Written by London Swaminathan

Post No. 14,947

Date uploaded in London –  6 September 2025

Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com

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Proverbs on Trees 6

The dead tree blossoms (from failure to success)

A tall tree easily broken by the wind

A tree that bears fruits is known by its flowers.

Be like the tree which covers with flowers the hand that shakes it.

No branch is better than the trunk.

Branches of willow trees are never broken by snow.

Willow twigs dig no snow.

–Japanese proverbs

Only the worm which comes from the marrow of the tree makes the tree fall.

The stick learns the truth.

–Kurdish

Does one sharpen the thorns? (you cannot make the vicious man worse)

The more shoots, the more leaves. (the more you do for a man, the more he will do for you).

When the tree falls, the woodpecker that lives on it must also perish.

Only once does a plantain bear (lost chances never occur)

A plant must sprout before it climbs; if it is not true people would not say it (no smoke without fire).

–Malayan

There is no tree which has not felt the force of the wind- Pashto proverb

Fell not the tree which you have planted- Persian

All men are not like trees; some must travel and cannot keep still. Romany

Wait until a tree has fallen to skip it.

A bird less tree is a barren tree.

Extract a thorn  from your skin with a thorn.

–Siamese

The tree becomes moss gown and man becomes  bearded- Burmese

Tamil proverbs continued…..

4971. பொங்கும் காலம் புளி பூக்கும், மங்கும் காலம் மா பூக்கும்.
In times of plenty the tamarind tree blossoms, in times of scarcity the mango bears in abundance.

4968. பைய மென்றால் பனையையும் மெல்லலாம்.
If masticated slowly even a palmyrah tree may be chewed.

4960. பேய் போய்ப் புளியமரத்தில் ஏறினதுபோல.
As a demon ascended a tamarind tree.

4957. பேய்க்கூத்தும் ஆமணக்கும் ஆள்போனால் ஆள் தெரியாது.
A devil dance is a garden of castor oil plants, if one gets in he is not seen again.

4918. பெரு மரத்தைச் சுற்றிய வள்ளிக்கொடிபோல.
Like a creeping plant-Dioscorea sativa-round a large tree.

4914. பெருங் காற்றில் பீளைப்பஞ்சு பறக்கிறதுபோல.
Flying like cotton before a gale of wind.

4915. பெருங் குலத்தில் பிறந்தாலும் புத்தி அற்றவன் கரும்புப் பூப் போல.
Though born in a high family, a fool is like a sugar-cane flower.

4910. பெரியோர் முன் தாழ்ந்து பேசில், நாணலைப்போல் நிமிர்ந்து கொள்வார்கள்.
When speaking submissively to the great, they preserve an erect posture like a reed.

4911. பெரியோர் முன் எதிர்த்துப்பேசில், வெள்ளத்திற்கு முன் மரங்களைப்போல் வீழ்வார்கள்.
If they should contradict the great, they will fall like trees before a flood.

4859. பூத்துச் சொரியப் பொறுப்பார்கள் பூட்டிக் கட்டக் கலங்குவார்கள்.
They can endure seeing their tree shedding its blossoms, but will be disquieted at seeing others string and wear there.

4847. பூ அரசு இருக்கப் பொன்னுக்கு அழுவானேன்?
Why weep for gold while you have the tulip tree?

4848. பூசணிக்காய் அத்தனை முத்துக் காதில் ஏற்றுகிறதா மூக்கில் ஏற்றுகிறதா?
If a pearl be as large as a pumpkin, where is it to be worn, in the ear or in the nose?

4849. பூசணிக்காய் எடுத்தவனைத் தோளிலே காணலாம்.
If one has taken a pumpkin, its mark may be seen on his shoulder.

4850. பூசணிக்காய் அழுகினதுபோல.
Like a decayed pumpkin.

4852. பூசாரி பூ முடிக்கப் போனானாம், பூ ஆலங்காடு பலாக் காடாய்ப் போச்சுதாம்.
The priest began to wear flowers, and the flower garden became a grove of jack trees.

4837. புளியமரத்தில் ஏறினவன் பல் கூசினால் இறங்குவான்.
He who has climbed a tamarind tree will come down when his tooth are set on edge.

4838. புளியம் பழத்துக்குப் புளிப்புப் புகுதவிட வருகிறாயோ?
Do you come to infuse acidity into the tamarind fruit?

4755. பிள்ளையாரைப் பிடித்த சனி அரசமரத்தையும் பிடித்ததுபோல.
As Saturn who had seized Ganesha seized also the tree-ficus Indica.

4607. பனை ஏறியும் பாளை தொடாது இறங்கினாற்போல.
Like descending from a palmyrah tree without touching the flower spathe.

4608. பனை ஏறி விழுந்தவனைக் கடா ஏறி மிதித்தது போல.
Like a buffalo trampling on a person who has fallen from a palmyrah tree.

4609. பனை மரத்தின் கீழே பாலைக் குடித்தாலும் கள் என்று நினைப்பார்.
Though what you drink in a palmyrah grove be milk, every one will believe it to be toddy.

4610. பனைமரத்திற்கு நிழல் இல்லை பறையனுக்கு முறை இல்லை.
A palmyrah tree casts no shade, a pariah has no rules.

4611. பனை மரம் ஏறுகிறவனை எதுவரையும் தாங்கலாம்?
How far can you support a man who is climbing a palmyrah tree?

4612. பனையின் நிழலும் நிழலோ பகைவர் உறவும் உறவோ?
Is the shadow of a palmyrah tree a shade, is the acquaintance of an enemy friendship?

4613. பனையில் இருந்து விழுந்தவனைப் பாம்பு கடித்தது போல்.
Like a snake biting one who has fallen from a palmyra tree.

4614. பனை வெட்டின இடத்திலே கழுதை வட்டம் போட்டது போல.
Like an ass going round a place where a palmyra tree had been felled.

4594. பறைத் தெருவிலே வில்வம் முளைத்ததுபோல.
As a vilva tree sprang up in a pariah street.

To be continued……………………….

Tags- Proverbs, trees, part 6