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Think or sink!

A proverb a day to brighten the day!

431a. Man kann gehängt werden auch als Lamm als ein Schaf zu sein.
431b. One can get hanged as well for being a lamb as for being a sheep.

Man is a mere toy in the cruel hands of Fate.

When Fate does not favor him he may get hanged
even for being a lamb or for being a sheep.

footnotes:
Man = Man
kann = can
werden = be
gehängt = hanged
zu sein = for being
als = as
Lamm = a lamb
auch = also
als = as
ein = a
Schaf = sheep
 
A proverb a day to brighten the day!

432a. Besser ein Ei heute als eine Henne morgen
432b. Better an egg today than a hen tomorrow.

Promises are made for "Tomorrow" ... the day which never comes.
It is foolishness to opt for an uncertainty over a certainty.

footnotes:
Besser = Better
ein = an
Ei = egg
heute = today
als = than
eine = a
Henne = hen
morgen = tomorrow
 
A proverb a day to brighten the day!

433a. Ein mutiger Mann stirbt nur einmal. Ein Feigling stirbt jeden Tag
433b. A courageous man dies but once. A coward dies everyday

Death is inevitable for every living being.
When there is ' a birth' there must be 'a death'.
When there is beginning there must be an end.

The fear of death is more severe than the death itself.
He who is not scared of death, dies but once in his life.
He who is scared of death, dies every single day of his life.

footnotes:
Ein = A
mutiger = courageous
Mann = Man
stirbt = dies
nur = only
einmal = once.
Ein = A
Feigling = coward
stirbt = dies
jeden Tag = everyday
 
A proverb a day to brighten the day!

434a. Lieber im Kampf sterben als kniend leben.

434b. Better to die fighting than to live kneeling.

I was briefly kept in a 'golden cage' well protected - since i had accidentally poured boiling hot milk on my waist and right leg. The blisters got broken and the burn injury got severely infected. I had EVERYTHING except PERSONAL FREEDOM! I left the 'golden cage' ASAP since I was feeling suffocated with all those oppressive restrictions and rules. For some people personal freedom is like the life's fresh breath.

footnotes:
Lieber = Better
sterben = to die
im Kampf = fighting
als = than
leben = to live
kniend = kneeling.
 
A proverb a day to brighten the day!

435a. Die Gläubiger haben ein besseres Gedächtnis als die Schuldner!

435b. The Creditors have a better memory than the debtors!

footnotes:
Die Gläubiger = The creditors
haben = have
ein = a
besseres = better
Gedächtnis = memory
als = than
die = the
Schuldner = debtors

I got a new phone and a new connection three months ago. It is a nice smart phone with a bigger screen than most phones and many facilities which I don't yet know to make use of. But the story here is about something else.

I started receiving calls from all over USA and specifically from selected companies. I was told to ignore those calls. I did. But that did not deter the callers. One day I had reached the elastic limits of my patience and requested my son to look into the matter.

The previous owner of the phone number allotted to me had borrowed money from the left, right and the middle. I guess she had surrendered her phone or cancelled her connection and as luck would have it, it was allotted to me.

I use my phone ONLY to study me German Lessons and for the weekly chats with my siblings.

The reason for the The torrent of calls from unknown persons who were undeterred by my silence...???

The Creditors have a better memory than the debtors!
 
A proverb a day to brighten the day!

436a. Es ist besser, glücklich als reich geboren zu werden
436b. It is better to be born lucky than rich.

Riches may get stolen or destroyed due to some misfortune.
But the luck stays with the person as long as he lives! :)

footnotes:
Es = It
ist = is
besser = better
geboren zu werden = to be born
glücklich = lucky
als = than
reich = rich.
 
A proverb a day to brighten the day!

What is the difference between a Cat and a Man!

A cat closes its eyes when it commits a crime.
A man closes his eyes when he sees a crime.

437a.
Eine Katze schließt die Augen, während sie die Creme stiehlt.
Ein Mann schließt die Augen, während er ein Verbrechen sieht.

437b.
A Cat closes its eyes while it steals the cream.
A Man closes his eyes while he sees a crime.

footnotes:
Eine = A
Katze = Cat
schließt = closes
die = the
Augen = eyes
während = while
sie = it
stiehlt = steals
die = the
Creme = cream.
Ein = A
Mann = man
schließt = closes
die = the
Augen = eyes
während = while
er = he
sieht = sees
ein = a
Verbrechen = crime.

A sleeping conscience qualifies to be labeled as 'The living dead'! :(
 

Thoughts by Ram Jethmalani.
————————————
Sometimes in the dark of the night,
I visit my conscience
To see if it is still breathing,
For its dying a slow death
Every day.

When I pay for a meal in a fancy place.
An amount which is perhaps the monthly income
Of the guard who holds the door open.
And quickly I shrug away that thought,
It dies a little.

When I buy vegetables from the vendor,
And his son "chhotu" smilingly weighs the potatoes,
Chhotu, a small child, who should be studying at school.
I look the other way
It dies a little.

When I am decked up in a designer dress,
A dress that cost a bomb
And I see a woman at the crossing,
In tatters,trying unsuccessfully to save her dignity.
And I immediately roll up my window.
It dies a little.

When I buy expensive gifts for my children,
On return, I see half clad children,
With empty stomach and hungry eyes,
Selling toys at red light
I try to save my conscience by buying some, yet
It dies a little.

When my sick maid sends her daughter to work,
Making her bunk school
I know I should tell her to go back.
But I look at the loaded sink and dirty dishes,
And I tell myself that is just for a couple of days
It dies a little.

When I hear about a rape
or a murder of a child,
I feel sad, yet a little thankful that it's not my child.
I can not look at myself in the mirror,
It dies a little.

When people fight over caste creed and religion.
I feel hurt and helpless
I tell myself that my country is going to the dogs,
I blame the corrupt politicians,
Absolving myself of all responsibilities
It dies a little.

When my city is choked.
Breathing is dangerous in the smog ridden metropolis,
I take my car to work daily ,
Not taking the metro,not trying car pool.
One car won't make a difference, I think
It dies a little.

So when in the dark of the night,
I visit my conscience
And find it still breathing
I am surprised.
For, with my own hands
Daily, bit by bit, I kill it, I bury it.
- Ram Jethmalani
 
A Deadload aka The Living Dead.

'Use it or lose it' is true for everything.
'Use it or lose it' is true for everyone.
When I visit my conscience every night,
I feel scared to see its shocking plight.

I spend the monthly salary of a poor doorman,
Just to pay for a fancy meal for my abdomen;
I look the other way to make my guilt go away,
And with it, a bit of my conscience goes away!

The smart child who should be in a school,
Spends his lifetime in weighing vegetable;
I look the other way to make my guilt go away,
And with it, a bit of my conscience goes away!

When I spent a fortune on my designer wear,
And I see a poor woman with nothing to wear;
I look the other way to make my guilt go away,
And with it, a bit of my conscience goes away!

When I blow a fortune for buying my children gifts,
And I see hungry urchins standing down the streets;
I look the other way to make my guilt go away,
And with it, a bit of my conscience goes away!

When my house maid sends her little girl,
To do her daily chores when she is unwell;
I look the other way to make my guilt go away,
And with it, a bit of my conscience goes away!

When I read about or see a violent crime,
And I blame it completely on the regime;
I look the other way to make my guilt go away,
And with it, a bit of my conscience goes away!

When Man fights Man over caste and creed,
When Man loots Man with endless greed;
I look the other way to make my guilt go away,
And with it, a bit of my conscience goes away!

When the air resembles that of a gas chamber,
I choose my responsibilities not to remember;
I look the other way to make my guilt go away,
And with it, a bit of my conscience goes away!

Is Man's Conscience infinite like The God?
Will Man's conscience retain forever its nod?
But A conscience that does not do any good,
Is nothing but One Among Those Living Dead!

Conceived by Sri. Ram Jethmalani
Rewritten by Smt. Visalakshi Ramani
 
Visalakshi Ramani said:
When my house maid sends her little girl,
To do her daily chores when she is unwell;
Click to expand...
This and the part about children having to sell vegetables for a livelihood when they should in fact be in school and the indifference to cries of hungry urchins all struck a chord.

I saw the Tamil movie 'Kutti' many years back - please do see the movie if you have not already seen it. It is about an innocent young (servant) girl who is ill treated by the lady of the house and trusts an unscruplous fellow who promises to rescue her and instead sends her into the flesh trade. I can sincerely say that the movie has left a permanent scar. Even as I am writing this I can feel the emotion.

And, a few days after seeing the movie, I saw an urchin girl of about 4 or 5 rolling and crying on a heap of sand on the road side - it may have been just a trifle like asking for something and not getting it or a light spank from a parent for being obstinate. But, I could not help thinking of the movie and feeling "This is probably the happiest day in her life!".
 
Last edited:
ekaputra said:
This and the part about children having to sell vegetables for a livelihood when they should in fact be in school and the indifference to cries of hungry urchins all struck a chord.

I saw the Tamil movie 'Kutti' many years back - please do see the movie if you have not already seen it. It is about an innocent young (servant) girl who is ill treated by the lady of the house and trusts an unscruplous fellow who promises to rescue her and instead sends her into the flesh trade. I can sincerely say that the movie has left a permanent scar. Even as I am writing this I can feel the emotion.

And, a few days after seeing the movie, I saw an urchin girl of about 4 or 5 rolling and crying on a heap of sand on the road side - it may have been just a trifle like asking for something and not getting it or a light spank from a parent for being obstinate. But, I could not help thinking of the movie and feeling "This is probably the happiest day in her life!".
Click to expand...

Once upona time the saying was ,
'RAman ANdAl enna ? rAvaNan AndAl enna?'

Now the saying has become
"Yaar vaazhnthaal enna? yaar veezhnthaal enna?
Naan nandraaga irunthaal pothum!"

I became emotional while converting the thoughts of Ram Jethmalani into a poem.
We see everything! We react to nothing!! Life goes on!!! All is well with God in His heaven!!!!
What has happened to mahAkavi bhArathi's words "sirumai kaNdu ponguvai vA vA vA"?
 
A proverb a day to brighten the day!

438a. Unglück ist der Prüfstein für die wahre Größe eines Menschen.

438b. Calamity is the touchstone for the true greatness of a person.

A diamond gets more glitter and adds more facets when polished.
A charcoal will crumble to dust when given the same treatment....
though both diamond and charcoal are basically the same element.
Difficulties and hardships bring out the best in a person - if he is truly great.

footnotes:
Unglück = Bad luck / Misfortune / Calamity
ist = is
der = the
Prüfstein = touchstone
für = for
die = the
wahre = true
Größe = greatness
eines Menschen = of a man
 
Man will happily offload all his responsibilities, chores and tasks onto another's shoulder, who is willing to oblige or who is unable to refuse / ignore his demands!

But these three things he will never ask anyone else it to do for him, instead of him!
Can you guess what they are?

1. Food & Feasting
2. Sleep & Snoozing
3. The magical three letter word S**!

In Tamil they rhyme very well too!
arunthuthal, uRanguthal, porunthuthal!
These which even insects and worms do!
 
A proverb a day to brighten the day!

439a. Kinder sind der Schatz des armen Mannes

439b. Children are the treasure of the poor man.

Have you wondered WHY the poor families
have more children than the rich families?

footnotes:

Kinder = Children
sind = are
der = the
Schatz = treaure
des armen Mannes = of the poor man.
 
A proverb a day to brighten the day!

440a.
Krähen pflücken nicht die Augen der anderen Krähen.
Aber die Menschen können verletzen die anderen Menschen.

440b.
Crows don't pick the eyes of the other crows.
But the humans hurt the other humans.

The animals kill the other animals ONLY for the sake of self protection, for food and for a mate. But man can kill both the animals and the other men for revenge or personal gains or just for FUN!

footnotes:
Krähen = Crows
nicht = don't
pflücken = pluck
die = the
Augen = eyes
der = of the
anderen = other
Krähen = crows.
Aber = But
Menschen = humans
können = can
verletzen = hurt
die = the
anderen = other
Menschen = humans.
 
A proverb a day to brighten the day!

441a.
Hobbys sind das Geschäft der Faulen und
die Faulheit der vielbeschäftigten Menschen.

441b.
Hobbies are the business of the lazy people
and the laziness of the very busy people.

footnotes:
Hobbys = Hobbies
sind = are
das = the
Geschäft = business
der Faulen = of the lazy
und = and
die Faulheit = the laziness
der = of the
vielbeschäftigten = very busy
Menschen = people.

If we spend a few minutes everyday, to recollect how we had spent that day, we will realize how much of our time has been wasted away in trifles and in socializing! :(

vannamaalai.wordpress.com

#053. வெள்ளி நாணயங்கள்

ஒவ்வொரு நாளும் உங்களுக்கு நான், ஒவ்வொரு மூட்டை நிறைய நாணயங்கள், அள்ளி அள்ளி தினம் தந்திட்டால், நீங்கள் உள்ளம் மகிழ்ந்து என்ன செய்வீர்கள்? நான் தரும் நாணயங்கள் மாறுபட்டவை. நன்றாகச் செலவு செய்ய முடிய…
vannamaalai.wordpress.com vannamaalai.wordpress.com
 
A proverb a day to brighten the day!

442a. Verzweifelte Krankheiten erfordern verzweifelte Medikamente.

442b. Desperate diseases require desperate medications.

It is said we have to fight fire with fire.
We have to cut a diamond with another.
Poison needs to be treated with another poison.
Desperate diseases need desperate treatments.

footnotes:
Verzweifelte = Desperate
Krankheiten = diseases
erfordern = require
verzweifelte = desperate
Medikamente = medication

vannamaalai.wordpress.com

#054. முடியாததில்லை

நூதன நோயால் துன்புற்ற மகனின் வேதனை தாள இயலாத தந்தை, வியாதிக்கு ஒரு மருந்தைக் கேட்டு வியப்பிலே ஆழ்ந்து போய்விட்டான். மனிதனின் மண்டை ஓடு ஒன்றிலே, மழை நீரும், நாகப் பாம்பின் விஷமும், சுவாதி நட்சத்திரத…
vannamaalai.wordpress.com vannamaalai.wordpress.com
 
A proverb a day to brighten the day!

443a. Die Kraft des Intellekts ist stärker als die Kraft der Muskeln.

443b. The Power of the intellect is stronger than the power of muscles.

Two young boys meet. One is devoted to developing his intelligence and the other his muscles.
The powerful intelligence helps the first one to make the right decisions at the right time and place.
The muscle power has made the second one a bully and he keeps getting into troubles always!

footnotes:
Die = The
Kraft = power
des Intellekts = of intellect
ist = is
stärker = stronger
als = as
die = the
Kraft = power
der Muskeln = of the muscles

vannamaalai.wordpress.com

#027. புஜபலம், நிஜபலம்

புஜபலம் என்றுமே நிஜபலம் அன்று; புத்திபலம் தான் நிஜபலம் என்றுமே. நன்றாய் நமக்கு உணர்த்திடும் இதை, தொன்று தொட்டு வரும் ஒரு நல்ல கதை. சாபம் அடைந்த, தேவர்கள் கூட்டம், பாபம் நீங்கி, பலம் முன்போல் அடைய; …
vannamaalai.wordpress.com vannamaalai.wordpress.com


Attachments area

Preview YouTube video Spoken Word Poetry | Bharatanatyam Dance




Spoken Word Poetry | Bharatanatyam Dance


my comment:

A man's mind is his own best friend and his own worst enemy.
Guard your thoughts before they become vile words and foul deeds!
[Bhagavat Gita chapter 6. verse 6]
" For those who have conquered the mind, it becomes their friend.
For those who have failed to do so, the mind works like an enemy."
 
A proverb a day to brighten the day

444a. Kleine Köpfe ... kleine Unterhaltungen!
444b. Small minds...small entertainments!

We show to the world WHO we are by WHAT we laugh at.

Making fun of people with physical challenges, the very fat and the very lean, the very short and the very tall persons is NOT real humor. And yet most people fall for this kind of wicked humor.

footnotes:
Kleine = Small
Köpfe = minds
kleine = small
Unterhaltungen = entertainments

pv1991
#1991a. யாரும் கோபப்படவில்லை என்றால் அது நகைச்சுவை அல்ல.
#1991b. If it doesn’t offend someone, then you are not funny.


pv1992

#1992a. தானே சிரிப்பு வரும் தமாஷைப் பார்த்தால்.
#1992b. Laughter is involuntary. If it is funny you laugh.

pv1998
#1998a. ஒருவனது நகைச்சுவை மற்றவனுக்குச் சாக்கடை.
#1998b. One man’s fun is another man’s filth.
 

Attachments area

Preview YouTube video A Smile Away | Classical Dance with Spoken Word




A Smile Away | Classical Dance with Spoken Word

My comment

The Bane of modern life is LONELINESS. No one has time to relate with the people they live in close proximity, but they would rather be trying to reach someone else across the globe. We now have everything to communicate and connect, and yet man has never felt more lonely anytime in the past. This concept it novel, topical and is an eye opener besides. What could have been made as a 'A rude awakening' has been transformed into a beautiful dance number! Be Blessed for spreading positive messages!
 
A proverb a day to brighten the day

446a. Vereinigt stehen wir! Getrennt fallen wir!

446b. United we stand! Divided we fall!

Unity makes us stronger. Division weakens us.
There is greater safety in greater numbers.

footnotes:
Vereinigt = United
wir = we
stehen = stand!
Getrennt = Divided
wir = we
fallen = fall!

Safety in numbers?​



Each autumn thousands of lobsters migrate from the reefs to the deep water, near Bahamas.
They form marching columns up to fifty strong – while crossing the open areas.
Each lobster hooks one pair of its front legs around the tail of the animal in front.
Thus the vulnerable belly and tail of each lobster are protected by the armored legs
and antennae of the one behind.

amazinganimalkingdom.wordpress.com

8. Safety in numbers?

Each autumn thousands of lobsters migrate from the reefs to the deep water, near Bahamas. They form marching columns up to fifty strong – while crossing the open areas. Each lobster hooks one…
amazinganimalkingdom.wordpress.com amazinganimalkingdom.wordpress.com
 
A proverb a day to brighten the day

447a. Neid schießt auf die anderen, verletzt sich aber.

447b. Envy shoots at the others but wounds herself.

Jealousy is a fire that consumes the person who keeps it alive.
Jealousy is a double edged sword which would the wielder more than the victim!

footnotes:
Neid = Jealousy
schießt = shoots
auf = on
die = the
anderen = others.
aber = but
verletzt = hurts
sich = herself

vannamaalai.wordpress.com

#119. ஆமையும், பொறாமையும்

ஆமை நுழைந்து விட்ட வீடும் அமீனா நுழைந்து விட்ட வீடும், ஆட்டம் கண்டு அழியும்; இது அனைவரும் அறிந்த உண்மை. ஆமையைக் காட்டிலும் கொடியது அசூயை எனப்படும் பொறாமை. அசூயை நுழைந்த மனம் ஒரு பிசாசை விடவும் கொடி…
vannamaalai.wordpress.com vannamaalai.wordpress.com
 

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