తలుగుపెట్టి తంతూ ఉంటే, కొలువు పెట్టి కొలచినట్లు.

talugupetti tantu unte, koluvu petti kolachinatlu.

Translation

When kicked after being tied with a rope, it feels like being measured for an official position.

Meaning

This proverb is used to describe a person who is so optimistic, naive, or desperate that they misinterpret ill-treatment or abuse as an honor or a benefit. It highlights a lack of self-respect or a delusional perspective on a negative situation.

Related Phrases

When told behind closed doors, they ask about it in a public assembly.

This proverb refers to a situation where a secret or confidential matter shared in private is later brought up or questioned in a public or formal setting. It highlights the breach of trust or the irony of making a private conversation a matter of public inquiry.

The service of Potti Pôta Râzu.

This expression is used to describe a place or situation where there is no discipline, order, or decorum. It typically refers to a chaotic environment where everyone talks at once or where the rules are constantly ignored, much like a disorganized royal court.

A worrying fellow, of whom it is said that when his followers were behind him, he abused them for treating him as their ( Pariah ) guide ; when they went before him, he accused them of acting as if they were his superiors ; and when they travelled at each side of his palankin, he repri- manded them for daring to place themselves on an equality with himself.

Investing in the son-in-law led to the loss of the investment intended for the son.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone prioritizes an outsider or a distant relative over their own family, only to end up losing everything. It highlights the folly of misplaced priorities and the resulting regret when a primary responsibility is neglected for a secondary one.

Like a blind man losing his walking stick.

This expression describes a situation where a person loses their only source of support or guidance. It is used when someone is rendered completely helpless or becomes directionless after losing a critical tool, person, or resource they relied upon entirely.

Like breaking into the house of the person who fed you.

This expression describes extreme ingratitude or betrayal. It refers to a person who harms their benefactor or someone who has helped them in their time of need. It is used to condemn the act of biting the hand that feeds you.

Work without pay. Work not paid for is ill done. Work done expects money. (Portuguese.)

This expression refers to a job or position that provides no salary, benefits, or basic means of survival. It is used to describe an unrewarding occupation where the effort put in does not yield even the most essential returns.

* Obra feita dinheiro espera.

Like buying a buffalo for three hundred rupees but failing to buy a rope for three annas.

This proverb is used to describe a person who spends a large sum of money on an expensive asset or project but refuses to spend a tiny additional amount on a necessary accessory or maintenance tool required to make it functional. It highlights the foolishness of being 'penny wise and pound foolish.'

Service under a man with a plume (official), and sleeping on a stranger's bed.

This proverb highlights the lack of comfort and independence in certain situations. Serving an arrogant or high-ranking official is as restless and insecure as sleeping on someone else's bed, where one can never truly feel at home or relaxed.

You should not serve a Brahman or a white horse. There is no end to your labor.

This traditional proverb suggests that certain tasks or service roles are inherently difficult or unrewarding. Serving a white horse is considered difficult because any speck of dirt is easily visible, requiring constant cleaning. Similarly, the proverb historically implies that serving a scholarly or meticulous master (metaphorically represented by a Brahmin) requires excessive attention to detail and purity, making the work never-ending and difficult to satisfy.

Employment without sustenance

This expression refers to a job or position that does not provide enough salary or benefits to meet basic living needs. It is used to describe unrewarding work or a situation where the effort put in far exceeds the meager compensation received.