Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Proverbs
Proverbs
Don't step in the river without knowing its depth.
Look before you leap.
, ,
Half an ounce of rice, a quarter ounce pot. But look at the false pride of the
mudhaliyar.
What won't bend at five will not bend at fifty (literal)
You can't teach an old dog new tricks.
The beauty of the soul is shown in the face (literal)
Face is the index of the mind.
. .
Half a pot of rice is given as charity. But the announcing drumming is done all
night.
She who cannot dance says the stage is imperfect (literal)
A bad workman blames his tools.
If you keep hitting it, even the ammi will move. (Ammi is a large grind stone
usually not moved from its position) (literal)
Try and try till you succeed.
58
The one who does not know to cut has 58 sickles in his hand. (literal, sarcastic)
The man is more important than the tools.
He could wait for the food to be cooked, but couldn't wait for it cool down
(literal)
You waited this much, wait just a bit more.
Even if a river flows with milk, a dog can take in only one lick at a time (literal)
What one learns is limited by ones capacity to take in (understand).
[edit] C
Ciru nunalum than vayal kedum
Even the tiny frog is spoilt by its mouth (literal) - because its noise invites snakes.
Know when to keep quiet.
cLIENT IS BLIND
[edit] E
erumbu oorak kallum theyum
Even ants can wear out a rock (literal)
Persistence never fails
A picture of a vegetable can't be used in a koottu ('koottu' is a sort of stew made
with vegetables and lentils) (literal)
Bookish knowledge is no match for real experience.
[edit] I
innaa seithaarai oruththal avar naana nannayam seithu vidal
()
Make a wrong doer feel shy, by doing him a favour. (Source: Thirukkural)
If others harm you, do good unto them, so that they are shamed into realizing their
mistakes.
?
A lady who came for a condolence wouldn't cut off her thali (literal) - thali
signifies marital bond, and it is cut off only when the husband dies. A lady
attending a funeral can't become a widow herself.
The problems of a person cannot be shifted to others.
[edit] K
kudigAran pEchchu vidinjA pOchu
A drunkard's words are gone by the next dawn.
Even a crow thinks its child is golden.
Thee mustard might be small, but that doesn't remove its spicyness (literal)
o Don't measure the worth of a person by their size/shape
Make hay while the sun shines.
, ()
What is learnt is a handful of sand, while what is unknown is the size of the
world. (Source: Avvaiyar)
Packed food and words of wisdom from others don't last more than a few days.
Self-reliance lasts longer than depending on others.
You can't drink thick porridge if you want to keep your mustache clean.
Can't have your cake and eat it too.
.
I fell flat on my face, but there is no dust on my mustache (literal)
Saving face after an insult.
A turkey, seeing a peacock, imagined itself as one and started dancing opening its
horrible feathers (literal)
One should know one's position and not try to copy others blindly.
[edit] M
Mayirai katti malayai izhu - vanthal malai ponal mayir
. .
Pull a mountain by tying a hair to it. If you succeed you will get a mountain, if
you lose you will lose a hair (literal).
There is no harm in trying, especially if it is a low-hanging fruit.
If the mother-in-law breaks it, it is a mud pot. If the daughter-in-law breaks it, it is
a golden pot.
A thorn can only be removed with another thorn (literal)
Fight fire with fire; Diamond cuts Diamond.
The idol may be small, its fame is big.
o Don't judge the worth of a person by their size.
o Size does not matter.
All that glitters is not gold.
(He) uprooted a mountain to catch a mouse (literal)
(He) wastes a lot of effort to do simple jobs
There is no downward journey for those who keep trying.
[edit] N
Nirai Kudam Neer Thalumbaadhu kurai kudam Koothadum
.
Fully filled pot (a knowlegeable person) is silent. Empty vessels (idiots) make the
most noise.
Only when in the sun do you miss the shade.
The money from selling a dog doesn't bark (literal)
All money looks the same (no matter what was sold) (also known as the Moneylaunderer's Manifesto)
A dog's tail can't be straightened (literal)
It is difficult to change one's nature (similar to 'a leopard can't change its spots').
When (you) dress up as a dog, be prepared to bark (literal)
If you take on a role, be prepared to do whatever the role demands (think before
you decide).
.
For a lame horse, slippery is an excuse
A person not willing to do work will complain about anything.
[edit] P
Paambin kaal paambariyum
Only a snake will know the tracks left by another snake. (literal)
The persons involved in similar activities know each other better than others do.
The subtleties of each trade is known only to those in the trade.
Even if the tiger is hungry,it wont eat grass. (literal)
A person never loses his nature no matter how hard-pressed.
The patient will rule the world.
.
Even if your children are not helping you, the coconut that you planted will take
care of your old age.
He has gotten hold of the tamarind branch.
He has taken a strong position (in the activity he is engaged in).
,
Guardian of milk, as well as friend of the cat (literal)
Beware of those that get a commission from both parties.
[edit] S
sAdhi irundozhiya vERillai, ittAr periyOr idAdhAr izhigulathOr (Source: Avvaiyar)
,
.
There are only two castes in this world: ones that give, and ones that don't.
There are only two types of people in this world: those that share, and those that
don't.
A quarter for the berry, three quarters for the delivery (literal)
[edit] T
Thani Maram Thopu aagadhu
A single tree makes not an orchard (literal)
Unity is strength.
,
.
Even water can be held in a sieve, if you wait till it turns to ice.
()
The wounds of fire would vanish with time but the wounds caused by words
never (Source: Thiruk-kural)
Good or bad, it doesn't come from others. You are responsible for what you
get/face.
[edit] V
Ooru mechum, ulveedu patni
,
Famous person in the village but a poor family that can't feed itself.
Fame does not automatically fetch one money.
Saying 'empty hands' is foolishness. The fingers ten are the investment. (literal)
Your effort is what all you have got.
, .
Try building a home, try organizing a wedding (literal)
If you think daily life is painful, try building a home or organizing a wedding.
These activities involve bringing a lot of people together and can never be done in
a day, and hence expose a person to the complexities of project and people
management.
Even fate can be won over with brains (literal)
Don't assume that fate is final. With intelligence, even fate can be changed.
,
.
A shameless person went for a party and another useless fellow accompanied
(literal)
Never be in the company of bad person.
.
A pickaxe will never suffer from cold or fever.
A family-less person will not have to face troubles.
A silk tassle for a broom (literal)
An unfitting ornament or an attempt to show something lowly as commendable by
superficial decoration.
(?) ,
.
A deceit woman went for collection of fire wood when a bunch of agave spines
pricked her (literal)
A person who is not interested in work will blame the nature of work.
[edit] Y
Yaanaikkum Adi Sarukkum
Even elephants do slip.
Even the mighty slip at times.
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