పండుటాకును చూసి పసరాకు నవ్వినట్టు.

pandutakunu chusi pasaraku navvinattu.

Translation

Like a green leaf laughing at a dry, yellow leaf.

Meaning

This proverb is used to criticize the arrogance of the youth who mock the elderly. Just as a green leaf (youth) will eventually become a dry leaf (old age), young people should realize that they will also age and face the same frailties they currently mock in others.

Related Phrases

Even a laughed-at field of stunted crop can yield a harvest.

This proverb conveys that one should not judge or mock something based on its initial appearance or current struggling state. Just as a field that looks poor might eventually yield a great harvest, people or projects that are currently being ridiculed may eventually succeed and prove their critics wrong. It is used to encourage patience and resilience against mockery.

The field that was laughed at will be the one to yield the harvest.

This proverb suggests that success often comes to those who were once ridiculed or underestimated. It is used to encourage someone to persevere despite mockery, implying that the final outcome will prove their worth.

The field of young millet which is laughed at will be fruitful. Hindu cultivators assemble round a field which is in want of rain and laugh at it, taunting it with its unfruitfulness. By this means they believe that rain is brought down.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone who was initially ridiculed, underestimated, or doubted ends up achieving great success. It teaches that one should not judge by initial appearances or temporary failures, as persistence can lead to unexpected prosperity.

On seeing the swelling, she took it as a sign of growing strength

Swelling is not healthy growth. We should be wise in our judgment and should not rush to conclusions, by merely noting the external appearances.

Anger upon seeing an enemy, peace upon seeing a saint

This expression describes the natural human tendency to react differently based on the person encountered. It implies that our internal state—whether aggressive or calm—is often a reflection of the company we keep or the character of the person standing before us. It is used to suggest that one should strive for emotional balance or to describe how someone's demeanor shifts instantly depending on their surroundings.

Look at the house first, then look at the housewife.

This proverb suggests that the state of a home reflects the character, management skills, and discipline of the person maintaining it. It is often used to imply that one can understand a person's nature and habits by observing their surroundings and how they manage their household.

Fear is for the money, not for the wisdom.

This expression is used to describe a situation where people respect or fear someone only because of their wealth and social status, rather than their character, intelligence, or integrity. It highlights the materialistic nature of society.

It is not because the husband beat me, but because the sister-in-law laughed at me.

This proverb describes a situation where the actual pain or loss caused by a primary event is less hurtful than the humiliation or mockery faced from peers or rivals during that event. It is used to highlight how social embarrassment or the gloating of others often stings more than the misfortune itself.

When the yellow leaf is falling, the green leaf laughs.

This proverb is used to describe the irony or foolishness of young people mocking the elderly. Just as a green leaf (the youth) will eventually turn yellow and fall like the old leaf, everyone is subject to the passage of time and aging. It serves as a reminder that the fate of the old today will be the fate of the young tomorrow.

Hiding upon seeing the mother-in-law, throwing away upon seeing the child.

This expression refers to a person who is hypocritical or selective in their behavior based on self-interest. It describes someone who acts disciplined or stingy in front of authority figures (like a mother-in-law) to make a good impression, but becomes careless or overly generous when dealing with those who have no power over them (like a child).