తన తలుపుతీసి పొరుగింటికి పెట్టి, రాత్రంతా కుక్కలను తోలుతూ కూర్చున్నట్లు

tana taluputisi porugintiki petti, ratranta kukkalanu tolutu kurchunnatlu

Translation

Like removing one's own door, giving it to a neighbor, and sitting up all night chasing away dogs.

Meaning

This proverb describes a person who foolishly creates problems for themselves by helping others excessively or unnecessarily at their own expense. It refers to someone who lacks common sense in prioritizing their own basic security or needs before trying to be charitable, resulting in a situation where they must work unnecessarily hard to fix the mess they created.

Related Phrases

Opening the door of someone else's house and then chasing away the dogs.

This proverb describes a person who interferes in others' business without being asked, often creating a problem first and then acting as if they are doing a great favor by solving it. It is used to mock someone who takes unnecessary responsibility for things that don't concern them, especially when their presence wasn't required in the first place.

When an ill-treated daughter-in-law at last got some bad food from her mother-in-law, she told the neighbours she had been sumptuously fed. Real want is not dainty.

This proverb describes a person who is so deprived or in such a desperate situation that even the smallest, lowest-quality help feels like a massive luxury. It is used to highlight extreme gratitude born out of severe necessity, or sometimes to mock someone's lack of standards due to their poverty-stricken state.

When a starving woman was given stale food, she told the neighbors that her mother-in-law served her a royal feast.

This proverb describes a person who is so deprived or desperate that even the smallest, most insignificant favor feels like a grand gesture. It is used to highlight situations where someone's extreme need makes them overly grateful for something of very low value, or when someone tries to cover up their poor circumstances by glorifying a meager offering.

O lady neighbours! see the conduct of my husband. Inviting the sympathy of those who cannot interfere.

This expression is used to mock someone who unnecessarily broadcasts their private family matters or domestic trivialities to the entire neighborhood to gain sympathy or attention. It highlights the tendency of some people to make a public spectacle of their personal problems.

A neighbor's friendship exists only as long as one is prosperous.

This proverb highlights the fickle nature of relationships based on social or financial status. It suggests that neighbors or associates are friendly and supportive only when you are wealthy or influential, but they may distance themselves or disappear when you face hardships.

Will a dog-like mind let you sit still?

This expression compares the human mind to a restless dog that is constantly moving, wandering, and seeking distractions. It is used to describe the nature of a person who lacks focus, mental peace, or the ability to stay still in one place or on one task.

Having taken his own door and put it on his neighbour's house, he spent the whole night in driving away the dogs. Over generous. Charity begins at home.

This proverb describes a person who foolishly creates trouble for themselves by being over-generous or sacrificing their own basic needs/security to help others who may not even need it. It is used to mock someone who makes poor decisions that lead to self-inflicted hardship.

Even a dog will not bite you if you sit down.

This proverb suggests that when someone is angry or aggressive, adopting a humble or submissive posture can prevent a conflict. It is used to teach that humility and avoiding provocation can defuse dangerous situations or hostile behavior from others.

Will dogs not enter a house without a door?

This proverb is used to illustrate that if there are no boundaries, rules, or protections in place, unwanted elements or trouble will inevitably enter. It emphasizes the necessity of discipline and security to prevent chaos or exploitation.

The neighbour's cat is the ally of the house cat. Both join in mischief.

This expression is used to describe a situation where two people, often who should be at odds or are expected to be rivals, secretly collaborate or help each other for mutual benefit. It is frequently used to highlight how internal and external parties might conspire together, often in a negative or mischievous context.