Post No. 14,916
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One Thousand Proverbs on Women, Wives and Daughters- part 28
701. 1.If a song be demanded of a woman going along with her market basket, she will exclaim venkaiyam, karuveppilai, (Onions, curry leaves.)
2.A woman of fifty must bend the knee before a boy of five.
Referring to the deference paid to the male sex by the Hindus.
3.Modesty is the ornament of a woman.
The proverb may be used of moderation generally and self-restraint.
4.He says, to cook, there is a woman; for outdoor work, a man.
Spoken of needful help already at hand.
5.Is a veil necessary for a woman in a bad condition ?
6.If a thievish woman eat the cream will there be any butter ?
7.Three fourths of a cash is demanded for shaving the head of an old woman worth only half a cash.
8.He who listens to the words of a woman will be accounted worthless.
9.As an abandoned woman one may ride on an elephant, but can one go along a street as a thief?
10.What matters it with whom an abandoned woman goes ?
11.A weeping man and a smiling woman are not to be trusted.
12.The story of a neighbour who invited a woman in distress at the loss of her husband.
13.In times of prosperity, even a slave woman may bring forth a
female child.
14.Seek, seize her by the hair, and slipper a mother-in-law who does not invite you in July.
The parents of a newly married woman separate her from her husband, that she may be under their care during the first year of marriage, in the month of July. This is necessary to prevent conception in that month and delivery in the following April. The birth of a first child in April if a son is believed to bring ruin upon a family.
15.Standard gold, and a woman at one with her mother-in-law are rare.
16.Although one may injurer a man; a woman may not be injuriously treated.
17.A most abandoned woman who murdered her own husband.
18.The woman became wise after the death of her husband.
19.A blear-eyed man became the husband of a woman who had been crying for one.
20.It is while she has a husband, is it not, that a woman, should play the harlot.
21.Though a thousand-times admonished, faithless woman will not become a faithful wife.
22.Are there those who have no pity ? If the word woman be uttered even a demon will be moved with compassion.
23.To associate with a double minded woman is fatal.
24.In the tresses of a poor woman are found nits and lice.
25.A woman with a bustling gait came and destroyed what there was.
26.If the truth be told, the blind woman will be greatly afflicted.
27.O thou hunch-backed woman of Madras, how can I give thee up, hast thou not become crooked by bearing burdens ?
28.Have one only of the community as a friend, and a woman without ties as a wife.
29.Eight old men conjointly took to wife a bald-headed old woman.
30.No matter how skilled a woman may be in numbers and letters, her judgment will be second rate.
Many modern Hindus of the day(1873, though themselves earnest about University honors, evince but very little interest regarding the intellectual and moral culture of their daughters. The Rev R. M. Banerjee, a learned brahman of Calcutta, very recently gave a sad account of the disabilities to which native ladies in that city are subject.
31.Giving eight gall nuts to him who has lost a ball, and eight to a woman in the first stage of pregnancy.
32.Though the child of a poor woman, the accustomed rites must be performed.
33.Since the woman came to my house, even gold has become a common thing.
34.When one’s sister is weeping for a cloth, is it to be given to a woman who resembles her?
35.The rice for a woman who has borne one child, is on the swinging tray, that of the woman who has borne four, is in the middle of the street.
36.Is a ceremony of nine days to be performed for a destitute woman?
37.Having set out to run will it do for him to be behind an old Woman?
38.The Vaduga woman’s wedding is come nigh.
39.Are toe-rings necessary when a woman goes out to get(?) the firewood?
40.Though the thread on the spindle diminishes, that on the neck of a kalla woman does not.
41.Will the woman who wept as she clung to the post of a marriage pandal at be silent when she attends a funeral?
42.The tears of a thievish woman are in her eyes, those of an abandoned woman are in her eyebrows.
43.A thievish woman has a kalam of tears in her eyes.
44.What avails a fence against a thievish woman, or an axe for cutting twigs?
45.A learned man and a fruitful woman will not suffer from want of food.
46.The story of a woman given in marriage to a man seen in a dream.
47.Have I seen kambu-millet for the first time, pound it without scattering thou nose bleeding woman?
48.Will a musician listen to the speech of an old woman?
49.The old woman is a katham from the horse, and the horse a katham from the old woman.
750.Neither the house of an old woman, nor the grove in which there are parrots, will be saved from ruin.
51.The donation to the perfumed dame being five fanams, is five fanams to be assigned to the blind woman, also?
52.Though she may leap joyously and pound the grain, the slave woman gets but one cake.
53.The horse is ten miles before you, and the old woman is ten miles behind you.
54.A woman is young till she bears a child, and cloth is new till it is washed.
55.Though a young woman may go on her way alone, yawning is never alone.
56.When young, a woman is full of hilarity, when old her portion is vexation.
57As the work of eight persons was stopped by reason of a blind woman going to fetch water.
58.Can the woman who digs up roots dance before a temple idol?
759.An ignorant man is despised even by women.
760.Strange women will not avail in adversity.
A thousand men may live together in harmony, whereas two women are unable to do so although they be sisters.
Where six marriages are being celebrated three women are pressing and pushing.
The eyes will be over-powered by the dancing of your women.
Moderation in food becomes women.
It is said that he who steals grain from the stack, will frighten away the women who may sweep the threshing floor.
Where there is a little wind fire will spread, where there is lust the affections will be fastened on women.
By wasting his substance on concubines he has become spare as a monkey, and by giving to common women he has become as dry as a stick.
If destitute of wealth, even one’s own married wife will not regard him.
770.It is said that the wife of a labourer is about to be confined, and that a castor plant will spring upon the midden.
A dwarf will destroy a family; his wife will destroy the whole village.
If the wife of a mountaineer is brought to bed, her husband takes the prescribed stimulant.
It becomes a lawful wife to honour her husband.
The wife of a blind man became intimate with a hunch-backed man.
As if a blind man beats his wife.
Though she be a mere monkey, one should take a wife in one’s own tribe.
The horse knows his rider, and a wife her husband.
If the bowels of the house-wife burn, her cloth hanging on the line will burn also.
A stranger took possession of the wife of him who was watching her.
The wife of a thief is at any moment liable to become a widow.
780. Can the wife of a thief be consulted as an augur for the recovery of stolen property ?
Like the misery endured by him who embarked when there was a way by land, and by the husband who revealed to his wife that which he ought not.
Arrange it so that when he goes to weed the rye, he may also engage a wife for his younger brother.
The ship owner’s wife is in good condition as long as the ship is safe, but if that be lost she is a beggar.
The wife of a swordsman is at any moment liable to become a widow.
It is said that if an inexperienced man marries, he will wander about dragging his wife; through jungles and over bills.
Though you touch but one thing, touch what is good.
Most likely referring to the choice of a wife.
Having become the wife of the wretch, I am compelled to run instead of walking.
An onkil fish knows the depth of the ocean, a wife knows her husband’s strength.
790.The story of a man taking a girl to wife in a village inhabited by the shameless.
The husband is like an ear of corn, the wife is like a rice bin or grain receptacle.
Is a girl of five fit to be the wife to a man of fifty ?
On seeing me, thou hidest among the hemp, and on seeing my wife, thou hidest in a chatty.
It is better to be the slave of the wealthy, than the wife of the indigent.
The wife of a poor man is sister-in-law to all.
Eight old men conjointly took to wife a bald-headed old woman.
When the ruler of a village forcibly takes away another man’s wife, to whom is be to make his complaint ?
It is said that he took to wife a blind girl having given away all he had.
Look to the temper, not beauty, to the connections not at money, when choosing a wife.
800. He who pays his debts cannot obtain money, nor can the labourer obtain a wife.
What! is it to speak manfully after deserting thy wife?
Is the wife of the destitute the friend or companion of all ?
Acquiescence with the wishes of his wife was fatal to Rama.
Though a princess, she is the wife of the man who has taken her in marriage.
Of what use is a wife to him who cannot govern her?
A wife who has no connections is to be preferred and so the friendship of one.
Of what use is the favour of a midwife to her who has lost her husband?
The five children borne by the mendicant’s wife are all weakling.
If there be heartfelt love, there will be deferential regard.
Spoken of a devoted wife who has a cruel husband.
810.The story of a scrupulously chaste wife who addressed her husband as Appa, father.
An over-suspicious man lost his wife and carried her sixty miles, weeping.
Some mischievous persons having concealed her in a box employed him to carry it to the sea-shore.
Like one standing on a grindstone and looking at Arundathi.
Arundathi is a star in the Great Bear regarded as the wife de Vasishta, a pattern of chastity. This star is pointed out to the bride at the marriage ceremony.
Although one may live six months with an elder brother, one cannot abide with his wife even half an hour.
The first condition is proverbially difficult, how much more so the second?
Like saying to a man how many boys have you, and how many girls, when he has not a wife to whom he can say, Adi.
A disobedient wife is an evil both to her mother and to one’s self.
Spoken of a person inimical alike to two parties.
820. A disobedient wife and a self-willed husband.
Said of uncongenial society.
If possessed of five and three, even a young girl may make a curry.
The five are acid, pepper, salt, mustard and cumin; the three are water, fuel and fire.
This proverb is used by a man when his wife has prepared a curry that does not please him.
Are five young birds a curry? Is a young girl a wife?
If destitute of wealth, even one’s own married wife will not regard him.
Having ascertained the character of the family give your daughter
in marriage, and knowing the worthiness of the applicant give alms.
The fever of fowls and the jealousy of a spiteful woman have no remedy.
An idle woman pleads her child in excuse for her faults, a shameless woman, her husband.
To a shuffling woman a quarter measure for a meal, to a worthless block half a measure.
830. A lazy woman neglects her work, and lays the blame on her child.
TAMIL PROVERBS ARE TAKEN FROM REV.PERCIVAL COLLECTION OF 6000 PROVERBS. THANKS TO PROJECT MADURAI FOR PUBLISHING IT IN FULL.
I HAVE GIVEN 300 PROVERBS ON WOMEN IN TAMIL A FEW YEARS AGO.
To be continued…………………..
Tags- Dravidian proverbs, One Thousand, Proverbs on Women, Wives and Daughters, part 28
Tamil and Vedas 
