పాచి పండ్లవాడు తెచ్చి పెడితే బంగారు పండ్ల వాడు తినేశాడట.

pachi pandlavadu techchi pedite bangaru pandla vadu tineshadata.

Translation

While the one with dirty teeth brought it, the one with golden teeth ate it.

Meaning

This proverb describes a situation where one person does all the hard work or struggles to earn something, but a more privileged or lucky person enjoys the benefits or rewards. It highlights the irony of labor versus enjoyment.

Related Phrases

Like having a thorny bush under a fruit-bearing tree

This expression is used to describe a situation where something beneficial or pleasant is accompanied by an unexpected nuisance or danger. It highlights how a good experience can be ruined or made difficult to access by a small but significant problem nearby, similar to how thorns make it hard to reach for sweet fruits.

Like the woman with dirty teeth earning while the woman with golden teeth spends it all.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where one person works extremely hard in difficult or 'dirty' conditions to earn money, while another person, who lives a life of luxury or puts on appearances, simply spends or wastes that hard-earned wealth. It highlights the disparity between the laborer and the consumer.

When a jackfruit was brought and placed on a plate, the Brahmin who didn't know how to eat it looked around helplessly.

This proverb describes a situation where someone is presented with a valuable opportunity or a great resource but lacks the knowledge, skill, or capacity to utilize it. It is used to mock incompetence or the inability to enjoy the fruits of one's fortune due to ignorance.

Sing again what you have sung, O Dâsari with dirty teeth. Said to an ignorant imposter. Give the piper a penny, and two pence to leave off.

This proverb is used to describe someone who repeats the same thing over and over again, often to the point of annoyance. It is typically used when someone keeps making the same argument, telling the same story, or complaining about the same issue repeatedly without moving on.

The one with protruding gums is a curse to the house, and a forked stick is a curse to the pandal.

This is a traditional proverb used to describe individuals or objects that are inherently unsuitable or bring bad luck/ruin to their surroundings. It suggests that just as a weak forked stick cannot properly support a shed (pandal) and leads to its collapse, a person with specific negative traits (metaphorically described here as protruding gums) is seen as a harbinger of misfortune for the family.

Will there be mango juice inside jackfruits?

This rhetorical question is used to point out that one cannot expect a specific quality or result from a source that is fundamentally different. It highlights that every object or person has their own inherent nature, and it is foolish to expect something contrary to that nature.

Golden hooks do not necessarily catch golden fish.

This expression means that using expensive or high-quality tools does not always guarantee a superior or successful outcome. It highlights that merit, skill, or luck often matter more than the outward appearance or cost of the resources used. It is used to caution against the belief that money alone can buy success.

When a laborer built a pavilion, it is said that sparrows came and knocked it down.

This proverb is used to mock someone's incompetence or the extreme fragility of their work. It describes a situation where a task is performed so poorly that even the slightest, most insignificant force (like a sparrow) is enough to destroy it.

Give honor, get honor.

This expression emphasizes the principle of reciprocity in social interactions. It means that if you want others to treat you with dignity and honor, you must first treat them with the same respect. It is commonly used as advice to maintain healthy relationships and personal reputation.

Ships can become carts, and carts can become ships.

This proverb signifies the unpredictable nature of fortune and time. It means that a wealthy person can become poor and a poor person can become wealthy; nothing in life is permanent. It is used to advise humility during success and hope during adversity.