Malayalam proverbs A • •
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Aana Vayil Ambazhanga. ആആ ആആആആആആ ആആആആആആആആആ. o Literal:a small fruit in an elephant's mouth. o Translation: Too small an amount for a very large need. English equivalent : Ariyethra? Payar anjaazhi. ആആആആആആആആ? ആആആആ ആആആആആആആ. o Literal :How much rice you have? I have enough beans. o Translation: Getting wrong answer for a question asked English equivalent: Answer to the point Ariyaatha pillakku choriyumbol ariyum. ആആആആആആആആ ആആആആആആആആആ ആആആആആആആആആആആആആആ ആആആആആആ. o Literal:The ignorant child learns when it itches. o Translation: If people don't realise the magnitude of a problem, they shall do so the hard way; as it hits them. (gist) English equivalent: Aanakaaryam Pareyumbol Aano Chenakkaryam? ആആആആആആആആആആ ആആആആആആആആആആആ ആആആആ ആആആആആആആആആആആ? o Literal: When you are discussing about elephant don't talk about yam matters. o Translation: Do not bring up small issues during major problems. English equivalent: Araante ammakku pranthu pitichaal kaanaan nalla chellu. ആആആആആആആ ആആആആആആആആ ആആആആആആആആ ആആആആആആആആആആ ആആആആആആ ആആആആ ആആആആ. o Literal: If somebody's mother goes mad, it is a good scene to watch. o Translation: It is always enjoyable to make fun of others tragedy till it actually hits you. English equivalent: Aadariyunnuvo angadi vaanibham. ആആആആആആആആആ ആആആആആആആ ആആആആആആ? o Literal: Does the goat understand the butcher market trade Aadukidannaduthu pooda polum illa. o Literal: An action has been done without leaving an evidence. Aarku badha koodiyalum kozhikku kidakkaporuthi illa. o Literal: No matter who ever is possesed,the chicken is the one who suffers. o Translation: Arukkum munpu pidakkalle. o Literal: Don't wiggle before u're slaugtered. o Translation: Keep Patience.
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Brahmavinaano aayusenu pancham? o literal translation:Does God have limitation of age?
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Chakkinu Vechatu Kokkinu Kondu. o Trap made for some one, but got trapped someone else o Bengali equivalent: ആആആആആ ആആആആ ആആആആആ ആആആ, ആആആആ ആആആആആ ആആആ। English equivalent :
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Chakkikotha Chankaran. o Made for each other. o Bengali equivalent: ആ)ആആആആആആആആ;ആ)ആആആആ ആആആആആആ ആആആആആ ആആആആ । English equivalent :
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chemmeen chadiyal muttolam, pinnem chadiyal chattiyolam. o chakkinu vechathu kokkinu kondu means in a delama
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D Chaghati Nannayal Kannadi Venda If you have a good friend You don't need a mirror
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Eliye pedichu illam chudaruthu.
Literal translation : Fearing a rat don't burn your house. • o •
English equivalent : Don't overreact.
Ezhavan Eechaku Thulyam - It shows the bad habits .In past days Svarna kept Ezhava from many feets.
G Gathikettal puli pullum thinnum Literal: Even a tiger will eat grass in extreme conditions
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Ikkare nilkumbol akkare pacha o The other side of the river is greener. o For example:- When you are doing a work you feel it is very hard and the other works are very easy. English equivalent : The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence
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Ikyamathyam mahabalam. o Literal: Unity is strength. English equivalent :
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'Kaakka kulichaal kokku aakummow:? o If crow baths, will it become a crane (trans) English equivalent :
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kupayil kalanjalum, alannu kalayanam.
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കപയില കളഞാലം, അളന കളയണം. • o
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Even waste should be measured and discarded. (translation) English equivalent :
Kurangande kayil poomala. o (It is like giving a garland to a monkey). Kurangu kaiyile poo malai (Tamil o
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Kakkakkum than kunju pon kunju. o Literal: Even for a crow, its own baby is a treasure o Translation: Own creations will be invaluable, even though it may not be so for others. English equivalent : Kurakkunna Patti Kadikkilla. o Barking Dog Seldome Bite. English equivalent : Kattullapole Thoottan patoo.
kurangande kayyill poomala kittiyathu pole. monkey got a garmond and he destroys it. if we got any chance we will think it is not good
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Muttethe Mullakku Manamilla. മറെത മലലക മണമിലല.
Literal meaning: The jasmine shrub in your front yard has no fragrance. •
We seldom recognise the value of people near to you** English equivalent : Familiarity breeds contempt. Moothavarude vaakum muthu nellikayum aadhyam kaykum, pinne madhurikkum. o Obey what the elders tell you, at first they may sound sour, later it will be sweet. (trans) o
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The original proverb in old Malayalam is thus: *Moothavar chollum muthu nellikka; aadhyam kaykkum pinne madhurikkum. • o
An elders advice is like gooseberries; at first sour then sweet. (trans) English equivalent :
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Mookilla Rajyathu Murimookkan Rajavu. o (In the land of people with no nose, the half-nosed man is King) o Similar to "In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king". Or "Among illiterate people, a half-literate is a scholar." English equivalent : In the land of the blind, the one-eyed is the king.
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Minnunnathellaam ponnalla. o
English equivalent :All that glitters is not gold.
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Maththa kuthiya kumbalam mulakimo. o You cant reap a cucumber if you sow a pumpkin. English equivalent :As u sow so u reap
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Mulla poompodi eetu kidakkum kallinum undaam saurabhyam. o Our behaviour also depends on the company that we have English equivalent :
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Nadukadalil chennalum naaya nakkiye kudikku. o Even if you take a dog to the middle of the ocean, a dog will only lap water, not drink it. You do what you are, hence you are what you do. (English equivalent). English equivalent : Nallathe ariyo nayike. o Literal: What does a dog know about the good things. o Translation: Someone who can't understand can't appreciate. o English equivalent: Laying pearls before swine. English equivalent : Nanam illathavante aasanathil aalu kilichaal athu avanu oru thanal aayirikyum. o If a peepal tree grows out of a shameless man's butt, it will be a shade for him. Shameless people are not bothered by anything, however unsightly and offensive. (English equivalent). English equivalent :
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Odunna pattikku oru muzham munpe o throw a stone ahead of a running dog to hit it Onam vannaalum Unni pirannaalum korante kumbilil kanji thanne. o Be it Onam, be it the birth of a child, the layman gets served his gruel in a tiny container. (trans) Whatever be the occasion, there is no advantage for poor people. Poor people remain poor. (Gist) Onnukil Aashante nenjath, allenkil Kallarikku purath. (Malayalam) o (During the traditional Kerala Martial arts practice, the trainee is either flinging himself at the chest of the instructor or landing outside the arena o Dabbling in extremes is not helpful Othu pidichal malayum porum, Othillenkil Malannu Veezhum.
Literal meaning: With combined effort, even a mountain can be moved. With differences, you would fall flat. •
United we stand. Divided we fall. (English equivalent) Orumayundenkil Ulakkamelum kidakkam. o
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Paashaanatthil krimi. o Worm of the poison (so used to address someone inimically, saying this person can survive in poison so is very poisonous himself) Palam Kadakkuvolam "Narayana Narayana" Palam Kadannal "Korayana Korayana". o Praise the somebody upto gain, then afterdisregard him. Pinnem Chankaran Thengel. o Still repeating the same type of mistakes. Pattikku muzhuvan thenga kittiyathu pole. o (Like a dog that gets a whole coconut.) o Used in the event of someone getting something that they cannot use.
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Papi chellunnidam paathaalam. sinner goes to hell o (It's a hell wherever a sinner goes) o Said of those who seem to have all the bad luck.
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Pen chollu kettavanu peruvazhi aadhaaram. o (He who listens to a woman will end up on the street--that is, he will be reduced to begging in the street.) o Said to any man who is so enamoured of a woman that he does not bother to use his own judgement, but blindly agrees to her wishes.
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Payyethinnal panayum thinnam. o Eat slowly, you can eat even a palm. (trans) take your time, you can complete anything. Pala thulli peru vellam. o Many drops of water make a large water body English equivalent : Little drops of water makes the mighty ocean. Poathinoadu vedham oadheettu karyam illa.
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Pen budhi pin budhi
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Swantham pallu kuthi natikaruthu dont show our personal status
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Pazham chollil pathirilla o Old sayings contain no hollow grains Proverbs were made with high wisdom Puthan Achi Pura Puram Thukkum"
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Rogi ichichathum palu, vaidyan kalpichathum palu. o (The patient wanted milk and the doctor prescribed milk). o This is what you say when things turn out fine under circumstances expected to be harsh.
S sampathu kaalathu thai pathu nattal apathu kalathu kay pathu thinnaam!
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Thanikku thaanum, purakku thoonum. o In need you will have help from your side only as if a pillar is helpful for a shaking home. o Similar to the saying that while you cries nobody will accompany but while you laugh thousands will be there with you. Thala Irikkumbol, Valu-attaruthu. o When Head (elders) are present, tail should not wag (let them decide). Thala marannu enna thekaruthu. o (Don't forget the head when applying oil to your body) o Should always remember the things (favour done to us) in priority Don't forget the past
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Undaal Ksheenam thendikkum. o "Even a beggar will get tired after having food"
It means ,even if the person is a hardworker or the one who never rests,having more food will make him tired.
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velukkaan thechathu paandaayi. o Literal: Excessive washing to get fair, may result in white splotches on the skin (i.e. leucodermia) Overdoing something will result in an unwanted consequence. Vinasha kale viparetha budhi. o When your destruction is near, your thoughts and actions will also fail you (i.e. lead you to your destruction)
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Vaadi Prati Aayi. o Literal: plaintif became the culprit Vadi Koduthe Adi Madikkuka. o Literal: Get hit by the stick you provided Vaidyan kalpichathum roogi itchichedum paal. o Literal: What doctor prescribed and what patient wanted were same o Kannada equivalent: rOgi bayasiddu haalUanna, vaidya hEliddU haalUanna. Vaidyan Oothi Oothi Pilla Keninju Keniju. By Vineeth o Literal: Doctor tried all the medicine, still no result on the kid.
W nira kudam thulumbukayilla ananyan pokuna villaku allikathum jeevikan bakshanam kayiokuka,bakshanam kayikan jeevikaruthu shooniyamaya kudam kooduthal shabtham purapeduvikum
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വിത ഗണം പത ഗണം-- വിതില പിഴചാല വിളവില പിഴകം!! o As you sow, so you reap. (trans) – If it faultered in seed, so will it in yield
contribution by Marshal: കണത പറഞാല കഞികിടിലല;ോകാങണിയോമ പിചെകാട. അതിപഴോതാളം അഹങാരമെണങില അദികിെലാനം വിളങാ ഗരതവ്ം. മതവര െചാലലും മത െനലലികായം ആദയ്ം കയം, പിെന മധരികം. ഒരതെന തെന നിനചിരനാല, വരനെതലലാം അവെനന ോതാനം. കാണം വിറും ഓണം ഉണണം.[പിനീട് കാണവം ഉണാകിലല, ഓണവം ഉണാകിലല!; ോപാോര പരം?] ചകിന െവചത െകാകിന െകാണ! ശീലിചോത, പാലിക!
Pazham Chollu a.k.a Banana Talk Whitening applied becomes white scars. (Velukkan thechathu pandayi) When talking, hear. When given, eat. (Paraymbol kelkkanam.tharumbol thinnanam) Give elephant, but not hope. (Aana koduthalum aasha kodukaruthu) If Crow bath, become crane ?? (Kaaka kulichal kokku aagumo??) If needed jackfruit on root grow. (Venamengil chakka verilum kaayikkum) Snake on fence on shoulder no put. (Veliyil kidanna paambine eduthu tholil idaruthu) Onam come or Baby born, porridge for KORAN still in leaf. (Onam vannaalum Unni pirannaalum, Koranu Kanji Kumbilil thanne) Own baby, for crow, golden baby. (Kaakkakku Than Kunju Ponkunju) Market fail Mother's back. (Angaadiyil thottathinu Ammayude purathu) Silent Cat Breaks Pot. (Mindaa Poocha Kalam Udakkum) Sand leaning man took girl. (Mannum Chaari Ninnavan Pennum Kondupoyi) Centipede if put on mattress goes to garbage. (Attaye pidichu Methayil Kidathiyaalum Athu pokum Kuppa kuzhiyil) Miser hold umbrella at midnight. (Alpan Ardha Raathriyilum koda Pidikkum) Foot wrong elephant will also fall. (Adi thettiyaal aaneyum veezhum) Friend of Eeenaampechi is TreeDog. (Eeenaampechi-kku kootu marapatti) In desert one Tree green. (Marubhumiyil oru marupacha) Sitting to moan, dog's head, coconut fell. (Moangan irunna naayudey thalayil thenga veenu) Different drop big water. (Palathulli peruvellam)
Life licked by stray dog. (Jeevitham nayanakki) Crane, how many ponds see?? (Kokkethra kulam kandirikkunnu) Don't want, don't want thinking, climbing on the head & jumping. (Venda,venda ennu vicharikkumbo thalayil keri chaadunnu) Stick gave, beating got. (Vadi koduthu adi vaangi Open the window, let the airforce come in. (Janala thurakkoo, kaatu shakthi aayi varrattae) No Grass will walk here. (Evidae Oru pullum nadakkilla) Dont spit, understanding people will suffer. (thupparuthu , thaazhae nikkunnavar anubhavikkum) Both are Hand and Arithmetic. (Randum kayyum kanakkum thannae)
gati ketta puli pulum tinnum - in bad times a tiger will eat grass too. mutatthe mullekkyu manam illa - the jasmine in your own yard has no fragrance. (my mum uses this a lot) moothorade vaaku nellikka, aadyam kayakkum pinne madhurikkyum - the words of elders are like the gooseberry: bitter at first, then sweet kaanam pona pooram ketariyano - why do you have to hear about the festival when you're going to see it youself? kaatu kozhikkendhu sankranthi - what does the wild bird in the forest know about the sankranti festival? minda poocha kalam odakkyum - it's the silent cat that breaks the pot.
