ProverbPedia

“Malayalam Proverb:
മണൽകൊണ്ടു കയറുപിരിച്ചപോലെ”
— English Translation:
Like twisting a rope out of sand. (Attempting an utter impossibility; trying to fashion strength out of elements that possess no cohesion.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
മക്കൾക്കു മടിയിൽ ചവിട്ടാം, മരുമക്കൾക്കു തൊടിയിൽ (വളപ്പിൽ) ചവിട്ടിക്കൂടാ”
— English Translation:
One's own children may step upon one's lap, but nephews cannot even step into the yard. (Glaring, unfair partiality; indulging the worst transgressions of one's favorites while imposing harsh boundaries on outside kin.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
മണൽ പിരിച്ചു നൂലാക്കി”
— English Translation:
Spun loose sand into fine thread. (Accomplishing a seemingly impossible feat through extraordinary ingenuity, cunning, or magical skill.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
മക്കൾക്കും മക്കടെ മക്കൾക്കും മങ്ങയുടെ അണ്ടിക്കും രസം തീരാ”
— English Translation:
For children, grandchildren, and a sucked mango seed, the relish never ends. (The inexhaustible fondness and doting affection showered upon successive generations of family.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
മണൽ വാരാൻ അനുവാദം ചോദിക്കുമ്പോലെ”
— English Translation:
Like seeking formal permission to scoop sand from a riverbed. (Worrying unnecessarily and asking permission for something that is common, limitless, and freely available.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
മക്കളെ കൊല്ലല്ലെ”
— English Translation:
Slay not the innocent children. (An appeal to basic human conscience; never visit vengeance, retribution, or cruelty upon defenseless dependents.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
മങ്ങലിക്കു പൂളുവെക്കുന്നതുപോലെ”
— English Translation:
Like offering a small sliver of coconut to an auspicious married woman. (Offering an insulting, petty trifle where an honorable, generous tribute is warranted.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
മച്ചി അറിയുമോ ഈറ്റുനോവു”
— English Translation:
Does a barren woman understand the agony of labor pains? (Those who have never personally endured an ordeal or sacrifice cannot truly comprehend the depth of its pain.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
മടവാളിനു പാളപരിച”
— English Translation:
For a blunt billhook, an areca-sheath shield. (A comical, low-stakes confrontation; matching a clumsy weapon with an equally flimsy defense.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
ബ്രഹ്മാവു വിചാരിച്ചാൽ ആയുസ്സിനു പഞ്ഞമൊ”
— English Translation:
If Lord Brahma wills it, can there ever be a scarcity of lifespan? (When divine providence and destiny decree protection, no earthly peril can cut short your days.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
ഭോഷനോർത്തു ആമയാണെന്നു”
— English Translation:
The fool fancied it was a turtle. (Mistaking a dangerous or useless object for a prize out of sheer ignorance and gullibility.)

“”
— English Translation:
The curse of an innocent child and the curse of an aggrieved woman cannot be averted. (The heartfelt anguish and tears of the vulnerable bring inescapable moral retribution upon their tormentors.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
ഭോഷെന്റെ ലക്ഷണം പൊണ്ണത്വവാക്കു”
— English Translation:
The hallmark of a fool is bloated, empty talk. (Empty vessels make the most noise; grandiloquent boasting is the unmistakable symptom of shallow minds.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
ബ്രാഹ്മണനും പശുവിനും പത്തുദിവസം പുല”
— English Translation:
For a Brahmin and a sacred cow, ten days of ritual pollution. (A traditional ritual custom equating observances according to orthodox religious canons.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
ഭോഷരുണ്ടെങ്കിൽ പാത്രംമാറാം”
— English Translation:
As long as fools exist in the market, one can swap bad vessels for good. (Swindlers and charlatans thrive solely because there are gullible fools willing to be exploited.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
ബ്രാഹ്മണരിൽ കറുത്തവനെയും പറയരിൽ വെളുത്തവനെയും വിശ്വസിച്ചുകൂടാ”
— English Translation:
Distrust a dark-complexioned Brahmin and a fair-complexioned laborer. (An ancient, stereotypical folk prejudice cautioning against individuals whose physical appearance deviates markedly from traditional social expectations.)