సకినాలు పలికేవానికి సేరు, మొద్దు గొట్టేవానికి దుడ్డు.
sakinalu palikevaniki seru, moddu gottevaniki duddu.
A 'seer' for the one who predicts omens, and a 'staff' for the one who splits the wood.
This proverb highlights the irony and injustice in society where those who do physical, hard labor (like woodcutters) often receive harsh treatment or meager rewards, while those who perform easier tasks or offer superficial talk (like fortune tellers or flatterers) are rewarded with grain or valuables.
Related Phrases
ముసలివానికి ముండ ముద్దు
musalivaniki munda muddu
An old man is fond of a young widow
This proverb describes a situation where an elderly person becomes overly attached to or obsessed with someone or something unsuitable or inappropriate for their age. It is often used to criticize elderly men who pursue younger women, or more broadly, to point out the irony of developing new, intense cravings at a late stage in life when they should be focused on other matters.
తల గొట్టేవానికైనా మూడు మనవులుంటాయి.
tala gottevanikaina mudu manavuluntayi.
Even a person who is about to behead someone is allowed three requests.
This proverb highlights that even in the most dire or final situations, a person should be given a fair chance to speak or be heard. It is used to suggest that everyone deserves basic respect, due process, or a final opportunity to explain themselves before a decision is finalized.
తవుడు తిని చచ్చేవానికి విషం పెట్టేవాడు వెట్టి.
tavudu tini chachchevaniki visham pettevadu vetti.
He who gives poison to a person who is already dying by eating bran is a fool.
This expression is used to describe a redundant or unnecessary action. If someone is already facing ruin due to their own poor choices or circumstances, there is no need to actively work against them or waste resources to cause their downfall. It highlights the foolishness of over-exerting oneself to harm someone who is already self-destructing.
కొడుకు ముద్దు, కోడలు మొద్దు.
koduku muddu, kodalu moddu.
The son is a darling, while the daughter-in-law is a blockhead.
This proverb reflects a common human bias and double standard within families. It highlights how parents often overlook their own child's faults (viewing them with affection) while being overly critical, dismissive, or insensitive toward their daughter-in-law's efforts and intelligence.
ఇచ్చేవానికి పత్రమూ వద్దు, చచ్చేవానికి మందూ వద్దు.
ichchevaniki patramu vaddu, chachchevaniki mandu vaddu.
You need not take a bond from a man who is willing to pay, nor administer medicine to one who has made up his mind to die.
This proverb highlights the futility of certain actions in specific circumstances. It suggests that a truly generous person will give without requiring formal documentation or legal proof, and similarly, no amount of medicine can save someone whose death is certain. It is used to describe situations where rules or remedies become irrelevant due to the inherent nature of the person or the inevitability of the outcome.
ఉతికేవానికిగాని చాకలి ఉతకడు
utikevanikigani chakali utakadu
A washerman will only wash for one who thrashes him.
This proverb implies that people will only work diligently or honestly for someone who already understands the process and can identify flaws in the work. It is used to suggest that if you don't have knowledge about a task, others might take advantage of your ignorance or do a sub-par job.
There is a pun here on the word Utuku : it is the term used for beat- ing clothes—the Indian washerman's mode of cleansing them—and it also signifies in jocular language to " drub" or " thrash."
మాట్లాడేవానికి వినేవానికి అర్థం కానిదే వేదాంతం
matladevaniki vinevaniki artham kanide vedantam
Philosophy is that which neither the speaker nor the listener understands.
This is a humorous and satirical expression used to describe complex, abstract, or overly intellectual talk that lacks clarity. It suggests that when a conversation becomes so convoluted that neither the person speaking nor the person listening knows what is going on, it is often pretentiously labeled as 'Vedanta' (philosophy).
అద్దద్ద అనేవానికి అర్ధరూపాయి, మొద్దుకొట్టేవానికి పెద్దదుడ్డు.
addadda anevaniki ardharupayi, moddukottevaniki peddaduddu.
Half a rupee for the one who says 'addadda', a big stick for the one who stands like a log.
This expression refers to the reward or consequence based on behavior. It suggests that someone who tries to express something (even if vaguely) gets a small reward, whereas someone who is stubborn, unresponsive, or lazy (like a log) deserves punishment or a harsh lesson. It is used to describe dealing with different types of temperaments.
చెప్పేవానికి చాదస్తమయితే, వినేవానికి వివేకం వద్దా?
cheppevaniki chadastamayite, vinevaniki vivekam vadda?
If the speaker is obsessive or foolish, shouldn't the listener have common sense?
This proverb is used when someone gives unreasonable advice or tells nonsense. It implies that even if a speaker is being irrational or repetitive, the listener should use their own judgment and intelligence to filter the information instead of blindly following or believing it.
చచ్చేవాడికి తమ్ముడు, పుట్టేవాడికి అన్న
chachchevadiki tammudu, puttevadiki anna
Younger brother to the one dying, elder brother to the one being born
This expression describes a person who is in a middle-aged or transitional stage of life. It is often used to refer to someone who is neither too young nor too old, bridging the gap between generations, or someone who is an experienced adult who has seen both the end of one era and the start of another.