ఆంధ్రలోకోక్తిచంద్రిక/Telugu proverbs/ఉ

by M. W. Carr

TELUGU PROVERBS.

294. ఈనగాచి నక్కలపాలు చేశెను.

He watched [the field] until the harvest, and then let it go to the jaokals.

295. ఈ వూరికి ఆ వూరెంతో, ఆ వూరికి యీ వూరంతే.

The distance between that village and this village is the same as that between this village and that village.

(See Nos. 1206.)

Six of one and half a dozen of the other.

296. ఈ వూళ్లో పెద్దలు యెవరంటే తాళ్లు, దాతలు యెవరంటే చాకళ్లు.

When asked who were the great (men) in the village, he said “ The Pa1myras;” when asked who were the givers (of presents), he replied “The washermen.”

A joke. The Palmyras (see No. 290) are the tallest trees, and the washermen give people back their clothes.

ఉ.

297. ఉంగరాల చేతిలో మొట్టితే, నొప్పి వుండదు.

A rap with ringed fingers will cause no pain.

A man who wears rings is generally well oil‘, and therefore pays hand some damages for injuries inflicted.

298. ఉంటే వూరు, పోతే పాడు.

If [the people] stay, it is a village; if [the people] go, it is a ruin.

299. ఉండనిస్తే పండుతుంది, వూడదీశివేస్తే, యెండుతుంది.

If you leave it alone, it will bear fruit; if you pull it up, it will wither away.

(53)

ఆంధ్రలోకోక్తిచంద్రిక.

300. ఉండి చూడు వూరు అందం, నానాటికి చూడు నా అందం.

Wait and see the beauty of the village, but examine my beauty day by day.

Said by an ugly man in a dirty village.

301. ఉండేది గట్టి, పోయినది పొట్టు.

What remains is solid, what has gone is empty husk.

(See No. 1588.)

302. ఉండేవెల్లా వుండగా, వుపాధ్యాయుల భార్యకు దడిబియ్యము.

[To perform the ceremony of] Dadi Biyyam to the priest’s wife when there are many other things to be done.

Dadi Biyyam is a ceremony performed before the consummation of marriage.

Going out of your way to do something for others, and neglecting much that you have to do of your own.

303. ఉండ్రాళ్లు పిండివంటా కాదు, వూద ధాన్యమూ కాదు.

Ganésa’s rice-balls are not cakes, Uda is not grain.

Uda is the Panicum Flavidum.

304. ఉట్టికి యెక్క లేనమ్మ స్వర్గానకు యెక్కునా.

Will the lady who cannot get up into the sling get up into heaven ?

(See Nos. 486, 2021. )

Utti is a net work sling hung up in Hindu houses at a height of seven or eight feet, to keep earthen pots containing food in.

He that can’t ride a gentle horse, must not attempt to back a mad call.

(54)

TELUGU PROVERBS.

305. ఉడకకే వుడకకే వో వుల్లిగడ్ద, నీవెంత వుడికినా నీ కంపుపోదు.

Don’t boil, don’t boil, 0 garlick! However much you boil, your smell will not go.

Said to an envious person, who is said to burn inwardly.

306. ఉడకవే కూడా వుగాది దాకా అంటే, నాకేమి పనిలేదు యేరువాకదాకా అన్నాడట.

[The host said] “Boil, boil away, O food, until new year’s day!” [the guest added] “My business will not take me away until the ploughing-season.”

(See No. 387.)

During the Pongal feast in January a stingy man tried by a broad hint to avoid giving a visitor food, but the latter was not to be done out of his dinner. The Telugu New year’s day falls in April, and cultivation commences in July.

Eat and welcome; fast and heartily welcome.

Let the guest go before the storm bursts. (German)^[1]

307. ఉడతకు వుడతా భక్తి.

A squirrel performs a squirrel’s service.

The squirrels are said to have assisted Rdma in building the bridge at Ramésvaram by dipping themselves into the Water and then rolling in and, which they brought for the mortar.

Willingly doing what one can.

308. ఉడతకేలరా వూళ్లో పెత్తనము.

What has the squirrel to do with the management of the village ?

(See Nos. 782, 1338,1360, 1363, 1498.)

Presumptuous interference. Impertinent meddling.

(55)

ఆంధ్రలోకోక్తిచంద్రిక.

309. ఉడుముకు రెండు నాలికలు.

The Guana has two tongues.

Said of a man that breaks his word.

" A sinner that hath a double tongue." Ecclesiasticus vi. l.

310. ఉడుమును చంక పెట్టుకొని వూళ్లో ప్రవేశించినట్టు.

Going into a village with a guana in one’s arms.

(See No. 1459.)

Eccentric conduct.

311. ఉడుము పోయినా చెయ్యి వేస్తే చాలును.

Never mind if I lose the guana, if I get my hand out it’s enough.

(See No. 1305.)

Said by a man whose hand had been caught by a guana in a hole.

Catching a Tartar.

312. ఉత్తచెవికన్నా తాటాకుచెవి మేలు.

An ear with a palmyra leaf in it is better than a bare ear.

(See Nos. 314, 1905.)

Half a loaf is better than no bread.

313. ఉత్త చేతులు మూర వేశినట్టు.

Like measuring the air.

(See No. 65.)

Idle dreams.

314. ఉత్తముండకన్నా అత్తముండ మేలు.

A wretch of a mother-in-law is better than a strange slut.

(See Nos. 312, 1906.)

A bad bush is better than the open field.

Better a lean jade than an empty halter.

(56)

TELUGU PROVERBS.

315. ఉత్తర కుమార ప్రజ్ఞలు.

The boastings of Uttara Kumfira.

(See No. 547.)

Uttara, the son of king Virata, volunteered to attack the Kurus, but his courage failed him and he turned tail at the sight of the enemy (see Virataparva of the MnhAbhArata)

Bragging. Bombast.

316. ఉత్తర చూచి యెత్తర గంప.

Take up your basket [of seed] when you see [the sun in] Uttara.

Uttara is one of the twenty-seven lunar mansions. When the sun is in Uttara there is invariably rain, and seed is then sown.

Make hay while the sun shines.

Know your opportunity. (Latin.)^[2]

317. ఉత్తర వురిమి కురిశినా, పాము తరిమి కరిచినా తిరగదు.

If there be rain with thunder when the sun is in Uttara, there will be no drought; if a snake pursues and bites you, the bite will be fatal.

(For Uttara see No. 316.)

318. ఉద్యోగం పురుషలక్షణం, అది పోతే అవలక్షణం.

Employment makes the man; he is a luckless fellow if he lose it.

319. ఉద్యోగం పురుషలక్షణం అన్నాడు, గొడ్డలితేరా నిట్రాడు నరుకుదాము.

They say “endeavour makes the man,” so bring an axe, and let us out down the centre post.

(See Nos. 1387, 1388, 1389.)

(57)

ఆంధ్రలోకోక్తిచంద్రిక.

320. ఉన్నమాట అంటే, వులికేసుకొని వస్తున్నది.

A man starts with anger when the truth is told of him.

It is truth that makes a man angry. (Italian)^[3]

321. ఉన్నమాట చెప్పితే, వూరు అచ్చి రాదు.

If a man speaks the truth he will find the village too hot for him.

(See No. 1215. )

Truth produces hatred. (Latin)^[4]

322. ఉన్నవాడు వూరికి పెద్ద, చచ్చినవాడు కాఅటికి పెద్ద.

He that is alive is the head man of the village, and he that is dead is the head man of the burial ground.

A taunt used to one who tries to make out that he is very highly connected.

323. ఉపకారముకు పోతే అపకారము వెంటనే వచ్చినది.

Immediately after doing good, I received an ill return.

Base ingrntitude.

324. ఉపాధ్యాయులవారూ, ఉక్తం ఉక్తం.

O teacher, uktam! uktam !

Said by a school-boy when he saw a board about to fall on his master's head. He had been taught to render the Sanscrit word Uktam by Palaka baddadi (“it was said”). These words also signify “ the board has fallen," which the boy took to be the correct meaning of the Sanscrit word.

(58)

TELUGU PROVERBS.

325. ఉపాధ్యాయులు యేమి చేస్తున్నాడంటే, అబద్ధాలు వ్రాసి దిద్దుకొంటున్నాడు అన్నాడట.

When asked what the school master was doing, one replied “he is correcting the mistakes he has made.”

A bad workman.

326. ఉపాయము యెరగనివాణ్ని వూళ్లో వుండనివ్వకూడదు.

A witless fellow should not be allowed to remain in the village.

327. ఉప్పు తిన్నవాడు నీళ్లు తాగుతాడు.

The man that has eaten salt drinks water.

(See No. 1062.)

328. ఉప్పువాడూ చెడె, పప్పువాడూ చెడె, తమలపాకులవాడు తమాం చెడె.

The salt seller is ruined, the pulse vendor is ruined, and the betel seller is entirely ruined.

329. ఉభయపవిత్రాలూ తిని వుద్ధరిణెడు నీళ్లూ తాగి వూహూ అంటావా వుత్తమాశ్వమా.

Dost thou neigh after eating two grass rings and a tea spoonful of water, O excellent steed ?

Said by a poor Brahman priet to his miserable pony which he had only fed with two rings (made of sacred grass and worn on his ring fingers), and had given him water out of the small spoon used in sipping water in ceremonies.

Giving little pay and expecting much work to be done.

330. ఉభయ భ్రష్టత్వం, వుప్పర సన్న్యాసిత్వం.

Ruined in both ways like a well-digger who turns Sanyasi.

He is neither employed in his old trade nor supported in his new character.

(59)

ఆంధ్రలోకోక్తిచంద్రిక.

331. ఉమ్మడిగొర్రె పుచ్చి చచ్చినది.

The sheep which was the joint property of two persons, was deserted and died.

(See No. less.)

The ass of many owners is eaten by wolves. (spanish.)^[5]

Between two stools fall to the bottom.

332. ఉయ్యాలలో పిల్లను వుంచి వూరెల్లా వెతికినట్టు.

Putting a child in a cradle and looking for it all over the village.

He looks for his ass and sits on its back. (French.)^[6]

333. ఉరుకు వురుకుమనే నా సవతేకాని, తోడు వురికే నా సవతి యొకతెయున్నూ లేదు.

All these wretched women say to me “run, run” [on to the pile], but not one comes with me.

Said by a widow when pressed to become Sati.

334. ఉల్లి పది తల్లుల పెట్టు.

Garlick is as good as ten mothers.

(See No. 345.)

335. ఉల్లిపాయంత బలిజవుంటే, వూరంతా చెరుస్తాడు.

If there be a Balija man as small as a clove of garlick, he will ruin the whole village.

(See No. 1748.)

Balija is a caste among Telugu and Canarese Sudras.

One scabbed sheep will mar a whole flock.

One ill weed mars a whole pot of pottage.

(60)

TELUGU PROVERBS.

336. ఉల్లి ముట్టనిదీ వాసనరాదు.

Unless you had touched the garlick [your fingers] would not have smelt.

(See No. 143)

If you had not meddled with a bad business you would not have got a bad name.

He who touches pitch defiles himself. (Italian)^[7]

337. ఉల్లి వుంటే మల్లి వంటలక్కే.

When there are onions Malli is a fine cook.

Onions make up for bad cooking.

338. ఉసురు వుంటే వుప్పు అమ్ముకొని బ్రతకవచ్చును.

If you preserve your life, you can at least live by selling salt.

Used as an argument not to risk life for the sake of gain.

339. ఉస్తెకాయ వూరనెంత, నంజ పెట్టనెంత.

How long does it take to salt an Ustekaya? How much is there of it to put on a dish?

(See No. 1417. )

Ustekdya (Solanum Trilobatum) is a small fruit.

Applied to something very insignificant.

ఊ

340. ఊడుగ విత్తనము వంటివాడు.

He is like an Uduga seed.

The seed of the Uduga ( Alangium Decapetalum) after falling from the tree, is said to attach itself again to the trunk when the rain falls.

To stick to a man like a leech in spite of all rebuffs.

(61)

1. Lass den Gast ziehen eh das Gewitter ansbrlcht.
2. Nosce tempus.
3. Del vero s'adira l'uomo.
4. Veritas odium parit.
5. Asno de muchos, lobos le comen.
6. Il cherche son âne et il est monté doesus.
7. Chi tocca la pece, s'imbratta.