This
collection of Arabic proverbs (most of them used in Egypt
in various contexts) is taken from the excellent book "Apricots
Tomorrow”, compiled by Primrose Arander and Ashkhain
Skipwith, and published by Stacey International-London (1997,
ISBN 0905743571).
We
strongly recommend this book for anyone who would like to
delve into the rich intricacies of Arabic
folk wisdom.
| |
| خِيرْهَا فِى غِيرْهَا |
| xiirha fi Giirha |
| “Better Luck Next Time” (literally, "A
better one in another one") |
| |
| إِلِّي بِيِيجِى هِنَاكْ بِيْرُوحْ هِنَاكْ |
| illi bi-yiigii hinaak
bi-yruuH hinaak |
| “Easy come, easy go” (literally, "What
comes this way, goes this way") |
| |
| أَكْل العِنَب حَبَّة حَبَّة |
| Akl il-3inab Habba
Habba |
| “One step at a time” (literally, "Grapes
are eaten one by one") |
| |
| عَدَم الجَوَاب جَوَاب |
| 3adam ig-gawaab gawaab |
| “Silence speaks volumes” (literally, "No
answer is an answer") |
| |
| ضَرَب عَصْفُورِين بِحَجَر |
| Darab 3asfuureen bi-Hagar |
| “To kill two birds with one stone” (literally,
"He struck two birds with one stone") |
| |
| حِلْم القُطَط كُلُّه فِرَان |
| Hilm il-uTaT kullu
firaan |
| “To have a one track mind” (literally, "The
dream of cats is all mice") |
| |
| أَكَل الجَمَل بِمَا حَمَل |
| akal il-gamal bi ma
Hamal |
| “To eat someone out of house and home” (literally,
"He ate the camel and all it carried") |
| |
| رِحْلِة الأَلْف مِيل تَبْدَأ بِخَطْوَة |
| riHlit il-alf miil
tabda’ bixaTwa |
| “From small beginnings come great things” (literally,
"The journey of a thousand miles starts with one step") |
| |
| طُبّ الجَرَّة عَلَى تُـمَّاهَا تِطْلَع البِنْت لِأُمَّهَا |
| Tub ig-garra 3ala tumaha
tiTla3 il-bint li-ummaha |
| “Like mother, like daughter” (literally, "Turn
the pot upside down, the girl will still be like her mother") |
