduction [ of his superiors ] in office.

This proverb suggests that subordinates or those who handle the personal chores of others are often the first to know the hidden secrets, scandals, or weaknesses of a community or an organization. Just as a washerman sees the stains on everyone's clothes, an assistant or peon observes the internal politics and flaws of a workplace.

Lust knows no time

This expression suggests that intense desire or lust does not care for timing, circumstances, or appropriateness. It is used to describe a state where a person's impulses override their judgment of when and where it is suitable to act.