. Even if the water becomes hot water, it will quench the fire.

The Basic characteristic of a substance will remain even if it undergoes certain changes. Probably an Indian is always an Indian wherever he stays in the world(some one like me!..being in American I still have all love for Tamil!) Foul water as soon as fair, will quench hot fire. . To the god as big as the mountains, one prays with a camphor in size of a mustard seed. Said in gratitude and about magnanimity of person. God who is so great blesses you even if you pray him buring a small camphor. He sees the heart not with your ability to repay. , . When a fruit becomes ripe, it would be too heavy for the branch to hold it. When the time comes, certain things which are meant to happen will happen even if you dont want it that way. Student has to leave the school when he is educated. Son has to move away from house to earn his livelihood. Daughter has to leave the house after her marriage. , . It will never decrease if it is not taken, if it is not spoken it never comes out. Knowledge is everywhere, you have to find it and use it. If you dont take effort to access others knowledge , there will be no knowledge transfer. If you dont speak your mind out and give your knowledge to others, your knowledge also remains useless. This proverb is used during finding fault with on the basis of rumor heard. The heap will not decrease if not taken out. Likewise what you said not will not reach me If there is no fire there will not be smoke.(readers input Thanks Prabulingam) Every why has a wherefore. , . The gruels will be as good as the flavor of the ingredient flour.

Simple proverb. You are as good as your upbringing. . Any place is a palace if your heart decides so. The world is as good as the way you see it. If your satisfied with your small hut, it feels like a place to live inside it. Like Krishana who thought even a handful of rice(aval) from Sudama is a worthy treat. A yood hope is better than a bad possession. Fancy may bolt bran and think it four. A black plum is as sweet as a white. , . For the world wisdom is the biggest evil, for wisdom world is the biggest evil. People in the world like to live in their own way. They wouldnt like to be advised to behave in a wise way. Thats why you see Barathiyar hated by his own community (while he lived) or people who hate police for strictly enforcing law. For wisdom the people of the world are the biggest enemy. i.e., The world and Wisdom (Guana) are opposed. ? What relationship can a washerman and a naked asetic have? Washerman lives on the money he earns from washing clothes of other people. Proverb is aimed at people who share no common interest but stay together like alliance between parties before election. Boiling milk is always deceptive. When milk boils, it raises and looks foamy and it occupies the whole container. But the actuall volume after it cools down is really less. Any sudden inflation is always deceptive like the share market.

In a nation of naked people, the one who wears a rag is considered a mad man. You must do in Rome as Rome does.. ? Would a women who came to attend a funeral throw away her Thali? Sorrow and misery could be understood only by the people who are experiencing it and at the same time you cannot expect other to empathise for your miseries. The comforters head never aches ? Would it matter if you cry rolling all over your house that the village is prospering? Rather than being jealous of people who are propsering you should try to work and and become wealthy your self. Malice drinketh its own poison. , . A child that has not seen the face of the mother and the crop which has not seen the rain would never prosper. Proverb to tell importance of rain and mother! , . Growth of the sheep is profit to the sheperd. Though it(sheep growing or becoming more chubby) is of no use to the shepherd intially he has the final laugh. The growth of the sheep/goat finally becomes profit for the shepherd (as meat or wool). Can be said to people investing in stocks. The growth of

the company is indirectly more money for them.Something your not directly involved but reap the benefits. . To cut your nose to cause a bad omen for your enemy. Said to people who will go to any extent to cause worries to people they hate. Envy shoots at others and wounds herself. Cutting off ones nose to spite one s face. , ? Would the blind horse eat lesser fodder? Would a person of lesser caliber give up his luxury? A bad horse eats as much as a good one. . Chettiar is there to tell weather this is a valid currency or not. Chettiar caste are known to be bankers of Tamil society. So if you want to know weather currency is valid or not, banker is always there to tell it. To go to the expert when there is a doubt! , . The thought of the one who grinds all the ingredients is different from the one who drinks it.

The one who produces has different thoughts from the one who consumes. Consumer wants good product where as the producer wants profit. , . Dont forsake the good in search for the ancient. It is as if the proverb is directed to me. Usually people brood over their past and forget their present. The olden age was never the present age. , . Pay 4 times to buy the friendship of a good man , pay 10 times to annul your friendship with a bad man. ? Who invited the bat offering Thamboolam? People usually for any auspicious function invite their guest by giving them a Thamboolam. Thamboolam- A plate which usually contains beetle leaves,areca nut, Kunkum, fruits. A bat comes uninvited when it sees its prey the insects. This proverb is said to people who what they are supposed to do without any invitation. . Weapon which is not polished gets rusted. A skill not put to use get wasted or a property not taken care of properly goes waste. , . When the sky opens up and rains, charity will be abundant. When it rains, the growth will be good. When growth is good it means huge profits to farmers. If huge profits means more charity. One thing leads to another. .

Even after boiling the milk hasnt spilt out of the vessel. Though the milk boiled, it did not boil over. 2573. Said of something unpleasant or shameful that has happened within a family but which the family tries to keep secret. Said of people who try to hide an open secret. . Use the small fish as bait to catch the bigger fish. Said of power hungry people who seek the patronage of powerful people by cajoling some one related to the powerful man. Throw in a sprat and catch a salmon. . Asking a cat to guard the pot of milk. Giving power to the wrong hands. To entrust the sheep to the wolf. . Drinking the juice and spitting the pulp. Said of people who befriends you when you have good time and deserts you while you are on a rough patch. He that gets, forgets ; but he that wants, thinks on. , . Only if you stretch out your hand, others can stretch out their arm. There are so many ready to take your help only you have to offer it to others. One never loses by doing a good turn. ? Would any one show the wound in their thigh while they walk? Keep your personal things to yourself , you need not exhibit your life story to any one. , . When the tounge moves , the country moves. Said of powerful and influential speakers who can change the tide of history , just with their speech. Best example would be Hitler.

 A good tongue is a good weapon Or, this phrase may mean : A tyrants breath is anothers death. No relationship will exist , if you find fault in everything(Prabhulingams Translation from comments). Explanation: Happens usually in office, people who find fault with everything(esp managers) get hated by people around them! Deem the best of every doubt, till the truth be tried out 2. Dont try to clear a dry well. Explanation: A well will be in good condition if it is yielding water. If it dried out, it will automatically in due course, ruin. Do not clean such dried well, meaning do not involve which will not give good/desired result.(Prabhulingams explanation from comments) Do not rake the gutters. Let sleeping dogs lie. 3. He will pat your head and suck your brains. Explanation: Warns about people who act so friendly to you , but the motive is to swindle or destroy you. He covers me with his icings, and bites me with his bill.

4. ? What work does a job have in a blacksmith shop? Explanation: Dog has no use going to blacksmith, it is better off going to temple or a marriage where they throw food. Said of people who dont fit in a particular organisation. Can be currently said of Susi Ganesan attempting a Shankar kind of movie no wonder product is so bad. 5. Like the Weaver bird which adviced the monkey. Explanation: tkkaa-kuruvi Weaver bird, Ploceus baya, as building hanging nests; The bird builds nest (as below) ands stays inside it when it rains. When it saw a monkey getting drenched in rain , it advised the money to start building a nest. Monkey got irritated and destroyed the birds nest. At situations its better not to keep mum than to advise people who wont hear it seriously/ At some situations its better to keep mum than advise!

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ME1IxzjgQZc/Sd4c7nIc89I/AAAAAAAAI84/xHYml7S7 -3Q/s640/Baya-Weaver-Nest.jpg Good reasons said, and ill understood, are roses thrown to hogs, and not so good. A wise man may look ridiculous in the company of fools. 6. Back bone of the any kings rule are his ministers skills. Explanation: Said by mother in laws to daughter in laws. Wife should act as ministers and mange the wealth their husbands earn. As the Friday so the Sunday : as the Sunday so the week. As the good man saith, so say we ; but as the good wife saith, so it must be 7. ? When there is virgin in the house can the bachelor get married? Explanation: When there is sister who has come of age , her brother would wait to get married till his sister gets married.Very common practice in Tamil Nadu. 8. , , Desire last for 60 days,passion for 30 days and after 90 days she looks like broomstick. Explanation: When couple get initially married the sexual desire is really high but last just for a month, after two months even the liking for each other goes down and finally after 3

months the wife will look like a broom stick(meaning all passion and enthusiasm of marriage dies down) When a couple are newly married, the first month is honeymoon or smick-smack ; the second is hither and thither ; the third is trick-thwack the fourth: The devil take them that brought thee and me together. Mother, what sort of a thing is marriage ? Daughter, it is spinning, bearing children and weeping. 9. ? Why should he have long knotted hair when he has two wives. Explanation: Two wives means quarrel always. When two wives fight with each other , if the husband gets caught in between with his long hair. He will be dragged with his hair till the fight is over. Proverb is said when you are not prepared for the disaster which you know is going to strike any time. Two women in one house, two cats and one mouse, two dogs and one bone, will never accord in one. 10. The knive will seek the part which has flesh. Explanation: Said of scavenging people who look for people who have wealth.