Arabic Proverbs

2012-06-28T11:56:00.001-07:00

خبّ قرشك الأبيض ليومك الأسود

2011-05-04T13:57:00.000-07:00

خبّ قرشك الأبيض ليومك الأسود

(Khabbe qershak el-abiyad la-yomak el-aswad)
Literal meaning: Hide your white money for your black day.
Meaning: Save the bulk of your money – silver coins – for hard days, like the English expression to save money for a rainy day.

الساقية الجارية ولا النهر المقطوع

2011-05-04T13:36:00.000-07:00

A Lebanese proverb from Cedarseed:

الساقية الجارية ولا النهر المقطوع
(Es-seqiye l-jerye la n-nahr al-maqTu')
Literal meaning:The flowing brook rather than the dry river.
Meaning: A small but constant source of income is better than a large yet unreliable one.

أخفد صوتك وقوّي حجتك

2011-05-04T12:58:00.000-07:00

A Lebanese proverb from cedarseed:

أخفد صوتك وقوّي حجتك
(Okhfod sawtak wa qawwe Hijtak)
Literal Meaning: Lower your voice and strengthen your argument.
Meaning: Your arguments are stronger if you don't shout. It is similar to President Roosevelt's saying "walk softly, and carry a big stick."

مثل الاربعة بنص الجمعة Like Wednesday in the middle of the week.

2011-04-28T09:52:00.000-07:00

A Syrian proverb from Arabic Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases:

مثل الاربعة بنص الجمعة
(mitl arba'a binuS eljama'a)
Literal meaning: Like Wednesday in the middle of the week.
Meaning: refers to someone who sits around when there is work to be done . I think it's similar to the English idiom "like a bump on a log".

اللی بیشرب البحر ما بغض الساقية He who has drunk the sea does not choke on a brook

2011-04-28T08:20:00.000-07:00

A Syrian proverb from Arabic Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases:

اللی بیشرب البحر ما بغض الساقية
(illi biyeshrub elbahar maa bighaD elsaaqia)
Literal Meaning: He who has drunk the sea does not choke on a brook
Meaning: Someone who has done a big thing will not fear a small thing.

ناس بيأكلوا جاج ناس بيقعوا بالسياج Some people eat chicken; others fall into the hedge.

2011-04-28T07:42:00.000-07:00

A Syrian proverb from Arabic Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
ناس بيأكلوا جاج ناس بيقعوا بالسياج

(naas biyakalu jaaj naas biyq'u siyaaj)
Literal meaning: Some people eat chicken; others fall into the hedge ( while chasing chickens).
Meaning: Some people get the benefits; while others do all the work.

مفيش حلاوة من غير نار

2011-04-25T11:05:00.000-07:00

I found this Lebanese proverb on the Arabic forums on proz.com:

مفيش حلاوة من غير نار
Literal Meaning: You cannot make dessert without fire.
Meaning: You cannot make an omelette without breaking eggs

امل لهموم في السبكة سي

2011-04-21T10:04:00.001-07:00

اذا حلف فيك الرجل بت نعس و اذا حلف فيك النساء بت فيق If men swear to harm you, sleep through the night, but if women swear to harm you, stay awake

2011-04-21T09:04:00.000-07:00

This Moroccan proverb is from the Wit and Wisdom of Morocco by Edward Westermack:

اذا حلف فيك الرجل بت نعس و اذا حلف فيك النساء بت فيق
(ida halfu feek r-rajul bat na'as wa ida halfu feek an-nisa' bat fayeq)
Literal meaning: if men swear to harm you, sleep through the night, but if women swear to harm you, stay awake.
Meaning: women are more dangerous than men, as in the Kipling poem: "the female of the species is more deadly than the male"

دود الجبن من فيه The maggot is from the cheese itself.

2011-04-21T07:57:00.000-07:00

A Syrian proverb from Arabic Proverbs Collected by Mrs. A.P. Singer by Enno Littleman:

دود الجبن من فيه
(dud ilgibna minu feehu)
Literal meaning: The maggot is from the cheese itself.
Meaning: a problem in the family is caused by one of its members.Versions of this proverb are apparently found in Egypt and Morocco.

اللي يجوز امي اقوله يا عمي The man who marries my mother, I call him uncle.

2011-04-21T06:22:00.000-07:00

An Egyptian proverb from wikiquote
اللي يجوز امي اقوله يا عمي
(ilalee yajuwaz omee aquluhu ya 'amee)
Literal meaning: The man who marries my mother, I call him uncle.
Meaning: If you can't beat them, join them.

من خرج من داره اتقل مقداره A man can be humiliated if he leaves his home.

2011-04-21T06:03:00.000-07:00

This Egyptian proverb is from Hiba on wordreference.com:

من خرج من داره اتقل مقداره
(men kharag men daro it-al me-daro)
Literal meaning:A man can be humiliated if he leaves his home.
Meaning: A man's pride will be safe as long as he is in his own house, similar to "a man's home is his castle"

مقدي وخنجرة بحزامة beggars can't be choosers

2011-04-20T21:03:00.000-07:00

I found a very interesting thread on wordreference giving Arabic equivalents for the English proverb "beggars can't be choosers". This Iraqi version is my favorite:

مقدي وخنجرة بحزامة
(muqadi wakhanajara bihazaama)
Literal meaning: a beggar with a dagger in his belt.
Meaning: describes someone who tries to get his own way when he doesn't really have a choice.

Unlike the English proverb, most of these Arabic proverbs describe behavior: طرّار و يتشرّط (Tarraar wiyitsharraT), "a beggar and he sets conditions" (Saudi); شحات ونزهي (shaHaat wiyinazee) "a beggar but acting like a rich man." (Egyptian); شحات وعايز رغيف shaHaat wi'aayiz righeef -- a beggar and he wants a (whole) loaf (Egyptian).

I guess it's a universal sentiment

الشهر الي ما فيه لك شهرية لا عد ايام

2011-04-20T08:21:00.000-07:00

An Arabic proverb from Arabic Proverbs Collected by Mrs. A.P. Singer by Enno Littleman
الشهر الي ما فيه لك شهرية لا عد ايام
Literal meaning: In a month without wages, do not count the days.
Meaning: A day when you don't achieve anything, doesn't count. Littleman says that this proverb is said in many countries: Egypt, Sudan, Palestine, Syria, Yemen, Morocco, and Iraq.

You can read the book for free here.

الحركة فيها بركة والرزقة بدّه نطّة

2011-04-19T21:01:00.000-07:00

This Lebanese proverb is from cedarseed's excellent collection:

حركة فيها بركة والرزقة بدّه نطّة
(El-Harake fiya barake, war-reka badda natta)
Literal meaning: Movement has good fortune in it and good luck need a jump.
meaning: Action brings good fortune, and inversely, if you want good luck you need to give it a jumpstart. Equivalent to English: Heaven helps those who help themselves; and French: Aide-toi et le ciel t'aidera.)

الحركة فيها بركة والرزقة بدّه نطّة

2011-04-19T20:38:00.001-07:00

This Lebanese proverb is from Cedarseed's excellent collection:

الحركة فيها بركة والرزقة بدّه نطّة

الحركة فيها بركة والرزقة بدّه نطّة

2011-04-19T20:33:00.001-07:00

This Lebanese proverb is from
الحركة فيها بركة والرزقة بدّه نطّة

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2011-04-19T12:50:00.001-07:00

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ما يحَكّ للحَيّ لَذّ مِن يده

2011-04-19T12:17:00.000-07:00

A Libyan proverb from dormirdebout.wordpress.com

ما يحَكّ للحَيّ لَذّ مِن يده

Literal meaning: Nothing can scratch your itch but your own hand.
Meaning: No one will do your job or look after your interests. I think this is similar to the English proverb "God helps those who help themselves'.

ما يحَكّ للحَيّ لَذّ مِن يده

2011-04-19T11:50:00.001-07:00

A Libyan proverb from dormirdebout.wordpress.com

ما يحَكّ للحَيّ لَذّ مِن يده

Literal meaning: Nothing can scratch your itch but your own hand.
Meaning:

ما يحَكّ للحَيّ لَذّ مِن يده

2011-04-19T10:58:00.001-07:00

A Libyan

أكَل الجَمَل بِمَا حَمَل

2011-04-18T19:29:00.000-07:00

An Arabic proverb from egyptianarabic.com;

أكَل الجَمَل بِمَا حَمَل
(akal il-gamal bi ma Hamal)
Literal meaning: He ate the camel and all it carried

Meaning: To eat someone out of house and home.

عشب ولا بعير

2011-04-17T21:11:00.000-07:00

Another Arabic proverb from www.muslima.ru:

عشب ولا بعير

Literal meaning: There is grass, but no camel.

Meaning: Describes rich man who does not use his property or for the benefit of themselves or others.

المزاحة تذهب المهابة

2011-04-17T20:44:00.000-07:00

Foforum of the wordreference forums pointed me to this website http://www.muslima.ru/, which has Arabic proverbs translated into Russian. Here is one:

المزاحة تذهب المهابة

Literal meaning: Joking destroys credibility.

Meaning: A person who jokes too much will not be believed. I think it is similar to "The boy who cried wolf'"

I don't read Russian, so I have done the best I could with google translate. If there are any mistakes, comment below. I would also like to know which country the proverb is from.