ProverbPedia

“Malayalam Proverb:
വരമ്പെടുക്ക, വല്ലികൊടുക്ക, വഴിതിരിക്ക, വളംകൂട്ടുക”
— English Translation:
Build up the bund, pay the farmhands' wages, channel the irrigation, and enrich the manure. (The foundational rules of agriculture; systematic attention to every stage of husbandry guarantees a rich harvest.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
വരവരെ മാമിയാർ കഴുതപോലെ”
— English Translation:
As the years went by, the mother-in-law turned into a beast of burden. (The gradual erosion of authority; declining from a commanding matriarch into a worn-out, taken-for-granted domestic worker.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
വരവുചെലവറിയാതെ മാടമ്പിചമഞ്ഞാൽ ഇരുളുവെളിവില്ലാതെ വഴിയിൽകിടക്കാം”
— English Translation:
Posing as a grand lord without balancing income and expenses leaves you stranded on the highway in pitch darkness. (Living beyond one's means without budgeting leads inevitably to bankruptcy, disgrace, and destitution.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
വരെക്കാൻവരച്ചു കരിച്ചതൊ എങ്ങനെ”
— English Translation:
Scored the fish for frying, but how did it end up charred to a cinder? (Meticulous initial preparation ruined by clumsy, negligent handling at the crucial finish.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
വരാനുള്ളതു വഴിയിൽതങ്ങുമൊ”
— English Translation:
Will that which is destined to arrive ever get held up on the road? (What is fated cannot be stopped; destined events and consequences will reach you without fail.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
വരുംവിധി വനത്തിലിരുന്നാലുംവരും”
— English Translation:
Ordained fate will seek you out even if you sit deep within the forest. (No retreat, fortress, or hiding place on earth can shield you from your destined lot.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
വറുത്താൽ കൊറിച്ചുപോകും; കണ്ടാൽ പറഞ്ഞുപോകും”
— English Translation:
If roasted it will be munched; if seen it will be spoken of. (Irresistible human instincts: enticing delicacies naturally tempt the mouth, just as scandalous sights naturally provoke gossip.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
വണ്ണത്താൻ വീട്ടിൽഇല്ലെങ്കിൽ തുണി ഉറുപ്പയിൽ വേണം”
— English Translation:
If the clothes are not at the washerman's house, they must be in the chest. (Practical accountability; essential property must be found in its proper, recognized place when not in active use.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
വറ്റോനും, വലവീതോനും, കട്ടോനും, കടംകൊണ്ടോനും ആശവിടുകയില്ല”
— English Translation:
The bankrupt, the cast-net fisherman, the thief, and the debtor never abandon hope. (Certain risky trades and desperate predicaments breed an obsessive, irrational optimism against all odds.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
വന്നവന്റെ പുരമുകൾ എടുക്കയും വരാത്തവനെ വരുത്തി കേൾക്കയുമെന്നൊ”
— English Translation:
Tearing the roof off the one who reported, while politely inviting the truant for an audience? (Gross administrative unfairness; penalizing the compliant person present while coddling the evasive absentee.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
വലിയോരുവന്നാൽ വലിപ്പിച്ചയക്കണം”
— English Translation:
When eminent guests arrive, see them off with generous and lavish honors. (Uphold high standards of hospitality; treat dignitaries and elders with the reverence and ceremony befitting their station.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
വമ്പനോടു പഴുതുനല്ലു (വഴുതുകതന്നെ)”
— English Translation:
Against an aggressive bully, slipping away through an opening is the wisest move. (Discretion is the better part of valor; avoid direct, head-on clashes with an overwhelming, arrogant adversary.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
വല്ലവൾവെച്ചാലും നല്ലവൾ വിളമ്പണം”
— English Translation:
Whoever cooked the food, let a gracious woman serve it. (Presentation and delivery matter; warmth, grace, and courteous manners elevate even ordinary fare.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
വന്നതുപോലെ പോയി”
— English Translation:
Departed just as easily as it arrived. (Easy come, easy go; gains acquired without labor or substance vanish just as swiftly as they appeared.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
വല്ലഭമുള്ളവനു പുല്ലുമായുധം”
— English Translation:
To a truly capable warrior, even a blade of grass serves as a weapon. (A master craftsman or brilliant mind can accomplish extraordinary feats using the humblest of instruments.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
വന്നാൽ വന്നതിന്റെശേഷംപോലെ”
— English Translation:
When it arrives, handle it according to what unfolds. (Cross the bridge when you come to it; do not indulge in premature anxiety, but deal with events calmly as they occur.)