పూత బత్తెము - పుల్ల వెలుగు.
puta battemu - pulla velugu.
Painted rations - stick light.
This proverb refers to things that are superficial or temporary. Just as a fire from a thin stick (splinter) burns out quickly and decorations provide no real sustenance, it describes something that looks good or promising on the outside but lacks substance or longevity.
Related Phrases
వెలుగు లేకున్నా చీకటి లేదు, చీకటి లేకున్నా వెలుగు లేదు.
velugu lekunna chikati ledu, chikati lekunna velugu ledu.
Without light there is no darkness, and without darkness there is no light.
This expression highlights the concept of duality and interdependence. It signifies that opposites define each other; we cannot understand or appreciate success without failure, joy without sorrow, or good without evil. It is used to explain that contrasting elements are essential parts of a whole existence.
మగపిల్లాడు బంగారు పుల్ల
magapilladu bangaru pulla
A male child is a golden twig.
This traditional expression reflects the deep-rooted cultural preference for male children in certain societies, suggesting that a son is as precious and valuable as a piece of gold. It is often used to emphasize the importance of a male heir in a family lineage.
పుండుకు పుల్ల మొగుడు
punduku pulla mogudu
A stick is the husband to a sore
This expression refers to a situation where a harsh or severe remedy is required for a difficult problem. Just as a stick causes sharp pain when it touches a wound, a strict or tough person is sometimes needed to manage or control a troublesome individual or situation.
దినవెచ్చం దివిటీ వెలుగు - పూటబత్తెం పుల్ల వెలుగు
dinavechcham diviti velugu - putabattem pulla velugu
Daily allowance is like torchlight - a meal's ration is like a stick's flame.
This proverb describes the fleeting nature of income and sustenance. It suggests that a full day's earnings provide a strong, steady light (security), whereas living hand-to-mouth (a single meal's worth) offers only a weak, temporary flicker. It is used to contrast stable financial planning with precarious, short-term survival.
వెలుతురు పుల్లల వెలుగును వెలిగించుకుంటారా?
veluturu pullala velugunu veliginchukuntara?
Will anyone light a fire using stalks of light?
This expression is used to describe a situation that is naturally self-evident or inherently bright. It implies that something is already so clear, glorious, or obvious that trying to add further explanation or artificial 'lighting' to it is redundant and unnecessary.
తొండకు వెలుగు సాక్షి
tondaku velugu sakshi
The bear is witness for the bloodsucker or The hedge is witness for the bloodsucker. According to the first interpretation, a band of Mahomedan freebooters, when seeking on one occasion to discover treasure which had been buried by the inhabitants of a plundered village, having perceived first a chameleon nodding on certain spots and afterwards a bear sniffing in the same places, spent much labour in digging up the earth, but all in vain.—The applica- tion is that natural habits are not to be taken notice of. According to others, the hedge where the chameleon lives should be questioned as to the latter's veracity and character,—the application being that the evidence of one man should be corroborated by that of another. Ask my chum if I am a thief. (Italian.)
This proverb is used to describe a situation where two people who are equally unreliable or biased support each other's claims. It suggests that a witness is just as questionable as the person they are defending, or that their support is expected because of their close association.
ఎంత వెలుగుకు అంత చీకటి
enta veluguku anta chikati
For as much light, there is that much darkness.
This expression is used to convey that every great success or positive situation often comes with an equivalent amount of hidden struggle, failure, or negative aspects. It emphasizes the balance between prosperity and adversity.
ఈ వేలుకు ఆ వేలు ఎడం.
i veluku a velu edam.
There is a distance between this finger and that finger.
This expression is used to describe a lack of unity, harmony, or consensus between people, especially among family members or close associates. It signifies that even though individuals are close (like fingers on a hand), they remain divided or disconnected in their thoughts and actions.
గోరంత దీపం కొండంత వెలుగు
goranta dipam kondanta velugu
The lamp (wick) is of the size of a nail; illumination the size of a hill.
Even a small lamp can give a wide glow. Physical size does not always lead to insignificant actions. It is the largeness of purpose that makes the act big.
మాటలు చెప్పే మొనగాండ్లేగాని, పూట బత్తెమిచ్చే పుణ్యాత్ములు లేరు
matalu cheppe monagandlegani, puta battemichche punyatmulu leru
There are plenty of champions at talking, but no holy souls to provide even a single meal.
This expression is used to describe people who offer plenty of advice, empty promises, or boastful talk but disappear when actual practical help or financial support is needed. It highlights the gap between verbal commitment and real-world action.