వర్లి వర్లి వాడు పోయె, వండుకు తిని వీడు పోయె
varli varli vadu poye, vanduku tini vidu poye
One died after constant worrying, while the other died after cooking and eating.
This proverb is used to illustrate the unpredictability of life and death. It suggests that whether one lives in constant anxiety and hardship or lives comfortably and enjoys life, the end (death) is inevitable for everyone. It is often used to advise against excessive worrying about the future or to point out that fate eventually catches up to everyone regardless of their lifestyle.
Related Phrases
చూపితే మానం పోయె, చూపక పోతే ప్రాణం పోయె
chupite manam poye, chupaka pote pranam poye
If shown, honor is lost; if not shown, life is lost.
This expression describes a critical dilemma or a 'catch-22' situation where every available option leads to a negative outcome. It is traditionally used in contexts like a medical emergency involving a modest person, or any situation where one must choose between a loss of dignity and a loss of life/safety.
ఉల్లి ఉంటే మల్లి వంటలక్కే
ulli unte malli vantalakke
When there are onions Malli is a fine cook. Onions make up for bad cooking.
This expression highlights the essential role of onions in cooking, suggesting that with the right key ingredients or resources, even someone with mediocre skills can produce great results. It is often used to emphasize that having the necessary tools or materials makes a task much easier to accomplish successfully.
హంస నడకలు రాకపోయె, కాకి నడకలు మరిచిపోయె.
hamsa nadakalu rakapoye, kaki nadakalu marichipoye.
Could not learn the swan's gait, and forgot the crow's gait.
This expression refers to a situation where someone tries to imitate others' superior skills or lifestyle but fails to master them, while simultaneously losing their own natural abilities or original identity. It is used to describe someone who ends up 'nowhere' by trying to be someone they are not.
ఉప్పువాడు ఏడిశాడు పప్పువాడు ఏడిశాడు, బొండాపు కాయల వాడు పొర్లి పొర్లి ఏడిశాడు.
uppuvadu edishadu pappuvadu edishadu, bondapu kayala vadu porli porli edishadu.
The salt seller cried, the lentil seller cried, but the palmyra fruit seller rolled on the ground and cried.
This is a traditional Telugu nursery rhyme or a humorous saying used to describe a situation where everyone is mourning or facing a loss, but one specific person's grief or loss is disproportionately larger or more dramatic than the others. It is often used to highlight exaggerated reactions or to point out someone who is suffering the most in a collective misfortune.
మున్నూరు వరహాలు పోయె, మూతిమీసాలు పోయె, నంబి సోమయాజులు అన్న
munnuru varahalu poye, mutimisalu poye, nambi somayajulu anna
Three hundred gold coins were lost, the mustache was lost, and they still called him Nambi Somayajulu.
This proverb describes a situation where someone undergoes a significant sacrifice or suffers a heavy loss to achieve a certain status or goal, but despite the sacrifice, the end result is humiliating or they are still addressed by a lesser title. It is used to mock situations where one loses both wealth and dignity for a futile outcome.
చిన్ననాడే పోయె, పరుపు పందిట్లో పోయె, కొరవా సరవా ఉంటే అన్నాడట.
chinnanade poye, parupu panditlo poye, korava sarava unte annadata.
Lost in childhood, lost in the wedding pandal, if there is anything left, let me know.
This proverb is used to mock someone who is extremely irresponsible or careless. It refers to a person who has wasted or lost everything they owned at different stages of life, yet still asks if there is anything remaining to squander. It describes a state of total loss due to negligence.
ఉప్పోడు పప్పోడు ఊరకుంటే, టెంకాయలవాడు పొర్లి పొర్లి పడ్డాడంట.
uppodu pappodu urakunte, tenkayalavadu porli porli paddadanta.
While the salt seller and dal seller remained calm, the coconut seller rolled over and over (in distress).
This proverb is used to describe a situation where the primary stakeholders or the people most affected remain calm, while an outsider or someone with minimal involvement reacts with unnecessary drama or over-excitability. It highlights misplaced concern or exaggerated reactions by those who are not central to the issue.
ఉన్నదీ పోయె, ఉంచుకొన్నదీ పోయె
unnadi poye, unchukonnadi poye
What one had is gone, and what one kept (or acquired) is also gone.
This expression describes a situation where a person loses their original possessions or status while unsuccessfully trying to gain something more. It is used to caution against excessive greed or poor decision-making that results in a total loss of both the old and the new.
రామక్కదేమిపోయె రామన్నదేమిపోయె రాసిలోనిదే దోసెడుపోయె
ramakkademipoye ramannademipoye rasilonide dosedupoye
Ramakka lost nothing, Ramanna lost nothing, but a handful from the heap is gone.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where two parties are arguing or transacting, and while neither of them suffers a personal loss, the common resource or the collective property they are managing is being depleted. It highlights how the 'heap' (common assets) suffers when individuals are careless or indifferent because it doesn't belong to them personally.
నూనె పోగొట్టుకొన్నవాడూ ఏడ్చినాడు, బొండాపకాయల వాడూ పొర్లి పొర్లి ఏడ్చినాడు.
nune pogottukonnavadu edchinadu, bondapakayala vadu porli porli edchinadu.
The man who lost the oil cried, and the cocoanut man cried bitterly. A bullock laden with pots of oil belonging to one man and unpeeled cocoanuts belonging to another rolled over. The pots broke, but the cocoanuts were none the worse. The first man cried quietly, but the second was loud in his lamentations. Making a fuss about nothing.
This proverb describes a situation where someone with a minor or insignificant loss (or no loss at all) makes a much bigger scene than the person who suffered a genuine, significant loss. It is used to mock those who overreact or feign distress for attention when they have little at stake compared to others.