విత్తనం మొలిస్తే విడవకుండా ఏడేండ్లు సేద్యం చేయమన్నారు

vittanam moliste vidavakunda edendlu sedyam cheyamannaru

Translation

If the seed sprouts, it is said one should farm without stopping for seven years.

Meaning

This proverb emphasizes perseverance and long-term commitment. It suggests that once an initial effort shows signs of success (the seed sprouts), one should double down and work consistently for a long period to reap the full benefits and establish stability, rather than quitting early or being inconsistent.

Related Phrases

The ox said it would farm for six years if the field was in front of the village, the yoke was made of Maddi wood, and the rope was made of bamboo strips.

This proverb describes someone who sets ideal or impossible conditions before committing to a task. It highlights the tendency to blame external factors or demand perfect resources to justify one's willingness to work, implying that with such perfect comforts, anyone would be willing to do the job.

When asked to fast, you asked if I wanted to be branded with a hot iron.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone reacts excessively or suggests an extreme, painful alternative to a simple request or task. It highlights a lack of understanding or an exaggerated response to a suggestion.

Father's farming, son's medical practice, and food in the middle.

This proverb highlights a traditional ideal for a prosperous and stable family. It suggests that if the father takes care of agriculture (ensuring food security) and the son becomes a doctor (ensuring health and income), the family will always have 'koodu' (food/sustenance) right in the middle or in abundance. It is used to describe a perfectly balanced and self-sufficient household.

One who has ten people behind him can do farming even if he is a coward.

This proverb emphasizes the power of teamwork and support. It suggests that even an incompetent or timid person can achieve great tasks, like agriculture, if they have a large family or a strong team to support and guide them. Success often depends more on collective strength than individual ability.

Father's farming, son's medicine, and food (like) alcohol.

This proverb highlights a recipe for complete ruin or waste. It suggests that if a father is a farmer and his son is a doctor, they might survive, but if they consume alcohol (or waste resources), everything they earn will be lost. It is often used to warn against addictive habits that destroy family legacies regardless of how hard the previous generation worked.

If it rains during Magha and Pubba stars, your brother's farming and my farming will both turn to dust.

This is an agricultural proverb related to the lunar asterisms (Kartelu). It suggests that heavy rains during the Magha and Pubba periods are detrimental to crops. It implies that regardless of who is farming or how hard they work, the yield will be ruined (turned to dust/mud) if it rains excessively during this specific time of the season.

One who does not cultivate will not even find enough for an offering.

This proverb emphasizes the importance of hard work and agriculture. It implies that if a person is lazy or refuses to work the land, they will end up so poor that they won't even have the minimal amount of food required to offer to God in prayer. It is used to highlight that survival and prosperity depend on labor.

The snake should not die, and the stick should not break.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where a problem needs to be solved or a task needs to be completed without causing any damage, loss, or negative consequences to either party involved. It refers to finding a perfect, diplomatic, or tactful middle ground where the objective is achieved with zero risk or collateral damage.

If you are farming with donkeys, how can you be afraid of their kicks?

This expression is used when someone chooses to do a difficult or messy job but complains about the inevitable risks or hardships that come with it. It suggests that if you undertake a task involving certain known troubles, you must be prepared to face them rather than being afraid or surprised.

Even poverty, if kept for seven years, might come to use.

This proverb suggests that everything, no matter how seemingly worthless or negative, can have utility over a long period. It is used to justify keeping old or currently useless items because their value might be realized in the future. It highlights the virtue of patience and the idea that nothing is truly waste.