తప్పు చేసిన వాడికి అప్పు చేసిన వాడికి ముఖం చెల్లదు

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone's good intentions or helpful actions result in a misunderstanding or negative consequences for them. It originates from the Panchatantra story where a pet mongoose saves a baby from a snake, but is killed by the mother who mistakenly thinks the mongoose harmed the child.

This proverb is used to express that doing a favor for someone who is inherently jealous or hostile (often referring to rival family members or 'palivaru') is a waste of effort. Just as decorating a corpse is useless because it cannot appreciate or return the gesture, helping an ungrateful or malicious rival will never result in gratitude or a positive outcome.

This proverb is used to remind someone that if they enjoyed the benefits of borrowing money or taking a favor, they must also face the consequences or the difficulty of repayment without complaining. It highlights the contrast between the pleasure of acquisition and the pain of settlement.

This proverb describes how a person's needs and desires change based on their current state. When someone is satisfied or has plenty, they no longer value things that are otherwise considered precious or delicious. It is used to remark on people who show lack of interest or find faults in something good because they are already satiated or over-privileged.

This expression refers to living beyond one's means or indulging in luxuries using borrowed money. It describes a lifestyle of temporary comfort or status sustained by debt, which is ultimately unsustainable and financially irresponsible.

This proverb is used to describe redundant or useless efforts. Just as serving food to someone with a full stomach or attempting to groom a bald head provides no real benefit, performing actions where they are not needed is a waste of resources and time.

Borrowing used to be viewed as undesirable in the past. People, now under the influence of consumerism, want to live on their future income. It is still wisdom to be neither a borrower nor a lender, in the words of Shakespeare.

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.

This proverb highlights tasks that are futile and result in no appreciation or lasting benefit. Just as decorating a corpse is useless because the body is lifeless, working for a royal palace (or a fickle authority) often goes unrewarded and unrecognized, regardless of the effort put in. It is used to describe thankless jobs or wasted labor.

This expression highlights that debts taken for basic survival needs like clothing (batta) and food (potta) are transient and must be cleared quickly. It is often used to emphasize that one cannot delay repaying small but essential debts or to point out that basic necessities are the first priorities that get consumed immediately, leaving no long-term asset behind.