મોટાના ઘરના પોલા વાંસા.

mōṭānā gharanā pōlā vāṁsā.

Literally: Great houses have hollow backs.
What it means: Behind the grand exterior of prominent families often lies internal weakness or poverty.

ગુજરાતી કહેવતસંગ્રહ (Gujarati Kahevat Sangrah) (1921) · read from the scan by machine — the Gujarati itself is unchecked · English is machine-made and nobody has checked it yet

Heard it differently, or know we've got the sense wrong? Tell us — that is exactly the kind of correction this needs.