ProverbPedia

“Malayalam Proverb:
പാമ്പും പഴകിയതു നന്നു”
— English Translation:
Even of venomous serpents, an old, familiar one is preferable. (Better the devil you know than the devil you don't; an accustomed danger can be anticipated and navigated safely.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
പിടിക്കുമ്പോൾഞെക്കീടാഞ്ഞാൽ ഇളക്കുമ്പോൾകടിക്കും”
— English Translation:
If you do not squeeze tight when you grasp it, it will bite when shaken. (Subdue a hazard or adversary decisively from the very outset; hesitation and a weak grip invite painful retaliation.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
പാങ്ങങ്ങും പടയിങ്ങും”
— English Translation:
Allegiance lies over there, while the battle rages over here. (A dangerous rift in loyalties; harboring sympathy for one faction while physically standing in the other camp.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
പാങ്ങർ ഒക്കെ പടിക്കലോളം”
— English Translation:
Fair-weather companions accompany you only as far as the doorstep. (Superficial friends stand with you only in safety, abandoning you the moment real danger or trial begins.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
പാഞ്ഞതിന്റെ മുട്ട പറക്കും”
— English Translation:
The egg laid by that which sprinted with speed will take to the air. (The next generation often surpasses the previous in daring, agility, and radical speed.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
പാഞ്ഞവൻ തളരും”
— English Translation:
He who bolted at a furious sprint will quickly tire. (Reckless, unsustainable bursts of effort lead to early exhaustion; endurance requires steady pacing.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
പാണനോടു പാടാൻ പറഞ്ഞപ്പോൾ പാണൻ പരിയത്തു”
— English Translation:
When the minstrel was invited to sing, he suddenly grew flustered and tongue-tied. (When an alleged professional is called upon to perform on the spot, they stumble and make awkward excuses.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
പാണന്റെ കയ്യിൽ കിട്ടിയ ശീല പോലെ”
— English Translation:
Like a scrap of fine cloth fallen into the hands of an impoverished bard. (Cherishing, hoarding, and clinging to a rare luxury until it is worn down to threads.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
പാണന്റെ നായി പോലെ”
— English Translation:
Like the wandering minstrel's dog. (Living an unsettled, nomadic existence; tramping endlessly along roads without a fixed home or steady meals.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
പഴമനസ്സുണ്ടു പഴങ്കാൽ ഓടുകയില്ല”
— English Translation:
The old spirit is still willing, but the aged legs will not run. (The mind retains its youthful ambition and drive, but the aging body can no longer keep up.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
പാണ്ടിക്കു പോകുന്ന പട്ടരോടു പുളിയൻ മാവിന്റെ ചുവട്ടിൽകൂടിയാ വഴി എന്നു പറഞ്ഞാലൊ”
— English Translation:
What if you tell the Tamil-bound traveler that his trail passes right beneath the sour mango tree? (Luring someone with the exact temptation they find irresistible; directing a person right into their known weakness.)

“”
— English Translation:
When the withered yellow jackfruit leaf falls, let not the green leaf mock. (The young should never ridicule the decline of the aged, for the exact same fate awaits them in time.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
പാദം മുങ്ങിയാൽ പാതി ചേതം”
— English Translation:
If the feet sink into the mire, half the loss is already done. (The moment you lose your footing or compromise your ground, half the advantage and safety are surrendered.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
പഴമുറത്തിനു ചാണകം”
— English Translation:
Smearing fresh cow dung over an old, worn winnowing basket. (Applying a cheap, temporary patch to keep a dilapidated tool working for a few more days.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
പാപി ചെല്ലുന്നേടം പാതാളം”
— English Translation:
Wherever the ill-fated scoundrel goes, a netherworld of doom follows. (An unlucky or corrupt presence carries trouble everywhere, turning every enterprise into a disaster.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
പഴമുറവും ചൂടി കുടിച്ചു ചാകാൻ പോകുന്നതുപോലെ”
— English Translation:
Like shielding one's head with an old winnowing basket while heading off to drown oneself in drink. (Embarking on a disgraceful, self-destructive path while making a comical, futile attempt to hide one's shame.)