సాకులు చెప్పినవానికి కాసు, ఇల్లు కప్పినవానికి దుగ్గాని
sakulu cheppinavaniki kasu, illu kappinavaniki duggani
A 'kasu' for the one who gives excuses, and a 'duggani' for the one who thatched the house.
This proverb highlights unfairness in rewards or wages. It describes a situation where someone who does little work or offers only excuses receives more benefit (a kasu) than the person who performed the actual hard labor of roofing a house (who receives a lesser coin, a duggani). It is used to critique systems where talkers are valued more than doers.
Related Phrases
ఇల్లు ఇచ్చినవానికి మజ్జిగ పోసినవానికి మంచిలేదు
illu ichchinavaniki majjiga posinavaniki manchiledu
There is no gratitude for the one who gave a house or for the one who served buttermilk.
This proverb highlights the irony of human ingratitude. It suggests that people often fail to show appreciation or give credit even to those who have provided significant help (like a home) or basic hospitality (like buttermilk). It is used when someone's kindness is met with indifference or negativity.
చెప్పులవానికి లోకమంతా తోలుతో కప్పినట్లుంటుంది
cheppulavaniki lokamanta toluto kappinatluntundi
To a person wearing sandals, it feels as if the whole world is covered in leather.
This proverb describes a subjective perspective. Just as someone wearing shoes feels the entire ground is soft and protected, a person's own situation or solutions can color their perception of the entire world. It is often used to suggest that if you take care of your own needs or change your mindset, external problems seem to disappear.
ఒకడు పినతల్లికి తప్పినవాడు, ఇంకొకడు తల్లికి తప్పినవాడు.
okadu pinatalliki tappinavadu, inkokadu talliki tappinavadu.
One missed being born to the maternal aunt, the other missed being born to the mother.
This expression is used to describe two people who are equally wicked, cunning, or troublesome. It implies that there is no difference in their bad character; if one is bad, the other is slightly worse or just as bad. It is similar to saying 'two of a kind' or 'chips off the same block' in a negative context.
కూర్చున్నవానికి కుప్పలు, తిరిగినవానికి తిప్పలు
kurchunnavaniki kuppalu, tiriginavaniki tippalu
Heaps for the one who sits, troubles for the one who roams.
This proverb contrasts physical labor with strategic or steady placement. It suggests that someone who stays focused or 'sits' (often referring to a landowner or a steady worker) accumulates heaps of grain or wealth, whereas someone who wanders aimlessly or works without a plan faces hardships and troubles. It is used to highlight the rewards of stability versus the difficulties of being unsettled.
కట్టినవానికి ఒకయిల్లు అయితే కట్టనివానికి వెయ్యిండ్లు.
kattinavaniki okayillu ayite kattanivaniki veyyindlu.
For the one who built, there is one house; for the one who hasn't built, there are a thousand houses.
This proverb highlights the freedom and lack of responsibility that comes with not owning property or being tied down. While a homeowner is restricted to their one house and its maintenance, a traveler or a person without a permanent home can find shelter and hospitality in many places, effectively making the whole world their home.
తప్పు చేసినవానికి, అప్పు చేసినవానికి ముఖం చెల్లదు
tappu chesinavaniki, appu chesinavaniki mukham chelladu
One who has committed a mistake and one who has taken a loan cannot show their faces.
This proverb highlights the guilt and shame associated with wrongdoing or being in debt. Just as a person who has committed a crime or mistake avoids eye contact out of guilt, a person who owes money feels a similar sense of inferiority or hesitation to face their creditor. It is used to describe the loss of confidence and social standing that comes with debt or moral failure.
అన్నానికి పదను తప్పినా, భూమికి అదను తప్పినా పనికిరావు
annaniki padanu tappina, bhumiki adanu tappina panikiravu
If rice misses its cooking consistency or land misses its seasonal timing, they are of no use.
This proverb emphasizes the critical importance of timing and precision. Just as rice becomes unpalatable if not cooked to the right texture, agricultural land will not yield crops if the specific sowing season (adunu) is missed. It is used to suggest that opportunities must be seized at the right moment to be effective.
న్యాయము తప్పినవానికి ఆచార్యకటాక్ష మెందుకు
nyayamu tappinavaniki acharyakataksha menduku
Why does one who has strayed from justice need the teacher's grace?
This expression highlights that for someone who has abandoned righteousness, justice, or ethics, even the blessings or guidance of a great teacher (Guru) will be of no use. It implies that personal integrity is a prerequisite for receiving and benefiting from divine or scholarly grace.
కట్టినవానికి ఒక ఇల్లు అయితే కట్టనివానికి వెయ్యి ఇళ్లు.
kattinavaniki oka illu ayite kattanivaniki veyyi illu.
A man that has built a house has one house, a man that has built no house has a thousand houses. A man without a house can change his residence as often as he pleases. He who has no house of his own is every where at home. (Spanish.)
This proverb is used to highlight the freedom of choice and lack of burden that comes with not being tied down to a specific commitment or property. While a homeowner is restricted to their one house and its maintenance, a person who hasn't built or bought a home is free to live anywhere. It can also imply that someone without responsibilities has many options, whereas someone committed to a task is limited to that one path.
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.