తిరిగే ఆడది, తిరగని మగవాడు చెడుదురు

tirige adadi, tiragani magavadu cheduduru

Translation

A woman who roams and a man who does not roam are both ruined.

Meaning

This traditional proverb suggests that a woman's reputation or household suffers if she wanders aimlessly outside, while a man fails in life if he stays idle at home without going out to seek opportunities, work, or social connections. It emphasizes gender-specific social roles common in historical contexts.

Related Phrases

Like being told to go around the village but only going around the mortar

This expression is used to describe someone who is extremely lazy or lacks initiative. It refers to a person who, when given a large task (circling the village), performs the smallest, most effortless version of it (circling the grinding stone inside the house) and claims they are finished.

A roaming farmer and a stationary monk will both be ruined.

This proverb highlights the importance of staying true to one's role. A farmer must stay on his land to tend to crops; if he wanders away, his farm fails. Conversely, a monk (Bairagi) is meant to travel and seek spiritual truth; if he settles in one place, he becomes entangled in worldly attachments and loses his purpose.

A woman is ruined by roaming out, while a man is ruined by staying in.

This traditional proverb suggests that a woman's reputation or household duties suffer if she is constantly wandering away from home, whereas a man's livelihood or success suffers if he remains idle at home and does not go out to work or explore opportunities.

There is no woman who cannot cook rice and no man who cannot weave a cot.

This traditional proverb highlights the basic, essential life skills that were historically expected of every individual based on their role in the household. It suggests that certain fundamental tasks are so universal that one cannot claim ignorance of them; it is often used to emphasize that everyone should at least know the basics of their responsibilities.

A man is ruined by not roaming; a woman is ruined by roaming.

This traditional proverb suggests that a man gains knowledge, opportunities, and success by going out into the world and networking, whereas staying idle at home leads to his downfall. Conversely, in a traditional social context, it implies that a woman's reputation or domestic stability might be compromised if she wanders aimlessly or neglects her home. It is often used to emphasize the importance of being active for men and the value of discretion or domestic focus for women.

When told to go home and come back, he went to Ilaram and returned.

This expression is used to describe a person who does not understand instructions properly or takes an unnecessarily long and round-about way to do a simple task. It highlights inefficiency or foolishness in following directions.

A woman who wanders and a man who does not wander are both ruined.

This traditional proverb highlights gender-based social roles of the past. It suggests that a woman who constantly roams outside her home loses her reputation or neglects her household, whereas a man who stays idle at home and does not venture out to work or explore the world fails to provide and remains ignorant. It is used to emphasize the importance of balance and fulfilling one's responsibilities.

A woman is ruined by wandering; a man is ruined by not wandering.

This traditional proverb suggests that a woman's reputation or character may suffer if she spends too much time outside her home (reflecting historical social norms), whereas a man's prospects and knowledge suffer if he stays confined at home and doesn't venture out to explore, network, or work.

A family man is ruined by wandering, while a monk is ruined by staying in one place.

This proverb highlights the contrasting responsibilities of different lifestyles. A householder (Samsari) loses focus on family and livelihood if they wander aimlessly. Conversely, an ascetic (Sanyasi) becomes stagnant, overly attached, or burdensome to a single community if they do not travel to spread knowledge and maintain detachment.

When he was asked to walk round the house he walked round the shed.

This proverb suggests that success begins at home. If a person cannot manage their own domestic affairs or earn the respect of their family, they are unlikely to succeed in public life or handle community matters effectively.