పోరిన పొరుగు, రాచిన కుండలు మనవు

porina porugu, rachina kundalu manavu

Translation

[In] a quarrelsome neighbourhood there is no thriving, pots rubbing together will not last.

Meaning

This proverb highlights that constant conflict or friction leads to destruction. Just as a clay pot wears down and breaks if it is constantly scraped, a neighborhood or relationship filled with constant bickering (poru) will eventually fall apart or become uninhabitable.

Related Phrases

The pot broken by the mother-in-law was a cracked pot, the pot broken by the daughter-in-law was a new pot.

This proverb highlights double standards and hypocrisy in judgment. It describes a situation where the same mistake is viewed differently depending on who committed it. If someone in a superior position (like a mother-in-law) makes a mistake, it is dismissed as insignificant, but if a subordinate (like a daughter-in-law) makes the same mistake, it is exaggerated and treated as a major offense.

The neighbors are fire and the surroundings are soot (or bad omens).

This proverb is used to describe a situation where one is surrounded by difficult or troublesome neighbors on all sides. It implies that no matter which way you turn, there is conflict or negativity, making it impossible to live in peace.

The pot the daughter-in-law broke was a new one; the pot the mother-in-law broke was a patched-up one.

This proverb highlights human hypocrisy and double standards in judging mistakes. It describes a situation where people exaggerate the mistakes of others (the daughter-in-law's mistake is seen as destroying something brand new) while making excuses for their own or their favorites' mistakes (the mother-in-law's broken pot is dismissed as having been old and already broken). It is used to point out unfair bias and blame-shifting.

A snake gourd plant does not tolerate neighbors.

This expression describes a person who is highly unsocial, antisocial, or finds it difficult to get along with neighbors. Just as a snake gourd creeper needs a lot of space and tends to interfere with or be affected by surrounding plants, this refers to individuals who are constantly at odds with those living near them.

Even if the son is ours, will the daughter-in-law become ours?

This expression highlights the inherent distance or difference in perspective felt toward someone who enters a family from the outside. It is used to suggest that despite biological or legal ties, a newcomer (like a daughter-in-law) might not share the same deep-rooted loyalty or belonging as one's own children, or that family dynamics change significantly after marriage.

The pot broken by the daughter-in-law is a new pot, while the pot broken by the mother-in-law is a worthless pot.

This proverb highlights double standards and hypocrisy in judging actions. It refers to how people often exaggerate the mistakes of others (the daughter-in-law) while minimizing or making excuses for their own or their favorites' mistakes (the mother-in-law).

Even if the tiger dies, its spots (stripes) do not disappear.

This proverb is used to describe a person's inherent nature or character. It implies that a person's fundamental qualities, reputation, or past actions remain associated with them even after they are gone or have lost their power. It is often used to suggest that one cannot easily change their true identity or that a legacy (good or bad) persists.

If you go where you ought not, you will not escape scandal.

This proverb warns that frequenting inappropriate or suspicious places will lead to damage to one's reputation. Even if one is innocent of any wrongdoing, being in a bad environment invites unwanted blame and scandal. It is used to advise someone to be careful about their company and the places they visit.

Like the neighbor branding themselves after seeing the other neighbor.

This proverb describes the foolishness of blindly imitating others without considering one's own capacity, necessity, or circumstances. It is typically used when someone tries to copy another person's lifestyle or actions out of envy or competition, only to end up hurting themselves.

Although you leave the village and go to another, your evil destiny will still attend you.

This proverb suggests that one cannot escape their destiny or the consequences of their past actions simply by changing their location. It is used to emphasize that a person's problems, character, or luck follow them wherever they go, highlighting the inevitability of one's karma or fate.