తన వారిని యెరగని మొర్రి, తెడ్డు వున్నదా.

tana varini yeragani morri, teddu vunnada.

Translation

Is there a broken ladle which knows not its own people ?

Meaning

This proverb describes a situation where someone fails to recognize or support their own family or close associates, often while helping outsiders. It is used to criticize those who show partiality to strangers while neglecting their own people, implying that such behavior is unnatural or fundamentally flawed.

Notes

A man serves his friends well.

Related Phrases

Evil may be predicted to the mother or to the child, but will any harm come to the midwife?

This proverb is used to describe a situation where a person in charge or a middleman remains safe and unaffected while the primary parties involved face all the risks and consequences. It highlights the immunity or lack of accountability of a facilitator when things go wrong for those they are serving.

Undigested food and a word that cannot be fulfilled.

This expression highlights two things that cause significant discomfort: undigested food causes physical pain, while a promise or word that cannot be fulfilled (an impossible commitment) causes mental stress and reputational damage. It is used to caution people against making promises they cannot keep or taking on more than they can handle.

Are there holes unknown to jackals, or anthills to snakes ?

This proverb is used to describe experts or experienced people who are thoroughly familiar with their field. Just as a fox knows every burrow and a cobra knows every anthill, a seasoned professional knows every trick, secret, or detail of their domain. It is often said when someone tries to hide something from an expert or when questioning if an expert could have missed a detail.

Is there any inspiration which makes a man unaware of his own actions? Is there any lie not known to him that utters it? ఓ.

This proverb suggests that just as a person in a deep spiritual trance is physically consumed by the experience, a person who tells a lie is always internally aware of the truth. It is used to highlight that one's conscience always knows the reality, even if they deceive others.

Hunger knows not taste, sleep knows not comfort, lust knows not shame.

This proverb highlights how basic human instincts and intense emotions override physical circumstances or social norms. When one is starving, the quality of food doesn't matter; when one is exhausted, the comfort of the bed is irrelevant; and when one is in love, they disregard social embarrassment or shyness.

Hunger is the best sauce.

Has the Jemuḍu fruit or shade?

This proverb is used to describe a person who is completely useless or miserly. Just as a cactus neither provides edible fruit nor sufficient shade for a traveler, some individuals possess neither a helpful nature nor resources that benefit others. It is typically applied to people from whom no help or kindness can be expected.

Jemuḍu is the Euphorbia Tirucalli.

The Guruvinda seed knows its redness, but not the blackness of its lower part. A man values himself highly, but does not know his own defects. No one sees his own faults. (German.)

This proverb is used to describe a person who is quick to point out faults in others while being completely oblivious to their own flaws. The Gurivinda seed (Rosary Pea) is bright red and beautiful, but has a distinct black spot at its bottom which it cannot 'see'. It serves as a metaphor for hypocrisy and lack of self-awareness.

There is a remedy for disease, but is there a remedy for fate?

This proverb is used to express that while physical ailments or problems can be cured with medicine or effort, the outcomes of destiny or fate are inevitable and beyond human control. It is often said when someone faces an unavoidable misfortune despite taking all precautions.

Although the eye does not see, the belly finds. A man's want leads him to seek and find a livelihood. A hungry man sees far. A hungry man discovers more than a hundred lawyers. (Spanish.)

This proverb is used to describe the instinctual bond between a mother and her child. It implies that even if a mother cannot see her child's suffering or needs with her eyes, she can feel them intuitively in her gut or heart. It is often used to emphasize maternal intuition and the deep, invisible connection of parenthood.

There is the village and here is my cup. Said by a beggar.

This expression is used to describe a state of complete carelessness, detachment, or having nothing to lose. It implies that as long as there is a society to live in and a basic means to survive (even by begging), one need not worry about responsibilities or property. It is often said by or about people who are wandering or living a carefree, nomadic life without any attachments.