స్వర్ణం దగ్గరుంచుకొని బంగారం వెతికినట్టు.

svarnam daggarunchukoni bangaram vetikinattu.

Translation

Like searching for gold while already possessing it.

Meaning

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone overlooks a valuable resource or solution they already possess and goes searching for it elsewhere. It highlights human nature's tendency to ignore the obvious or the available while yearning for the same thing from external sources.

Related Phrases

Like carrying the baby in one's arms and searching the whole village for it.

This proverb describes a situation where someone searches everywhere for something they already possess or which is right with them. It is used to mock absent-mindedness or the tendency to overlook the obvious while seeking solutions far away.

The rich man's ring is gold; the poor man's ring is brass.

This proverb highlights societal bias and how people's perceptions change based on a person's financial status. It means that if a wealthy person does or says something, it is highly valued and respected (like gold), but if a poor person does the exact same thing, it is disregarded or seen as cheap (like brass).

One should not be shy or hesitant when it comes to food and business.

This proverb suggests that in certain situations, being overly modest or shy can lead to personal loss. Specifically, when eating (so you get enough to satisfy your hunger) and when conducting business or legal matters (so you ensure your interests are protected), you must be direct and outspoken.

The decoration is proportional to the gold available.

This proverb means that the quality or extent of a result depends on the resources or effort invested. It is used to describe situations where you get exactly what you pay for, or where the outcome is limited by the budget or materials provided.

Touching mud turns it into gold, touching gold turns it into mud

This proverb describes the extremes of luck or fortune. It refers to a person's current 'luck streak'—when someone is highly successful, even their smallest efforts (mud) yield great results (gold). Conversely, when someone is going through a period of extreme misfortune, even their most valuable assets or best efforts fail miserably.

If a halo forms far around the moon, rain is near; if it forms near, rain is far.

This is a traditional Telugu weather-lore proverb. It suggests that a large, wide halo around the moon indicates immediate rainfall, whereas a tight, small halo indicates that rain is still a long way off. It is used to predict weather based on atmospheric observations.

Looking for ghi when you have got butter.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone searches for something they already possess or have easy access to. It highlights the foolishness of overlooking immediate resources while seeking their processed or final forms elsewhere.

Asking others to help you when you have all in your own power.

The lock is with you, the key is with me.

In Telugu, 'Chevi' can mean both 'ear' and 'key'. This expression refers to a situation where two parties must cooperate because they each hold a vital part of a solution, or more colloquially, it describes a situation where authority or access is divided, preventing any one person from acting independently.

If they are with kings they are gems, if they are with the poor they are just pebbles.

This proverb highlights how society perceives the same object or quality differently based on a person's status or wealth. When a powerful or rich person possesses something, it is highly valued and praised, but when a poor person has the same thing, it is often dismissed as worthless or ordinary. It is used to describe social bias and the unfair weight given to status.

Searching for a name for a baby who is not yet born.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone makes plans or arrangements for something that hasn't happened yet or is far from certain. It refers to being overly optimistic or premature in one's actions before the foundation is even laid.