-
طُب الجَرة على تُمها تِطلع البنت لأُمها
- turn the earthen pot upside down, the girl will still be like her mother
- Like mother, like daughter
-
العين بصيرة واليد فصيرة
the eye sees but the hand doesn't reach
-
كُل فولة مُسوسة لها كيّال أَعود
every decayed bean has a one-eyed man to weight it
-
رَبَّنا يَبْعَث اللوز للي ما لهُ أسنان
the lord sends almonds to those without teeth
-
رِحلة الأَلف ميل تَبدأ بِخَطوة
a journey of a thousand miles starts with one step
-
الصَراحة راحة
frankness is peace of mind
-
طَمَعُه قَتَلُه
his greed killed him
-
الغَريق يِتْعَلَّق بِقَشة
the drowning man clutches at a straw
-
أكَل الجَمَل بِما حَمَل
he ate the camel and all it carried
-
راح الخيط والعُصفور
- both the line and the bird have gone
- Its gone- hook line and sinker
-
الصَبْر مُرّ وثَمَرَتُه حِلوة
patience is bitter but its fruit is sweet
-
حِلْم القُطَط كُلُه فيران
- the dream of cats is all mice
- to have a one track mind
-
صاحِب الحَق لَهُ مَقام ولَهُ مَقال
the man who is in the right has both stature and the last word
-
الدَراهِم مَراهِم
money is a salve
-
مَن طَلَبَ العُلى سَهِرَ الليالي
- He who seeks higher things stays awake at nights
- 'Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.'
- King Henry IV, pt 2 Shakespeare
-
ضَرَب عُصْفورين بِحَجَر
he struck two birds with one stone
-
يوم عسَل ويوم بَصَل
One day honey, one day onions
-
أُدْخُلوا البيوت مِن أبوابها
enter houses by their front doors
-
الحيطان لها أَودان
walls have ears
-
الجاهِل عَدو نَفسُه
the inorangt person is his own enemy
-
ذَنْبَك على جَنبَك
your guilt stands at your side
-
الكلام لَهُ طَعم مِثَل الطعام
talk has a taste like food
-
عَدَم الجواب جواب
no answer is an answer
-
خَلّي البطّيخ يِكَسِّر بَعضُه
let the water melons break each other
-
تيتي تيتي مِثَل ما رُحْتي مِثَل ما جيتي
- as you went, so you came back
- so what else is new
-
إللي بيجي هيك بِروح هيك
What comes this way, goes this way
-
الأَسَدُ في بِلادِ الغُربةِ جَبان
the lion is a coward in strage lands
-
خيرها في غيرها
a better one in another one
-
مِثَل أُم العروسة
like the mother of the bride
-
مَن حَفَرَ حُفْرَةً لأَخيهِ وَقَعَ فيها
he who digs a hole for his brother will fall into it
-
مَن سَدَّد ديونُه نامَت عيونُه
he who has paid his debts can close his eyes
-
كل ديك مَذْبَلَتُه صيّاح
- every rooster is a town crier on his own dung heap
- Every cock will crow upon his own pile of shit
-
كل حُلة فيها عِلة
- nothing is perfect
- every garment has a fault
-
سَمَحنالَهُ فات وفَوَّت حِمارهُ
- we let him in and he brought his donkey too!
- Give him an inch and he'll take an mile
-
دُودِ الجِّبْن مِنُّه وفيه
the worms of cheese are of the cheese itself
-
طَنْجَرَة ولاقِت غَطَاها
a pot that has found its own proper lid
-
آخرِ اللَّيل بِتسمَعِ العِيَاط
towards the end of the night you shall hear shrill cries
-
اﻵخرِة يا فاخرِة
it is the end that counts, you boaster
-
آه يا حَينُه لَولا عَيْنُه
oh what a pity- if he only had an other eye!
-
أأنا رَبِّ العِزّ؟
Am I the lord of might?
-
الأب عاشق, ولامّ غَيرانِة والبِنت في البيت حيرانِة
the father is unfaithful the mother is jealous the daughter is at home perplexed
-
أب هات مِش أب خُوذ
a Priest is a man who says give not take!
-
أَبْخَل مِن كَلب (البنوك
Stinger than a dog, banks
-
أَبرَد مِن طِيزِ السَّقَّا
السقّاء
colder than a water-carriers ass!
-
أَبرَد مِن طِينِ الشِّتي
Cloder than clay in winter time!
-
أَبرَك (أَسعد) إيامَك تَنِفيد كلامَك
The most blessed days are those in which your words are carried out
-
إِبعَتِ أبنَك للسُّوق وشوف مِن بِعَاشِر
Send your son to the market-place and you shall find out with whom he will associate
|
|