Page:A classified collection of Tamil proverbs (IA classifiedcollec00jensiala).pdf/60

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TAMIL PROVERBS.
  1. பறைச்சேரி மேளம் கலியாணத்துக்கும் கொட்டும், கல் எடுப்புக்கும் கொட்டும்.
    A Paria drum is beaten at weddings, and also beaten at funerals.
    Said of a double-dealing unreliable person, who is as ready for good as for evil. 181
    "A conscience as large as a shipman's hose."
  2. பாம்புக்குத் தலைகாட்டி, மீனுக்கு வாலைக் காட்டுகிறது.
    Showing his head to snakes, and his tail to fish.
    If among wicked people, he will speak and act as they do; if among good people, he will try to appear good. 180
  3. பார்த்தால் பூனை, பாய்ந்தால் புலி.
    If you look at him he is a cat, if he springs he is a tiger.
    Demure wickedness. 278.
  4. மனதிலே ஒன்று, வாக்கிலே ஒன்று.
    One thing in his heart, another thing in his words.
    "All are not friends that speak one fair."
  5. மைலங்கி மைலங்கி பூ எங்கே வைத்தாய்? வாடாதே, வதங்காதே அடுப்பிலே வைத்தேன்.
    O, you dissembling woman, where did you put the flowers? (She replies) In order that they should not shrivel and fade put them in the fire-place.
    Deceitful excuses. Said for instance to a girl who feigns inability to fetch water from the well, but after escaping her duty, goes and plays, and while playing exerts herself far more than she would have needed to do to bring the pot of water.
  6. ருத்திராக்ஷப் பூனை உபதேசம் பண்ணினதுபோல.
    Like a cat putting on a rosary and teaching religion.
    Said of a religious teacher who makes his religion a cloak for sin.
    "Beads about the neck and the devil in the heart" "They are not all saints that use holy water"
  7. விசுவாசக் கொக்கு நடமாடிச் செத்ததாம்.
    It is said, that a pious crane died from wandering about.
    Said in derision of the excellent professions of a false friend.
  8. வித்தைக் கள்ளி மாமியார் விறகு ஒடிக்கப்போனாளாம், கல்தாழை முள்ளு கொத்தோட தைத்ததாம்.
    The cunning mother-in-law went to gather firewood, and it seems she was pricked by the thorns of an aloe!
    The aloe mentioned has no thorns, so her excuses for not bringing the wood were not believed. Said of a person who makes excuses that are not plausible.
  9. வெட்டிப்போட்டுக் கட்டிக்கொண்டு அழுகிறது.
    To strike a person down and then embrace him and weep over him. 249.