వెన్న తిన్నవాడు వెళ్ళిపోతే, చల్ల తాగినవానిని చావమోదినట్లు

venna tinnavadu vellipote, challa taginavanini chavamodinatlu

Translation

While the one who ate the butter escaped, the one who drank the buttermilk was beaten to death.

Meaning

This expression is used to describe a situation where the actual culprit or the person who enjoyed the primary benefit escapes, while an innocent person or someone involved in a very minor way gets severely punished. It highlights gross injustice and the failure to hold the right person accountable.

Related Phrases

Like fire becoming cold.

This expression is used to describe something that is impossible, highly improbable, or contrary to its inherent nature. It is often used to refer to a person who is usually very angry or aggressive suddenly acting calm or gentle, which feels unnatural to their character.

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 ate food and the one who received kicks will never forget.

This proverb highlights that some experiences leave an indelible mark on a person's memory. It specifically refers to acts of extreme kindness (giving food to the hungry) and acts of extreme humiliation or physical pain (getting beaten). Both the person who was helped in their time of need and the person who was wronged/punished will remember those moments forever.

He neither dies nor gives up the mat.

This expression refers to a person who is neither performing a task nor stepping aside to let someone else do it. It is used to describe a stubborn or obstructive person who occupies a position or resource without being productive, effectively blocking progress for everyone else.

When told to leave, acting as if invited to a wedding

This expression describes a person who thick-skinnedly ignores a clear rejection or an order to leave, instead pretending they were invited to stay for a celebration. It is used to mock someone who is unwelcome but refuses to take the hint or is intentionally being stubborn and naive to serve their own interest.

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 ate the palm fibers faces more trouble than the one who ate the palm fruits.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where an innocent person or a person who only handled the leftovers/waste of an act gets into more trouble or faces more blame than the person who actually enjoyed the primary benefit. It highlights the irony of unfair consequences.

He would neither die nor give up his bed.

This expression is used to describe a situation or a person that is stuck in a state of limbo, causing prolonged distress or inconvenience to others. It refers to a problem that doesn't get resolved but continues to linger, or a person who occupies a position without being productive, preventing others from taking over.

The pyre burns the dead, while worry burns the living.

This proverb highlights the destructive power of stress and constant worry (chinta). While a funeral pyre (chiti) only consumes a person after they have passed away, mental anxiety and grief consume a person while they are still alive, destroying their peace and health. It is used to advise someone against excessive worrying.

The one who ate food and the one who received beatings will never forget.

This proverb highlights how human memory is deeply impacted by both kindness and suffering. A person will always remember the one who helped them during hunger (gratitude), just as someone will never forget the person who caused them physical or emotional pain (resentment).