ఉన్నవాడు ఉన్నవాడికే పెట్టే, లేనివాడూ ఉన్నవాడికే పెట్టే

unnavadu unnavadike pette, lenivadu unnavadike pette

Translation

The rich give to the rich, and even the poor give to the rich.

Meaning

This proverb highlights a social irony where resources and gifts often flow toward those who already have plenty, rather than those in need. It is used to describe situations where people prioritize pleasing influential or wealthy individuals while ignoring the underprivileged.

Related Phrases

He that ate is he that bought. If you want any thing, you must pay for it. Nothing is had for nothing. (French.)

This expression emphasizes that the person who pays for something or takes the risk of purchasing it is the one who truly enjoys the benefits or consequences of it. In a broader sense, it suggests that ownership or direct investment leads to the right of consumption or usage.

The one who is alive is the head of the village; the one who is dead is the head of the graveyard.

This proverb is used to describe the harsh reality of social status and hierarchy. It implies that a person's power, influence, and authority only exist as long as they are alive. Once a person dies, their worldly status vanishes, and they are merely the most prominent entity in a graveyard. It is often used to remind people to remain humble or to comment on how quickly influence fades after death.

If it comes for free, he said he has another person of his own.

This proverb is used to describe human greed. It refers to a person who, upon finding something available for free, immediately tries to claim more for their family or associates, rather than being satisfied with what is given. It is used to mock people who exploit generosity or freebies.

The man that ate, was better off than the man that bought the things [ and did not use them ].

This proverb suggests that the person who actually enjoys or consumes a resource is in a better position than the one who merely spent money to acquire it but didn't get to use it. It is often used to highlight that true value lies in experience and consumption rather than just possession or investment.

The one who has an ox lacks intelligence, and the one who has intelligence lacks an ox.

This proverb describes a situational irony where one person possesses the physical resources or tools but lacks the wisdom to use them, while another person has the knowledge but lacks the necessary resources. It is used to highlight the mismatch between ability and opportunity.

While the one who has nothing cries because he lacks, the one who has everything suffers because he cannot eat it.

This proverb highlights that both poverty and wealth come with their own sets of problems. While a poor person suffers from deprivation, a rich person may suffer from health issues, greed, or the inability to enjoy their abundance. It is often used to describe situations where everyone has a grievance, regardless of their status.

He that ate prospered, and he that prospered became a Ma- hârâja.

This proverb emphasizes that health is the greatest wealth. It means that a person who can eat well (is healthy and has sufficient resources) is the one who can endure or live long, and such a healthy person is as happy and powerful as a king. It is often used to highlight the importance of nutrition and physical well-being over material riches.

The woman who has gives to the woman who has; the woman who has not also gives to the woman who has.

This proverb describes a social irony where resources or gifts tend to flow towards those who are already wealthy or powerful, rather than to those in need. It highlights that everyone seeks to please the rich, while the poor are often ignored or even forced to give up what little they have to those above them.

Neither the one with a mansion survives forever, nor the one in a hut dies instantly.

This proverb emphasizes the equality of life and death, suggesting that wealth (a mansion) doesn't guarantee immortality, and poverty (a hut) doesn't mean immediate demise. It is used to remind people that fate and time are the ultimate deciders, regardless of one's social or economic status.

The one who has gives to the one who has; even the one who does not have gives to the one who has.

This proverb highlights a social irony where wealth continues to flow toward the wealthy. It describes a situation where both the rich and the poor tend to favor, gift, or serve those who are already influential and affluent, while those in actual need are often ignored.