ఒళ్ళు వంగని అమ్మ కాలి మట్టెలకు కందిపోయిందట
ollu vangani amma kali mattelaku kandipoyindata
The woman who wouldn't bend her body complained that her toe rings caused her skin to chafe.
This proverb is used to describe a lazy person who makes up trivial or absurd excuses to avoid doing any physical work. It highlights the tendency of lazy people to blame their tools or small discomforts for their lack of productivity.
Related Phrases
విన్నమ్మకు వీపు కాలింది, కన్నమ్మకు కడుపు కాలింది
vinnammaku vipu kalindi, kannammaku kadupu kalindi
For the woman who heard, her back burned; for the mother who gave birth, her womb burned.
This proverb contrasts superficial sympathy with deep, genuine pain. While an outsider (the listener) might feel a momentary or mild annoyance (back burning), only the person directly involved or the parent (the mother) feels the true, excruciating agony (womb burning). It is used to describe situations where bystanders can never truly understand the depth of a victim's suffering.
తిండిలేనమ్మ తిరుణాళ్లకు పోతే ఎక్కనూ దిగనూ సరిపోయిందట
tindilenamma tirunallaku pote ekkanu diganu saripoyindata
When a woman who had no food went to a fair, her time was spent just climbing up and down.
This proverb describes a situation where a person lacks basic resources but attempts a grand or busy task, only to find that the effort required for the logistics of the task consumes all their energy without yielding any benefit. It is used to mock people who participate in events they cannot afford or sustain, resulting in unnecessary struggle instead of enjoyment.
ఒళ్ళు బలసిన గంగానమ్మ పేడ కుడుము లడిగిందట
ollu balasina ganganamma peda kudumu ladigindata
Ganganamma, whose body had grown stout, supposedly asked for cow-dung cakes.
This proverb is used to describe a person who has become arrogant or eccentric due to newfound wealth or excess comfort. It refers to someone who starts acting strangely or makes absurd, lowly demands simply because they no longer have any real problems to worry about.
ఒళ్లు వంగనమ్మకు కాలి మెట్టెలు కందిపోయాయట
ollu vanganammaku kali mettelu kandipoyayata
The lazy woman complained that her toe-rings pinched her.
This proverb is used to describe a lazy person who makes up trivial or absurd excuses to avoid doing work. It highlights how people shift blame to insignificant things instead of admitting their own lack of effort.
Idle folks lack no excuses.
విన్నమ్మ వీపు కాలింది, కన్నమ్మ కడుపు కాలింది
vinnamma vipu kalindi, kannamma kadupu kalindi
The back of the woman who heard burned, the stomach of the woman who gave birth burned.
This proverb contrasts the depth of empathy with biological maternal pain. It means that while a casual observer or neighbor (the one who heard) might feel a superficial or outward sympathy (back burning), only a mother (the one who gave birth) feels the true, deep, internal agony (stomach burning) when a child is in trouble. It is used to describe how a mother's suffering for her children is incomparable to anyone else's.
నల్లేరు మీద బండి నడక
nalleru mida bandi nadaka
Like a cart moving over a Cissus quadrangularis (Nalleru) plant.
This expression is used to describe a process that is extremely smooth, easy, and without any obstacles. Just as a cart glides effortlessly over the soft, succulent Nalleru plant, it signifies that a task is being completed very easily.
ఒళ్ళు వంగనమ్మ కాలిమెట్టెలకు కందిపోయిందట.
ollu vanganamma kalimettelaku kandipoyindata.
A woman who won't bend her body claimed her toe-rings caused her skin to chafe.
This proverb is used to describe a lazy person who makes silly or improbable excuses to avoid work. It mockingly refers to someone who blames minor, irrelevant things for their inability or unwillingness to perform physical labor.
విన్నమ్మ వీపు కాలినది, కన్నమ్మ కడుపు కాలినది
vinnamma vipu kalinadi, kannamma kadupu kalinadi
Vinnamma's back burned, Kannamma's belly burned. The first mourned the loss of a son-in-law, the second that of a son.— Kannamma signifies ' she who bore ; ' Vinnamma signifies ' she who heard' [ of the death.]
This proverb highlights the profound difference between superficial sympathy and true maternal grief. While an outsider (the one who hears the news) might feel a fleeting pain or 'burn' on the surface (the back), the biological mother (the one who gave birth) feels the intense, internal agony of a 'burning' womb/stomach. It is used to express that only those directly affected by a tragedy can truly understand its depth.
* Det kommer vel der ske skall.
చూచినమ్మ కళ్ళు శూలాలు, మా అమ్మ కళ్ళు పేలాలు
chuchinamma kallu shulalu, ma amma kallu pelalu
The eyes of the woman who saw are spears, my mother's eyes are popped grains (popcorn).
This proverb describes a double standard or partiality. It refers to a situation where a person criticizes or sees faults in others (comparing their gaze to painful spears) while viewing their own people's similar actions or flaws as harmless, soft, or pleasant (like light popped grains).
ఎదురు పడ్డమ్మ ఎండిపోయినదట
eduru paddamma endipoyinadata
The woman who was met wasted away.
This proverb is used to describe a person who is extremely unlucky or has a negative influence. It suggests that if such a person crosses your path, even they themselves might suffer or wither away, or alternatively, that their mere presence brings bad luck to others and themselves. It is often used to mock someone's constant complaining or their streak of misfortune.
One woman met another out of whom a spirit had been driven, and fancied she was possessed. Unreasonable fears.