Aatril pottalum alandhu podu

Even when throwing in the river, measure what you throw

Think before you spend your resources (or) Be just before you are generous.

Aazham paarkamal kaalai vidadhe

Don't step in the river without knowing its depth.
Look before you leap.

Aazhaakku arisi, moozhaakkup paanai, mudhaliyar varugira veeraappap paarum

, ,

Half an ounce of rice, a quarter ounce pot. But look at the false pride of the
mudhaliyar.

Ainthil Valayaathathu Aimbathil Valayaathu

What won't bend at five will not bend at fifty (literal)
You can't teach an old dog new tricks.

Agathin Azhagu Mugathil Theriyum

The beauty of the soul is shown in the face (literal)
Face is the index of the mind.

Arai koththarisi anna dhaanam. Vidiya vidiya maela thaalam.

. .
Half a pot of rice is given as charity. But the announcing drumming is done all
night.

Aadath thireyathaval medaii konal enralaam

She who cannot dance says the stage is imperfect (literal)
A bad workman blames his tools.

Adi mel adi vaithal ammium nagarum

If you keep hitting it, even the ammi will move. (Ammi is a large grind stone
usually not moved from its position) (literal)
Try and try till you succeed.

Arukka maattaadhaan kayyil 58 aruvaalam

58
The one who does not know to cut has 58 sickles in his hand. (literal, sarcastic)
The man is more important than the tools.

Aakkap porthuavanukku aarap porukkavillai'

He could wait for the food to be cooked, but couldn't wait for it cool down
(literal)
You waited this much, wait just a bit more.

Aarellaam paalaaip ponaalum naai nakkiththaan kudikkum

Even if a river flows with milk, a dog can take in only one lick at a time (literal)
What one learns is limited by ones capacity to take in (understand).

Aarina kanji pazhankanji

[edit] C
Ciru nunalum than vayal kedum

Even the tiny frog is spoilt by its mouth (literal) - because its noise invites snakes.
Know when to keep quiet.

cLIENT IS BLIND

Aadu maadu illathavan adai mazhaiku raja.

[edit] E
erumbu oorak kallum theyum

Even ants can wear out a rock (literal)
Persistence never fails

Ettuch churaikkai kuttukku uthavathu

A picture of a vegetable can't be used in a koottu ('koottu' is a sort of stew made
with vegetables and lentils) (literal)
Bookish knowledge is no match for real experience.

[edit] I
innaa seithaarai oruththal avar naana nannayam seithu vidal

()
Make a wrong doer feel shy, by doing him a favour. (Source: Thirukkural)
If others harm you, do good unto them, so that they are shamed into realizing their
mistakes.

izhavukku vanthaval thaliaruppala?

?
A lady who came for a condolence wouldn't cut off her thali (literal) - thali
signifies marital bond, and it is cut off only when the husband dies. A lady
attending a funeral can't become a widow herself.
The problems of a person cannot be shifted to others.

[edit] K
kudigAran pEchchu vidinjA pOchu

A drunkard's words are gone by the next dawn.

kAkkaikum than kunju pon kunju

Even a crow thinks its child is golden.

kadugu ciruththAlum kAram kuraiyAthu

Thee mustard might be small, but that doesn't remove its spicyness (literal)
o Don't measure the worth of a person by their size/shape

kAtrulla pOthe thootrikkol

Make hay while the sun shines.

kattradhu kai maN aLavu, kallAthathu ulagaLavu

, ()
What is learnt is a handful of sand, while what is unknown is the size of the
world. (Source: Avvaiyar)

Kattikkodutha saappaadum sollikkodutha vaarthaiyum pala naal thaangathu

Packed food and words of wisdom from others don't last more than a few days.
Self-reliance lasts longer than depending on others.

kUzhukkum Asai meesaikkum Asai

You can't drink thick porridge if you want to keep your mustache clean.
Can't have your cake and eat it too.

kuppura vizhundhAlum meesaiyil man ottavillai

.
I fell flat on my face, but there is no dust on my mustache (literal)
Saving face after an insult.

gAna mayilAdak kaNdirundha vAn kozhi, thaanum adhuvAgap pAvithu than

pollach chiRagai virithu AdumAm

A turkey, seeing a peacock, imagined itself as one and started dancing opening its
horrible feathers (literal)
One should know one's position and not try to copy others blindly.

[edit] M
Mayirai katti malayai izhu - vanthal malai ponal mayir

. .
Pull a mountain by tying a hair to it. If you succeed you will get a mountain, if
you lose you will lose a hair (literal).
There is no harm in trying, especially if it is a low-hanging fruit.

Maamiyaar udaithaal mann kudam. Marumagal udaithaal pon kudam

If the mother-in-law breaks it, it is a mud pot. If the daughter-in-law breaks it, it is
a golden pot.

Mullai Mullal thaan edukka vendum

A thorn can only be removed with another thorn (literal)
Fight fire with fire; Diamond cuts Diamond.

Moorthy chinnathaanalum keerthi periyathu

The idol may be small, its fame is big.
o Don't judge the worth of a person by their size.
o Size does not matter.

Minnuvathellam ponnu alla.

All that glitters is not gold.

Malayai kelli eliyai pidiththaanaam

(He) uprooted a mountain to catch a mouse (literal)
(He) wastes a lot of effort to do simple jobs

Muyarchi udayar igalchi adayar.

There is no downward journey for those who keep trying.

[edit] N
Nirai Kudam Neer Thalumbaadhu kurai kudam Koothadum

.
Fully filled pot (a knowlegeable person) is silent. Empty vessels (idiots) make the
most noise.

Nizhalin arumai veiyilil thaan theriyum

Only when in the sun do you miss the shade.

Naai vitra kaasu kurakkaadhu

The money from selling a dog doesn't bark (literal)
All money looks the same (no matter what was sold) (also known as the Moneylaunderer's Manifesto)

Naai vaalai nimirtha mudiyathu

A dog's tail can't be straightened (literal)
It is difficult to change one's nature (similar to 'a leopard can't change its spots').

Naai vedam pottal kuraiththuthaan aagavendum

When (you) dress up as a dog, be prepared to bark (literal)
If you take on a role, be prepared to do whatever the role demands (think before
you decide).

Nondi kuthiraikku sarukkunathu sakkam

.
For a lame horse, slippery is an excuse
A person not willing to do work will complain about anything.

[edit] P
Paambin kaal paambariyum

Only a snake will know the tracks left by another snake. (literal)
The persons involved in similar activities know each other better than others do.
The subtleties of each trade is known only to those in the trade.

Puli Pasitthalum Pullai Thinnadhu

Even if the tiger is hungry,it wont eat grass. (literal)
A person never loses his nature no matter how hard-pressed.

Poruththaar Boomi Aazhvaar

The patient will rule the world.

Petra pillai illaatiyum vacha pillai thani ootrum.

.
Even if your children are not helping you, the coconut that you planted will take
care of your old age.

pudichAlum puliam kombA pudichitAr

He has gotten hold of the tamarind branch.
He has taken a strong position (in the activity he is engaged in).

pAlukkum kAval pUnaikkum thOzhan

,
Guardian of milk, as well as friend of the cat (literal)
Beware of those that get a commission from both parties.

[edit] S
sAdhi irundozhiya vERillai, ittAr periyOr idAdhAr izhigulathOr (Source: Avvaiyar)

,
.
There are only two castes in this world: ones that give, and ones that don't.
There are only two types of people in this world: those that share, and those that
don't.

sundaikkAi kAl paNam sumaikkUli mukkAl paNam

A quarter for the berry, three quarters for the delivery (literal)

[edit] T
Thani Maram Thopu aagadhu

A single tree makes not an orchard (literal)
Unity is strength.

Thannirai kooda salladail allalam, athu panikati agum varai poruthal

,
.
Even water can be held in a sieve, if you wait till it turns to ice.

Theeyinal sutta punn ullaarum aaraathe naavinaal sutta vadu

()
The wounds of fire would vanish with time but the wounds caused by words
never (Source: Thiruk-kural)

Theedhum nandrum pirar thara vaara

Good or bad, it doesn't come from others. You are responsible for what you
get/face.

[edit] V
Ooru mechum, ulveedu patni

,
Famous person in the village but a poor family that can't feed itself.
Fame does not automatically fetch one money.

Verumkai enbathu moodathanam,un viralgal pathum mooladhanam.

Saying 'empty hands' is foolishness. The fingers ten are the investment. (literal)
Your effort is what all you have got.

Veetai kattipaar,kalyanathai senjuppar

, .
Try building a home, try organizing a wedding (literal)
If you think daily life is painful, try building a home or organizing a wedding.
These activities involve bringing a lot of people together and can never be done in
a day, and hence expose a person to the complexities of project and people
management.

Vidhiyai madhiyaal vellalaam

Even fate can be won over with brains (literal)
Don't assume that fate is final. With intelligence, even fate can be changed.

Vekkankettapayal virunthukku ponanam, kooda ooru chokkan

kuthavaikkaponanam

,
.
A shameless person went for a party and another useless fellow accompanied
(literal)
Never be in the company of bad person.

Vettaruvaalukku viraiyala, kachala.

.
A pickaxe will never suffer from cold or fever.
A family-less person will not have to face troubles.

vilakkamAtrukkup pattuk kunjalam

A silk tassle for a broom (literal)
An unfitting ornament or an attempt to show something lowly as commendable by
superficial decoration.

vitharakaLLi viRagu odikkap pOnALAm, kathAzhai muLLu kothOdu kuthittAm"

(?) ,
.
A deceit woman went for collection of fire wood when a bunch of agave spines
pricked her (literal)
A person who is not interested in work will blame the nature of work.

[edit] Y
Yaanaikkum Adi Sarukkum

Even elephants do slip.
Even the mighty slip at times.

Add fuel to the fire

All is fair in love and war
All is well that ends well
Art is long and life is short
All that glitters is not gold

All are not saints that go to church

A bird in the hand is worth is two in the bush
A stitch in time saves nine
Birds of the same feather fllock together
Bare words buy no barley
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth
Blood is thicker than water
Calm before the storm, stoop to conquer
Coming events cast their shadow before
Christmas comes but once a year
Casting pearls before swine
Count not your chickens before they are hatched
Distance lend enchantment to the view
Do not look a gifr horse in the mouth
Do unto others as you would wish to be done by others
Do as you would be done by
East or West Home is best
Every tide has its ebb
Every bird must hatch its own eggs
Fair words butter no parsnips
Familiarity breeds contempt
Faults are thick when love is thin
First deserve then desire
Good homor sometimes nods
Haste makes waste
Health is wealth
Jack of all trades is master of none
Lamb at home and a lion at chase
Look before you leap
Make the best of a bad job
Make hay while the sun shines
Man proposes, God disposes
Many a slip between cup and lip
Misfortunes never come single
Necessity knows no law
No rains, no grains
Penny wise and pound foolish
Prevention is better than cure

Rob Peter and pay Paul

The face is the index of the mind
The law maker should not be the law breaker
The mills of God grind slow but sure
Tit for tat
Too much of anything is good for nothing
Spare the rod and spoil the child
Strike while the iron is hot
Union is strength

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