HINDI (INDIAN) PROVERBS - lakshminarayanlenasia.comlakshminarayanlenasia.com/articles/IndianProverbs.pdf · कालचा गोधळ बरा होता (Marathi) o Literal: - [PDF Document] (2024)

HINDI (INDIAN)PROVERBShttp://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Indian_proverbs

A• Ati shahaana tyaacha bail rikaama (Marathi)• आग राम ेशरी आििबंब सोम ेशरी - Aag Rameshwari Aanee Bamb Someshwari (Marathi)

o Literal: Fire in Rameshwar (city at southern tip of India) andfirefighting in Someshwar (city in North India)

o Translation: The problem is one thing and the solution isgiven for something else.o Bengali equivalent: েেেে কটা? নাপিুিিেেি খােোা। Chhele koTa? na puRiye khabO.

• , । - age rUp nehari, pore guN bichari. (Bengali) o Literal:Looks attracts first, quality qualifies later.

• (Malayalam) o Literal: The other side will be green when youare in this sideo Translation: The grass is always greener on theother side.

• । - Ati sannyasite gajon nosto. (Bengali)

unthon se mor marvane(hindi)

•o Literal: Too many cooks spoil the broth.o Maithiliequivalent: जयादे जोगी मठ उजाड।

• Aanakaaryam Pareyumbol Aano htrChenakkaryam? (Malayalam) oLiteral: When you are discussing about elephant don't talk aboutyam matters.o Translation: Do not bring up small issues duringmajor problems.

• आपनॊ गूरॊ गूरॊ ,दोसरा के गूरॊ समाठॊ लॆ कॆ हूरॊ (Angika) oLiteral: Boils on one's own body is considered as painful whilethose on others are deemed

painless.o Translation: One can not understand and realise thepain of others.

• Aasmaan se giray, khajoor mein atke (Hindi) o Literal: Fellfrom the sky, got stuck in a date palm.o Translation: From thefrying pan into the fire.o Marathi equivalent: Aagitunfufaatyaat.

• Anni vunna aaku anigi manigi vuntae aemi laeni aaku yegiriyegiri padithi(Telugu) o Literal: Fully served leaf (used to servefood) sticks to the ground whereas empty leaf flies

all over.o Translation: Empty vessels make more noise.o Bengaliequivalent: খািে কেিি োােে েোশী। khali kolsi baje beSI.;হািি-েোািিা েেে িে, মশা োেে কেিা েে? hati-ghORa gelo tol, moSabole kotO jol?

• Araante ammakku pranthu pitichaal kaanaan nalla selu(Malayalam) o Literal: If somebody's mother goes mad, it is a goodscene to watch

o Translation: It is always enjoyable to make fun of otherstragedy till it actually hits you.o Bengali equivalent: পেেে েেেেপেমানন েি উচেে োেি িি আনন। porer chhele poromanondo Joto

ucchhonne jay toto anondo ;িক োিনা িোেে োুিিেো েি িকেি কভুআশীিোেে দংেশিন োেে? ki Jatona biShe bujhibe se kise kobhu aSIbiShedongseni Jare?

• Aalasyam amrutham visham (Sanskrit) o (Best Chances willbecome Odds if you don't react in time)

• तुम िजयो हजार ो साल ,साल के िदन हो पचास हजार (Hindi) oLiteral: May you live a thousand years and may each year have afifty thousand dayso Translation: May you live a long life.

• Aalu ledu Choolu ledu koduku peru somalingam(Telugu) oLiteral: You don't have a wife or conception yet but you have namedyour son

Somalingam.o Translation: You are making plans without acquiringthe required resources.o Bengali equivalent: না িোইেেি কানাইেেিেমা। na biiye kanaiyer ma. ; োেে কঁাঠাে েেঁােে েিে। gachhe

ka^Thal, gO^fe tel.o Hindi equivalent: Soot na kapaas, julahonmen laatha laathi (there is neither cotton nor

thread, yet weavers are fighting).o Maithili equivalent: गाछ मेकटहल, ठोर मे तेल।o Another Maithili equivalent: पािन मे मछली, नौटुक बखडा।

• Apna hira na kholie beech kunjda haat-Kabir (Hindi) **Literal: One should not show his diamonds to a greengrocer

o Translation:...neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lestthey trample them under their feet,...-Bible{Matt.7:6(KJV)}

•o Ab pachtaye kya hot jab chidiya chug gayi khet (Hindi)oLiteral: What is the use of crying when the birds ate the wholefarm.o Translation: There is no use crying over the spilled milk.oSanskrit equivalent: gotosyo Sochona nasti (yatha kormo tothaSasti)

• । - Arthoi anorther mool. (Bengali) o Literal: Money is theroot cause of unhappiness.

• Aap bhalaa toe jag bhalaa. (Hindi) o Literal: If you are nobleyou will find world noble.o Hindi equivalent: Man changa toe kaThuamay Ganga.

• Cheyadagina sathavunna cheyaalemonanna bhayamu ventadutuvuntundhi...

Bhayamu shakthivantha mainadhe, kani nammakamu antha kannashakthivantha mainadhi... Nammakamutho mundukellu vijayamu neethonevuntundhi...

•o Translation: You have guts to do the things, but due to fearyou are not willing to complete

the things; accepting that fear is more power, but confidence ismore power than the fear, so please move with confidence, then youwill always get success.

• Ati parichayaat avadnya (Marathi) o Literal: Excessivefamiliarity causes disrespect.

o Translation: Familiarity breeds contempt.o Oriya equivalent:Ati Parichaye Gaurava Nasta.

B

• बाजार ात तूरी आिि भट भटनीला मारी Bajaraat Toori anee bhatbhatnila maari (Marathi) o Literal: Lentils are still in the marketand the Brahmin is beating his wife (for her failure to

cook them properly).o Translation: Fighting for hypotheticalfailure of things you don't have.o Bengali equivalent: । gorIberghORa rog.

• बनदर किब गुला िठ मारन ा निह भुलता (Hindi) o Englishequivalent: Old habbits die hard.

• bekku kannu muchchikondu haalu kudidante (Kannada) o Literal:It is like a cat drinking milk with eyes closedo Translation:Others can see through a misdeed despite pretensions.o Bengaliequivalent: bokdharrmik ; beRal toposwIo Telugu equivalent: pillikallu musukuni palu thaginattundi

• bekkige chellata ilige prana sankata (Kannada)

• bellagiruvudella haalalla (Kannada)

• biriya hunda brahmana bikshe bedidananthe (Kannada)

• bEline eddu hola mEdre hEge? (Kannada) o Literal: The fenceitself grazed through the field.o Translation: A fence is meant tostop cattle from grazing. What if the fence is the culprit?

This proverb comes from a skepticism of those who break lawsthey are supposed to uphold.

o Bengali equivalent: sorrSher modhye bhUt.

• bhangi dEvarige henDaguDuka pUjari (Kannada) o (For the Godwho is on dope you need a priest who is a drunk).o The underlingsare usually quite a match for the rogues in power whom they serve.oBengali equivalent: Jemon kukur temon mugur

Jemoni bunO Ol temoni bagha te^tul.o Maithili equivalent: पीठ तबतेना किरयौ, जेना बहे वयार। Move your back according to the

wind.

• bhikshukaha bhikshuken drishtwa kukkurenwat gurgurayate(sanskrit) o Literal: Upon seeing another beggar (on his turf) thebeggar growls like a dog.o Professional jealousy affects everybodyincluding beggars.

• बंदर कया जा ने अदरक का सवाद Bandar kya jaane adark ka swaad(Hindi) o Literal: What does a monkey know of the taste of ginger?oTranslation: Someone who can't understand can't appreciateo Englishequivalent: Laying pearls before swineo Bengali equivalent: Chasaki jane karpurer guno Kannada equivalent: Katthegenu gotthuKasthuri vaasne (A donkey would not know the

scent of Kasthuri)

o Malayalam equivalent: Nallathe ariyo nayikeo Marathiequivalent: गाढवाला गुळाची चव काय Gaadhavala gulaachi chav kay (Adonkey

cannot appreciate the taste of jaggery)o Tamil equivalent :Kazhudaikku theriyuma karpoora vaasanai (What does Donkey know

about the smell of Camphor?).o Telugu equivalent : Gadida kemithelusu Gandapu vasana (or) Pandi kemi thelusu panneru

vasana.

•o Bhains ke aage been bajana (Hindi)

• Bhens aagad bhaagvat(Gujarati)/ **

Literal: Reading Bhagvadgita (Hindu holy book) to a buffalo (isa waste)

•o Translation: Tailor your speech to your audience.o Bengaliequivalent: phuTO patre jol Dhalao Hindi equivalent: Bhains ke aagebeen bajaave, bhains khadi paguraae (buffalo busily

chews cud ignoring the flute being played to it).o Kannadaequivalent : Katthe munde kindari baarisida haage (playing musicalinstrument in

front of a donkey).o Malayalam equivalent: Poathinoadu vedhamoadheettu karyam illao Tamil equivalent: Sevindan Kaadhil sanguoTelugu equivalent: chavitodi mundu shankam oodinatlu (playing fluteto a deaf person).

C• Chakkinu Vechatu Kokkinu Kondu (Malayalam)

o Trap made for some one, but got trapped someone elseo Bengaliequivalent: , ।

• Chakkikotha chankaran (Malayalam) o Made for each other.oBengali equivalent: ) ; ) ।

• Ariyatha pilla choriumbo Ariyam (Malayalam) o People feel itwhen they have it.

• chelige parupatya kotta haage (Kannada) o (It is like givingauthority to a scorpion).o If the mean people get into positions ofauthority they cause a great damage like a

scorpion, which needs no reason to sting, would work overtime ifasked to do so.

• cheviti vaadi mundu sankham oodinattu (Telugu) o (like blowinga conch in front of a deaf person)o interpretation: doing a uselessthing

• chinte illadavanige santeyallU nidde (Kannada) o (One withoutworries can doze off in a market place).

• Chinta sachina pulupu chavaledhu (Telugu)

o Literal Meaning: Even though the tamaring is dead , thesourness is not deado Interpretation: Even though the person haslost , he hasnt lost his pride.

• chapti dhul ni jaroor pade (Gujarati) oInterpretation1-Sometimes only a pinch of sand is all you need.oInterpretation2-Sometimes you do need a pinch of sand too.o Eveninsignifcant people have their importance at times.o Bengaliequivalent: ।

• chorer mayer boro gola.(Bengali)[ । o somebody who is theculprit shouts louder.

• Chaar din ki chaandni phir andheri raat (Hindi) o Literal:Dark nights will return after these few moonlit nightsoTranslation: While rejoicing during good times one should notforget that more trying

times will also return. This is a natural cycle of events innature.

• Chupdi aur doe doe! (Hindi) o Literal: Want two instead of one(slice of bread) and that too smeared with butter!o Translation:Asking for too much.o Bengali equivalent: ।

D• dUrada beTta nuNnage (Kannada)

o Literal: Distant hill looks beautifulo English equivalent:Grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.o Hindiequivalent: Door ke dhor suhaane (distant mountains lookbeautiful).o Marathi equivalent: Duroon dongar saajre (distantmountains look beautiful).

E• Ek anaar, sau bimaar (Hindi)

o Literal: One pomegranate is all there is, and a hundred menare sick trying to get it.o Translation: There is a great demandfor something in short supply.

• Elaimayil kalvi, silaiyil ezhuthu (Tamil) o Literal: Educationin your childhood is like the letters in a sculptureo Translation:What you study during your childhood will never be forgotten

• ettige jwara banthu andre yemmege bare haakidranthe.(Kannada)

• ettu ErigeLeyitu, kONa nIrigeLeyitu. (Kannada) o Literal: Theox pulled to the shore, the buffalo pulled towards the water.oTranslation: Mismatched company of people could lead to a disaster(this is a scenario of a

cart pulled by an ox and a buffalo which do not co-ordinate welland do what they please leading to a disaster).

• ettu Iyitu andare koTTigege kaTTu andarante (Kannada) oLiteral: The ox has delivered, Tie up the calf in the pen.oTranslation: Those who agree to everything without using theirbrains are made fun of in

this way.

• । - Ekotai bal. (Bengali) o Literal: Unity is strength.

• ettu suraikkai kootukku uthavaathu (Tamil)

(Literal translation: A picture of a gourd (the vegetable) isnot useful to cook with) (Simple Book Knowledge will not help inreal life situations)

• Ellet ayi gai, aadat dam ke sath.(Hindi/Urdu) o Misfortuneswill come and go but habit will depart from ones body along withthe soul.

English equivalent: Habits die hard.

G

• Gaadhava pudhe vaachli Geeta, Kaalcha gondhal baraa hota.गाढवाप ुढे वाचली गीता , कालचा गोधळ बरा होता (Marathi)

o Literal: After reading the Bhagwad Geeta to a donkey,yesterday's commotion seems more bearable.

o Translation: It's no use wasting wisdom on a fool who thinksand acts like he is the only correct person in the world (he willyell louder than ever, that his words are wiser, and make moresense)

o Bengali equivalent: , ।

• ganDa henDira jagaLa unDu malago thanaka (Kannada) o Literal:The quarrel between a husband and wife lasts till they eat and goto bed.o Translation: Disagreements between people in love areforgotten easily.

• gaNEshanannu mADalu hOgi avara appanna mADidante (Kannada) oLiteral: It is like trying to make an idol of Ganesh and ending upwith his father.o Translation: A warning for the bunglers whocreate more trouble than fixing them.

• Gachhe kanthal , gonfe tel , । (Bengali) o English equivalent:Make castles in air.

• geddettina bAla hiDida hAge (Kannada) o Literal: Holding thetail of the winning ox.o Translation: Showing affiliation to awinner.o English equivalent: Success has many fathers but failureis an orphan.

• Gehoo(n) ke saath ghun bhi pista hai. (Hindi) o Literal: Bugsinfesting the wheat get ground along with it.o Translation: Watchthe company you keep.o Bengali equivalent: , ।

• giDavAgi baggaddu maravAgi baggIthe? (Kannada) o Literal: Ifit does not bend as a sapling, will it when it is a tree?oTranslation: Those who have trouble following rules as young willget worse when they

get older.o Bengali equivalent: , ।

• gubbi mEle bramhAstravE? (Kannada)

o Literal: Using a Brahmaastra weapon on a sparrow? (Brahmaastrais the ultimate weapon of destruction with nothing to counter itexcept another Brahmaastra).

o Translation: Using more force than necessary can haveconsequences beyond proportion.o Bengali equivalent: ।o Teluguequivalent: Pichhuka pai Brahmaastram

• Ghar ka Jogi jogna, Aan gaon ka Siddh (Hindi) o Literal: Awise man to the rest of the world, but a nobody at home.oTranslation: We do not value the the things that we alreadypossess.o English equivalent: A prophet is never acclaimed athome.o Bengali equivalent: ) । ) ,

।o Hindi equivalent: Ghar ki murgi daal baraabar (chicken currymade at home is deemed the

same as a simple daal curry)o Tamil equivalent: IkkaraikkuAkkarai pachchai (one's own wife seems very ordinary).

• Ghar ka bhedi lanka dhayey. (Hindi) o Literal: A person whobetrays his own, can bring down Lanka (a very prosperous cityin

Hindu mythology)o Translation: Beware of the insider, for he canbring down the biggest setup.o Bengali equivalent: ।

• Ghaas ke dher may sui khojna. (Hindi) o Literal: To search fora needle in haystack.o Translation: A very difficult task.o Bengaliequivalent: ।

• Ghiste ghiste to patthar bhi gol ho jata hai. (Hindi) oLiteral: Even a stone gets rounded by constant rubbing.oTranslation: Hard work pays off.o English equivalent: Practicemakes perfect.o Bengali equivalent: ।

H• halliddAga kaDle illa; kaDle iddAga hallilla (Kannada)

o Literal: There are no nuts when one has teeth and there are noteeth when there are nuts.o Translation: It is frustrating that oneis poor in youth when the ability to enjoy is abundant

but when one finally gets rich, the faculties to enjoy aregone.

• ಹೋೋ ೋದಯ ಪಶಾಚ ಅಂದರ ೋ ಬಂದ ೋ ಗವಾಕಶ ಅಂತಂತ ೋ Hodhya pisachi amdharebamdhe gavakshili anthanthe

o Literal: Just when you thought a burning issue was resolved,you see the very issue appearing in another form.

• hALUrige uLidavanE GouDa (Kannada) o Literal: The last oneremaining in a ruined village becomes the village head.oTranslation: A dig at people in power at weak institutions.

• hanigUDidare haLLa; tenegUDidare batha (Kannada) o Literal:Drops join to make a stream; ears combine to make a crop.oTranslation: Little drops of water make a mighty ocean.

• hADidde hADO kisubAyi dAsA (Kannada)

o Literal: Sing the same song again, you grin-mouthed beggar.oTranslation: A rude putdown of those who keep repeating the sameargument.

• hAsige iddashTu kAlu chAchu (Kannada) o Literal: Stretch yourlegs only as far as the bed is.o Translation: Live within yourmeans.o Hindi equivalent: Jitni lambi chaadar, utnay hee paa(n)vpasaaro.o Tamil equivalent: Viralukku thagundha veekkam venum.

• Haate mApi chAkhande chAla o Literal: Measure a yard, but walka step.o English equivalent: Look before you leap.

• hettorige hegNa muddu, kUDidorige kOdaga muddu (Kannada) oLiteral: A bandicoot is lovely to his parents; a mule is pretty toits mate.o Translation: Love is blind.o Telugu equivalent: KaakiPilla Kakiki Mudhau (baby crows are loved by parent crow).

• hiriyaNNana chALi mane mandiigellA (Kannada) o Literal: Theelder brother’s habits are for all in the family.o Translation: Theunderlings follow the leader, especially his bad traits.

• hithala giDa maddalla (Kannada) o Literal: The plant in thebackyard is not a medicinal herb.o Translation: Familiarity breedscontempt.

• hoLe nIrige doNenAykana appaNe Eke? (Kannada) o Literal: Whoneeds the approval of a city official for the water from a stream?oTranslation: This is a rudimentary opposition to taxation andcontrol of things taken for

granted in a village life.

• hosataralli agasa gONi etti etti ogeda. (Kannada)**(When hewas new, the washerman beat the jute bag repeatedly).

o People who are new on the job work eagerly andenthusiastically until they find their way and slack off.Clotheswere washed in villages by Dhobis who took them to a lake, soakedthem and bet the hell out of them on a rock to rid of the dirt. Theamount of beating was inversely proportional to the value of thecloth. A jute bag hardly deserved attention except by one who wasnew to the job.

• hosa vaidyanigintha haLe rOgine mElu (Kannada) o Literal: Anold patient is better than a new doctor.o Translation: This stemsfrom a suspicion of inexperienced and untested people with

education vis-a-vis wise, familiar and old fellows of dubiousqualifications.

• hoTTege hiTTilladiddarU juTTige mallige hUvu (Kannada) oLiteral: There is no food to eat but there is jasmine in the crown(wearing jasmine in the

hair is considered elegant for women).o Translation: Dressingbeyond one’s means is frowned upon as a sign of vanity.o Teluguequivalent: Thinadaniki Thindi Ledhu, Meesalaku Sampenga nune(there is no

food to eat, but there are perfumed oils for moustache)

*huTTisida dEvaru hullu mEyisuttaneye? (Kannada)**(Will the Godwho brought us to the world make us graze on grass).

•

o This proverb mouths faith and optimism in the face ofadversity.

• huchhu munDe maduveyalli unDavanE jaaNa (Kannada)**(In thewedding of the mad widow one who has a meal is the clever one).

o This earthy saying implies that one who manages to get by in awild and chaotic situation deserves compliments.

o A widow's wedding, that too if she is insane, is highlyimprobable. Only a smart person can manage to find such a weddingand even enjoy a meal there.

• hUvina jote nAru svarga sErithu. (Kannada) o Literal: Thestring used to tie the flowers also reached heaven.o Translation:Those who are in the company of the noble will reap the benefitsby

association.

I• iddaddu idda hAge hELidre, siddappanige siDilu hoDeyitu.(Kannada)

o Literal: When facts are said as they are, it was like thestriking of lightning for Siddappa.o Translation: This is a dig atthose who cannot take criticism and throw tantrums.

• Hyderabad Naam Muraadi Upar Choona Nechai Khali (Urdu) o(Hyderabadi favourite saying in appeareance very smart but frominside bears nothing)

• Ikyamathyam mahabalam. (Malayalam) o Literal: Unity is thestrength

J• Jal mein rehkar magar se bair karna theek nahin' (Hindi)

o Literal: It is not wise to live in water and be an enemy ofthe crocodile.o English equivalent: It is hard to live in Rome andstrive against the Pope.

• Jo garajte hain woh baraste nahin hain (Hindi) o Literal:Clouds that thunder seldom rain.o Translation: Those who make themost threats seldom do anything.o English equivalent: Barking dogsseldom bite.o Tamil equivalent: Kuraikkum naai kadikkadhu.

• jana marulo jatre marulo (Kannada) o Literal: Are peoplestupid or the crowd stupid?o Translation: This proverb bemoans theirrational behavior of normal people in large

crowds.

• जननी जनमभूिमश सवगादा िप गरीयसी ॥

• jananee janmabhoomischa swargaadapi gareeyasi. (Sanskrit) oLiteral: One's mother and homeland are greater than evenheaven.

• biddarU mIse maNNAgalilla (Kannada) o (Upon falling, he didn'tbother as his moustache didn't get soiled).

o Moustache is a sign of pride. One who manages not to lose facedespite defeat gets such compliment.

• िजस की लाठी उस की भैस ( Jis ki lathi usi ki bhains ) (Hindi) oWhoever owns the stick owns the buffalo

It's always the powerful who gets lion's share Englishequivalent: Might is right

• Jo feere woh chare (Hindi) o Wandering stock graze themost

English equivalent: A rolling stone gathers more mass.

Jibe prem kare jei jon , seijon sebichhe Ishwar(Bengali). Onewho loves animals, he serves God too. Je jae Lankae , sei hoiRavana(Bengali.). One who goes to Lanka (land of the devils),becomes Ravana(king of devils).

• जंगल मे मोर नाचा िकस ने देखा ? ( Jangal main mor nacha, kisnedekha ) (Hindi) o Even a very good thing will have to be madepublic, to be acclaimed by people.

• Janmile morite hobe, amarattya kothaey pabey?(Bengali) o Ifyou are born, you are to die, you can't be mortal.

• जान है तो जहान है ( Jaan hai to Jahan Hai ) (Hindi) o Only ifyou are alive, things matter

• जले पर नमक िछडकना ( Jale par namak chidakhna ) ( Hindi)•Translation: To sprinkle salt on ones burn

To prick on ones problems and make them feel worse

K• " Kaal Karai So aaj Kar, Aaj Karai so ab, Pal mein ParlaiHoyegi, tab bahuri karega kab"

(Hindi) o The quotation means that whatever you want to dotomorrow, do it today. And whatever

you desire to do today, do it now because nobody knows in thisuncertain world what will happen in a moment.

• Kaali agge toi (Punjabi) o There will always be a ditch infront of a person in hurry.

• Kaiyila Kaasu Vayila Dosa (Chennai Tamil) o Once you pay themoney, you will receive the dosa a rice flour bread.o You willreceive the benefits only after paying the due

• Kal irundhaal, naai illai. Naai irandhaal, kal illai. (Tamil)o (When you have a rock in hand, usually there won't be a dog tohit nearby. When there is a

dog nearby, you usually won't have the rock to hit it with.)oWhen it takes 2 items to do an action, when you have one you willhave most likely

misplaced the second item. Once you finally find the seconditem, you will have lost the first.

There is a second meaning to this: A dog is sculptored on arock. If you look at that as a rock, u will not recognise the dog.If you look at that object as a dog, the rock is not recognised.This has huge philosophical content.

•o Kannada: Halliddaga kadle illa, kadle iddaga Hallu illa :

There is no nut when you have teeth, no teeth when you havenut

• Kallaik kaNdAl nAyaik kANum, NAyaik kaNdAl kallaik kANum.(Tamil) o (When you see dog's figure in the rock you can't realiseit's a rock, when you see the rock

you can't realise it's a dog (Dog's figure))o This is a morecommon form of the previous proverb, and is easily misunderstoodas

"When there is a dog nearby, you usually won't find a stone (tothrow at it)." However what it really means is that, if you looksuperficially, you fail to see the real meaning. The proverb itselfis a good example.

• Kaamale kaNNavanige kanDidella haLadhi. (Kannada) o (Onesuffering from Jaundice, thinks that the world around him isyellow.)o This proverb drives home the point that narrow mindedpeople never look at any issue

holistically.

• काखेला कळसा आिी गावाला वळसा. (Marathi)

Thing next to you is searched everywhere (easily available thingis searched around the world)

• कावळा बसायला आिी फांदी तुटायला एकच गाठ. (Marathi)

Literally- bird sat and branch broke- (apparently non relatedevents are correlated because of coincidence)

• Katrathu Kaimann aLavu, kallathathu ulaga aLavu (Tamil) o(What you know is as big as the size of sand in your palm, what youdo not know is as big

as the size of the universe)o Mainly emphasizes the importanceof humility, and an open mind. Only when we realize

the magnitude of our own ignorance, we remain open toknowledge.

• Kai kesaraadare baai mosaru (Kannada) o (You have to make yourhands muddy to get curds to your mouth (In relation to

agriculture))o English equivalent: Hard work reaps sweetsuccess

• kAryavAsi katte kAlu (Kannada) o (If you need a job to bedone, be prepared to fall at the feet

of a donkey).

• Kudure kandre kaalu novvu. (Kannada) o Your leg starts to achewhen you see a horse

When you see a useful resource/means , you feel lazy to do thejob/work.

• Kumhar phooti me khata hai. (Hindi) o Potter always eat out ofa broken plate

While serving others one tends to overlook his own needs

• keTTa mEle buddhi bantu, aTTa mEle ole uriyitu (Kannada) o(Got wisdom after being ruined, the stove caught fire after thecooking was done).o In olden days the earthen stove (ole) useddried cowdung cakes to burn and it was no

mean task to get it going. The dawn of wisdom after it is toolate is often compared to the frustration with the stove which wastoo slow in becoming functional.

• Khuda meherban tho gadha pehelwan (Hindi) o (If god blesses adonkey it can become a wrestler).o With grace of god even the mostuseless person can become great.

• konkaNa suthi mailArakke banda hAge (Kannada) o (It is likecircling Konkan to reach Mailar).o Those who do even a simple thingin a roundabout manner deserve this proverb.o (Tamil equivalent:Thalaiyai suthi mookai thottathu pola. Meaning - Taking thehand

around the head to touch one's nose.)

• kOpadalli koyda mUgu shAntiyalli baruttadeye? (Kannada) o(Will the nose cut in anger recover in calmness?)o Rash acts donein anger lead to damages which cannot be undone.o (Tamilequivalent: Aathirakkaranukku buthi mattu: Meaning - An angryperson has less

thinking power)

• kOthi kaige mANikya kotta hAge (Kannada) o (It is like givinga gem to a monkey).o When undeserving or unqualified people aregiven valuable tasks such snide comments

are made of them.

• Kurakkunna Patti Kadikkilla(Malayalam) o Barking Dog SeldomeBite

• Kurangu kaiyile poo malai (Tamil)• Kurangande kayil poomala(Malayalam)

o (It is like giving a garland to a monkey).

• kOti tAnU keDOdalde vanAnU keDisitu (Kannada) o (Not only didthe monkey ruin himself, he also ruined the garden).o This warnsone not to meddle with those who can bring down their detractorswith them.

This proverb is a bit mischievous because the reference is to astory in the Ramayana in which Hanuman sets fire to large parts ofLanka on his mission to find Sita who was under house arrest. Infact he succeeded in his mission to deliver a message of hope toher and intimidate her abductor, Ravana. His tail was set on fireby Ravana for which Hanuman paid back by torching his palaces.

• koTTaddu tanage; bachchiTTaddu pararige. (Kannada) o (What yougive away is yours and what you hide will go to others).o Thevirtue of charity and the evil of greed are emphasized here.

• koTTavanu kOdangi, iskondavanu Irabhadra (Kannada) o (The onewho gave is a mule, one who got it is a winner).o This proverb isin contrast to the above one. It suggests that it is better to getthe best deal

under bad circ*mstances than trying to be fair and patient. Youmay end up with nothing in the bargain.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ravanahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sitahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lankahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanumanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramayana

• kumbaLakAyi kaLLa andre hegalu muTTi nODida. (Kannada) o (When"Pumpkin thief!" was cried out, he touched his shoulder to check.)oOne with a guilty conscience needs no accuser.

• kumbAranige varusha; doNNege nimisha. (Kannada) o (It is ayear for the potter and it is a minute for the stick).o It iseasier to destroy than to build.

• kuNiyalAradavaLu nela donku andaLante (Kannada) o (One Whocould not dance said that the ground was uneven).o This is a dig onthose who find excuses for their incompetence. This proverb comesfrom a

time when women of ill repute, supported by the aristocracy,were expected to sing and dance to please their rich customers.

o Eng: A bad workman blames his tools.

• kUsu huttOke munche kulAvi holisidaru (Kannada) o (They got acap stitched even before the baby was born).o This is a referenceto things done prematurely. This proverb goes back to a timewhen

infant mortality was very high and people postponed gettingthings for children until they were born and were in reasonablehealth. Clothes, toys etc. of children were a painful reminder tothe bereaved parents. It was even considered a bad omen to prepareexcessively for a child before its birth.

• Kaikku Ettinathu Vaaikku Ettala. (Tamil)• kaige banda tuttubAyige baralilla. (Kannada)

o (The food which came to the hand did not come to mouth).oThere is many a slip between the cup and the lip. Here the imageryis one of a child being

fed by a mother who makes balls of rice mixed with curry(tuttu). This is an intimate moment of great joy and satisfactionfor the child. It could lead to great unhappiness if the ball didnot reach the mouth.

• kaiyalli sharaNarthi, kankuLalli doNNe. (Kannada) o (Hands arefolded but there is a stick under the arms).o This is a warningabout those who speak softly but carry a big stick to strike whenyou

least expect.

• koopasta mandookamu. (Sanskrit) o (A frog in a well).o This isused to refer to narrow minded inviduals. According to the stories,a frog living in

a well thinks the well itself is the universe.

• Kutte Kee Poonch ko pipe main daloge to bhi seedhi nahin hogi(Hindi) o ( You cant straighten dog's tail by putting in a hosepipe )o This is to refer to the hard core people who don't changethere attitude.o (Tamil equivalent: Naai vaalai nimirthamudiyathu)

• कामापुरता मामा आिि ताकापुरती आजी - Kama Poorta Mama Ani TakaPoorti Aaji (Marathi) o (Literal) Calls you uncle when he needsyou, Calls you grandma when he needs to borrow

buttermilko (Translation)Selfish creature

• Kandhe pe bithaya to kaan main moota (Mumbaiya Hindi) o Youmade him sit on your shoulder and he pisses in your earso Englishversion: Give a camel an inch and he will take an ell.

o (Tamil equivalent: Idathai koduthal madathai pidippadhu pola.Meaning: Give a person place to stay for a while, and he claimsthat the place belongs to him)

o Bengali equivalent: Boste dile sute chai ( Meaning: When yougive some one a space to sit, he will ask for a place to sleep)

• Khakhra ni Khiskoli Sakar no swaad su jaane (Gujarati) o Asquirel who eats dried chapatis would not know the taste of sugar(literal translation)o Good things in life cannot be appreciated bysomeone who has never experienced the good

things.

• Kaala agare mulA chobeibA (Oriya) o To munch a raddish beforea deaf person.o This is to refer to a futile exercise.

• Kusuma parashe pata nistare (Oriya) o Literal Meaning: Thethread (as in a garland) gets salvation in touch with the flower.oA novice can get recognition in the company of noble people.o(Tamil equivalent: Poovodu serndha naarum manakkum: The thread ofthe garland also

smells sweet)

• koto dhaane koto chal (Bengali) o to know what it costs to getthe result.

• Kana thile suna nahin; Suna thile kana nahi (Oriya) o It takesa long time to be prosporous and when you are prospored you are notin a position

to enjoy.

• Kansari gharar para, kula dhaun dhaun dara (Oriya) o You cannot scare a shrewd person with small provocation.

• Khali kalsi baaje beshi.(Bengali) o An empty vessel makes muchnoise.

• Ksudhar moto khadyo nai, ghoomer moto bichhana nai.(Bengali) oThere is no other food as Hunger, there is no other bed asSleep.

• Kakkakkum than kunju pon kunju (Malayalam) o Literal: Even fora crow, its own baby is a treasureo Translation: Own creations willbe invaluable, even though it may not be so for others

L• Life is a bridge. Cross over it, but build no house on it.(Translation)

• લકમી ચાદલો કરવા આવે તયારે મો ધોવા ન જવાય.• Laxmi chaandlokarva aave tyaarey mo dhova na javay (Gujarati)

o Literally: When the goddess of wealth comes to give you ablessing, you should not go to wash your face

o English equivalent: When opportunity knocks one's door, oneshould grab it

kaialavu manasu kadal alavu kanavu(tamil) english equivalent :more dreams in a small heart.

• Leek leek sab he chalen, leek he chale kapootLeek chod teenhe, chalen shayer singh sapoot. (Hind)

o Execept for a poet, a lion and a worthy child, every oneelse

including a worthless child always trail a beaten track.

• Laathon ke bhoot baaton se nahi maante.

Translation : There are people who only understand the languageof beating and not of talking.

M• maduve mADi nODu, mane katti nODu. (Kannada)

o (Perform a wedding and see, build a house and see).o Teluguequivalent:Illu katti choodu,Pelli chesi choodu.o When worthwhilebut difficult acts are done, it is gratifying in the end.

• maduveyAgO gunDa endare nInE nanna henDathi anda. (Kannada) o(I said “Get married, Gunda”. He said :”then you are my wife.”)oThis is a warning about fellows who latch on to those who try tohelp them.

• mADOdu durAchAra, mane munde brindAvana. (Kannada) o (Whatthey do is evil but they have holy herbs in the front garden).oThis is said of people whose outward behavior is impeccable butactions are despicable.

Having a little garden of the Thulasi plant in front of a housewas considered a sign of piety and goodness.

• maLLi maLLi manchanke eShtu kaalu andre; mooru mahtonduandlanthe. (Kannada)

• manege benki biddAga bhavi tODidaru (Kannada) o (When thehouse caught fire they began digging a well).o Too little, toolate.

• maneyalli ili, beediyali huli(Kannada) o He is a rat at home,but when he comes to the street he becomes a tiger

• Telugu equivalent:Intlo pilli,bayata puli.

• mantrakkinta uguLe jasti (Kannada) o (There is more spit thanthe chant).o This is said of people whose actions do not matchtheir claims.

• mAtu ballavanige jagaLavilla, UTa ballavanige rOgavilla(Kannada) o (One who knows how to talk will have no fights, one whoknows how to eat will have no

sickness).o The meaning is obvious here.

• Minnunnathellaam ponnalla (Malayalam) o (All that glitters isnot gold)

• Mukilla Rajyathu Murimukkan Rajavu (Malayalam) o (In the landof people with no nose, the half-nose man is the king)o Similar to"In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king". Referringthat among

unscholared people, a half-knowledged man is a scholar.

• mUrthi chikkadAdru kIrthi doDDadu (Kannada) o (Though the idolis small the fame is big).

o This is a reference to self effacing people withaccomplishments. Incidentally people with accomplishments areexpected to be self effacing. If not, they may be termedarrogant.

• muttathe mullaikku manamilla. (Malayalam) o (The jasmineflowers in the backyard do not have any fragrance.)o That is, thethings that people already possess do not hold any charm and peoplefall for

the delusion that what others possess is somehow moreattractive.

• mare bina swarg nahi milta (Hindi) o (without death, there canbe no heaven)o Great things can be achieved only with greateffort

• mor na inda chitarva na pade. (Gujarati) o (You don't have togo and paint the eggs of peaco*cks.)o It suggests that greatart,culture,skills comes in blood. As peaco*ck is beautiful, so areits

eggs, you need not to paint them separately to make thembeautifull.

• Mokkai vanganidi maanai vanguna(Telugu): It is easier to benda sapling than a tree. Same as "Better to nip in the bud" inEnglish

• Aindhil vizhaiyathathu aimbathil vizhaiyuma(Tamil) o (If itdoesn't bend as a small plant, will it if it grows huge)(Telugu)o(Stem that doesn't grom at the age of 5(of a plant) will not growat the age of 50)(Tamil)

• Mutraththe mullaiku manamilla(Malayalam) o Literal: There isno smell in Jasmine growing in one's front yard.o Meaning peopledont recognize the talent seen in immediate/closerelationships.

N

• Naach na jaane aangan tedha. (Hindi) नाच न जा ने आँ गन टेढा ا. ی ڑھناچ ن جان آنگن ٹ ے ہ o Literal: A person who cannot danceclaims that the stage is tilted.o English equivalent: A bad workmanblames his tools.o Bengali equivalent: Naachte na janle uthanbaeka.o Marathi equivalent: Naachataa yeInaa aangan waakade.o Tamilequivalent: Aada teriyada tevadiya, mutram konal.

• Nhaate dhote reh gaye muh te makhi bai gaye (Punjabi) oEnglish Translation: Got nothing after so much hullaabaloo

• Nahin mamu tharu kana mamu bhala (Oriya) o It Is better tohave something than nothing.

• navilannu nODi kembuta gari kedarisaitu (Kannada) o (Seeingthe peaco*ck, the rooster spread his wings).o Those who try toimitate people of talent and beauty, not having either of them astheir

own, are ridiculed like this.

• nAyi bogaLidare dEvalOka hALe? (Kannada) o (If the dog barkswill it ruin the heaven?)o This is said of spiteful people whospeak ill of others.

• nAyi bAla Donku (Kannada) o (The tail of a dog is alwayscrooked).o You cannot convince some people no matter what youdo.

• ના મામો કરતા ં કહ ેણો મામો સારો Na maamo karta kaheno maamosaaro (Gujarati) o Literal: Having an uncle with one eye is betterthan having no uncle.o English equivalent: Something is better thannothing.

• Nirai kudam Neerthalumbathu! (Thamizh/Tamil) o Literal:Experts Dont Advertise themselves!o English equivalent: Emptyvessel makes the greatest sound.o Malayalam equivalent: NirakudamThulumbilla

• Nai na dekhunu langalA (Oriya) o Literal: Getting ready tobathe even before seeing the rivero Translation: This is to referto undue haste in anticipation of a future event.

• NaanA Muni NaanA mata (Oriya) o Literal: Different sages havedifferent opinions.o English equivalent: Doctors Differ.o Sanskritequivalent: Munde munde matir-bhinnaha|

• Nanhe se woh nanhe rahe jese nani dub, ghas fis sabh udh gayadub dub ki khun (Hindi) o Literal: Strong winds may blow the treedown, but the grass will still stando Translation: It's better tobe small than big.o English equivalent: The taller you are, theharder you fall.

O• Odi Odi maruLAda kUchu bhaTTa (Kannada)

o (The fellow became stupid by reading and reading).o All workand no play makes Jack a dull boy.

• ollada ganDanige mosaralli kallu (Kannada) o (The disagreeablehusband finds stones in curds).o Faults are thick when the love isthin. The wife who is loved by her husband is

complimented for her cooking. When faults are found which areclearly untrue the marriage is truly on the rocks.

• Onnil Aashan de nenjath, alle Kallarik purath (Malayalam) o(During the traditional Kerala Martial arts practice, the traineeis either flinging himself at

the chest of the instructor or landing outside the arenaoDabbling in extremes is not helpful

• Oont ke Muh mein Jeera. (Hindi) o Literal: A (small) cuminseed in a camel's mouth.o Translation: Too small an amount for avery large need.o Malayalam equivalent: Aana Vayil Ambazhanga (asmall fruit in an elephant's mouth).

• Omtea Kolshear udok (Konkani) o Translation: Poring water withpot upside downo Meaning: Poring water with pot upside down resultsin no water going in the pot, i.e. the

entire work is wasted

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PPalam Kadakkuvolam "Narayana Narayana" Palam Kadannal "KorayanaKorayana" (Malayalam) Praise the God upto gain, then after ....

• पादाला पावटयाचे िनिमत.(Marathi)

Literally—chronic farter blames the beans—lazy man finds an easyexcuse.

Pala Tulli Peru Vellam (Malayalam) --Unity is Strength

Pinnem Chankaran Thengel (Malayalam) Still repeating the sametype of mistakes

• Pratyakshya ko praman ki aavashykta nahi (Hindi)/ Hath kanganko aarsee kya (Hindi/Urdu) o Translation: Facts don't require proofto stand correct/ You do not require a mirror to see

the braceleto Things that are visible do not need proof fortheir existence

• pakkinti pulla koora ruchi (Telugu) o translation: theneighbour's curry even if sour is tastyo interpretaton: things thatare not ours always appear worth-possessing

• pApi samudra hokkrU moLakAludda nIru (Kannada) o (If a sinnerenters the ocean the water only comes up to the knee).o This issaid of those unlucky fellows for whom nothing goes well.

• Pattikku muzhuvan thenga kittiyathu pole (Malayalam) o (Like adog that gets a whole coconut.)o Used in the event of someonegetting something that they cannot use.

• Papi chellunnidam paathaalam (Malayalam) o (It's a hellwherever a sinner goes)o Said of those who seem to have all the badluck.

• Pen chollu kettavanu peruvazhi aadhaaram (Malayalam) o (He wholistens to a woman will end up on the main street--that is, he willbe reduced to

begging in the street)o Said to any man who is so enamoured of awoman that he does not bother to use his own

judgement, but blindly agrees to her wishes.

• poriginti pulla kurra ruchi(telugu) o the fields on the otherside look greener

• pagole kina bole, chagole kina khay(Bengali) o no one canpredict behaviours of a mad man.

• Phoolon ki ruth haiThandi hawayenAb unki marziAaen na aaen(Hyderabadi sher)

R• rAmeshwarakke hOdaru shanIshwarana kATa tappalilla.(Kannada)• Raameswaram vellina shaneeswaram tappaledu. (Telugu)

o (Even after going to Rameshvaram (a holy place) the torture ofSaturn (god of bad luck) did not stop.)

o This is said of people whose bad luck does not go awaywhatever they do. Saturn is considered a bad sign in astrologybringing bad luck. A visit to holy places often counters the effectexcept for those unfortunate souls referred to in this proverb.

• Raatra thodee, songe faar. (Marathi) रात थोडी सोगे फार o (Toomany things to do in too short a time.)

• rOgi bayasiddu hAlu anna vaidya hELiddu hAlu anna. (Kannada) o(The patient wanted rice with milk and the doctor prescribed ricewith milk).o This is what you say when things turn out fine undercirc*mstances expected to be harsh.

A meal of rice with milk is a euphemism for getting what onewants.

• Rogi ichichathum pAlu, vaidyan kalpichathum pAlu (Malayalam) o(The patient wanted milk and the doctor prescribed milk).o This iswhat you say when things turn out fine under circ*mstances expectedto be harsh.

S

• सर सलामत, तो पगडी हजार(Hindi) .. Sar Salamat, to Pagdi hazaaro (Literal) If your head is intact, you can have a thousandturbans.

Meaning, in troubled times, save your head first, yourpossessions should not be your priority. You can buy worldy thingsanytime later.

• सौ सोनार की, एक लोहार की (Hindi) Sau sunar ki, ek lauhar ki o(A single blow of a blacksmith is equal to a hundred blows of agoldsmith)o Generally used to demonstrate the power of a strongperson to a weak one.

The power in one blow of hammer used by blacksmith equalshundred blows of hammer used by goldsmith.

• सौ चूहे खाकर िबलली हज को चली (Hindi) Sau choohey khakar billihajj ko chali o (Feasting on hundreds of mice the cat embarks on apilgrimage)o A remark for a person who tries to veil his/hershameful - and in most cases deliberate acts

- by trying to do righteous deeds in order to improve his/herimage in the sight of the world.

o An attempt to apparently undo detestable acts committed by aperson.

• Saddi na bulai, main laaddhe di tai (Punjabi) o (I need noinvitation, I am aunt of the bridegroom)(She was not invited, butcame, calling

herself as aunt of bridegroom)o Appearing at a party with fullenthusiaim but without an invitation.

• Sawan ke andhe ko sab hara hi hara nazar aata hai. (Hindi) oOne who goes blind in spring, sees only greenery all around

Used for people who fail to see reality, especially direcirc*mstances when they have lived through prosperous times.

• "Sweet are the sounds of the flute and the lute," say thosewho have not heard the prattle of their own children.

o The Tirukural by Saint Tiruvalluvar (translation)

• sAvira suLLu heLi onDu maDuve mAdu (Kannada) o (Utter athousand lies and perform a wedding).o A little deceit in theperformance of good deeds is forgivable. Arranging a weddingwas

considered a good deed worthy of praise in India. An old maidwas a source of stigma for the family and one who came to therescue by whatever means was considered a savior.

• samsAra guTTu; vyAdhi raTTu (Kannada) o (Family matters shouldbe kept secret; a disease should be brought to the open).o This isin a society where insurance companies are not watching. The reasonto reveal

ailments is with a hope that a cure may be found in the process.Laundering the dirty linen in public serves no purpose however.

• sankaTa bandAga venkaTaramana (Kannada) o (Seeking God when insorrow).o This is said of those who have no true faith or beliefbut seek God's help only when

calamity strikes.

• shiva pUje madhye karaDi biTTa hAge (Kannada) o (Like bringinga bear in the middle of a pUja).o This is said when bungling idiotsintrude when they should not. NOTE: It was brought to

my attention that the original version of the proverb is asfollows:

• shiva pUje madhye karaDige biTTa hAge (Kannada) o Lingayatswear a string around their body that has a small Linga, calledKaraDige, tied to

it. The gAde says that the Shiva Puje cannot go on if you forgetthe karadige, not withstanding all else you may have done inpreparation. Over a period of time, the KaraDige has becomeKaraDi.

TThala Irikkumbol, Valu-attaruthu (Malayalam) When Head (elders)are present, tail should not wag (let them decide)

Thala marannu enna thekaruthu. (Malayalam)

• (Don't forget the head when applying oil to your body)• Shouldalways remember the things (favour done to us) in priority• Don'tforget the past

• To the mediocre, mediocrity appears great (Translation)• Towatch us dance is to hear our hearts speak (Translation)

• tumbida koDa tuLukuvudilla. (Kannada)/ Adh jal gagri chalkatjaye.(Hindi) o (The pot which is full does not splash).o This issaid to contrast the unassuming good guys against the shallowshow-offs. Or also,

silence is an attribute of the wise.

• Tumhara pyar pyar, mera pyar chakkar (Hindi) o (Your love istrue love, my love is an affair)o When a person considers his causegreater than another person's cause

• तेल गेले, तुप गेले, हाती आले धुपाटिे (tel gele toop gele,haati aale dhupaatane)(Marathi) o (Literal)Lost oil, lost butter,only left with two sided bowl.

Y

U• unDeyEnO gunDA endare munDAsu mUvattu moLa anda.(Kannada)

o (When asked “Did you eat, Gunda?” he said “the turban isthirty feet long).o This is said of people who do not get what isasked of them and go round in circles.

• unDU hOda, konDU hOda (Kannada) o (He ate and took some too).oThis is said of a guy who snatches the hand if a finger isoffered.o Given an inch, one takes a mile.

• UrigobbaLu padmAvati (Kannada) o (only one beauty for thevillage).o This is a put down of leaders of mediocre groups.

• Unda ele etto gunda andre, undavaru eshtu anda

V• Vaadi Prati Aayi (Malayalam)

o Literal: plaintif became the culprit• Vaidyan kalpichathumroogi itchichedum paal (Malayalam)

o Literal: What doctor prescribed and what patient wanted weresame• Vaidyan Oothi Oothi Pilla Keninju Keniju (Malayalam)

o Literal: Doctor tried all the medicine, still no result on thekid.• वासरात लंगडी गाय शहािी (vasarat langadi gaayshahani)(Marathi)/ Andhon main kana raja

(Hindi) o Literal: Amongst calves handicapped cow is wiseoTranslation: In the land of the the blind, a one-eyed man is theking

• िवनाशकाल े िवपिरत बुधदी (Vinashkale Vipareet Buddhi)(Sanskrit) o Translation: When doomsday comes, one takes wrongdecisions

W• When you were born you cried and the world rejoiced. Liveyour life in such a way that when you

die, the world will cry and you will rejoice. (Kabir Das)

Jab hum paida huye jag hanse hum roye. Aisi karani kar chalo humhanse jag roye.

• When u remember the best days of your life, You will remeberthe day when u gave love to someone special.

Z

• jhajha hath raLiyamaNa ઝાઝા હાથ રિિયામણા(Gujarati) o Unity isstrength.o More the merrier

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Hindi (Indian)Proverbshttp://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Indian_proverbsABCDEGHIJKLMNOPRSTYUVWZ