పఠానులకు నేను బాకీ, ఫకీర్లు నాకు బాకీ

This expression means that even if a person of great stature or character falls on hard times or loses their wealth, their inherent dignity, skills, and fundamental nature remain unchanged. It is used to describe someone whose core identity and respect remain intact despite a change in their external circumstances.

This expression describes an 'all or nothing' situation or an extreme risk-taker. It refers to a person or a pursuit that will either lead to great wealth and success (Amir) or result in total ruin and poverty (Fakir), with no middle ground.

This proverb highlights the imbalance between large liabilities and small efforts to resolve them. It means that significant debts or major problems cannot be solved by trivial or insufficient actions. It is used to suggest that one needs to work at a scale proportional to the problem at hand.

This expression is used to describe a person who is extremely lazy or useless. It implies that the person does no productive work, making the food they consume a waste and their presence on earth a literal weight without any contribution.

He is not worth his salt.

This proverb describes the act of taking resources or money away from the poor and needy to give them to those who are already powerful or wealthy. It is used to criticize unfair distribution of wealth or misplaced charity where the vulnerable suffer to benefit the strong.

This proverb highlights the reciprocity and equality inherent in kinship and relationships, regardless of economic status. In Telugu culture, 'Bava' (brother-in-law) denotes a close relative. The saying suggests that blood relations or social bonds remain the same regardless of one person being rich (balisinavadu) and the other being poor (bakkavadu). It is used to emphasize that status shouldn't change how family members treat or address one another.

This proverb describes a state of total chaos or lawlessness. It is used when neither the supernatural forces (or those in power) act with wisdom, nor do the common people show any discipline or restraint, leading to a situation where there is no order.

This proverb describes a situation where a person is caught between two stressful environments. It is used to express being overwhelmed by constant domestic complaints or arguments on one side, and financial pressures or creditors' demands on the other.

This proverb describes a person who has no peace of mind anywhere. It is used when someone is facing constant nagging or petty domestic issues at home and simultaneously dealing with serious financial pressures or debts in the outside world.

This expression is used sarcastically to describe people who boast about their own non-existent talents or qualities. It often refers to a situation where two individuals claim to be experts in something they are actually quite bad at, highlighting their shared delusions or incompetence.