<'Elle 3ala rasoh batha ye-hasses 3aleha>
Literal translation: A person with a wound on his head keeps touching it..
Hidden meaning: A person is likely to point to his/her own weaknesses..
Applicability: When somebody's acts expose what he/she is trying to hide.
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<3ala kad lehafak med regleak>
Literal translation: Stretch your legs as far as your quilt (blanket) goes..
Hidden meaning: Do not do what you cannot afford..
Applicability: When extravagancy is unaffordable.
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<'Elle fat kadimoh tah>
Literal translation: Lost is the person who forgets his/her past.
Hidden meaning: Remember what you were before bragging about what you became..
Applicability: Criticizing those who want to be disassociated from their roots.
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<Labbes 'el bousa tebka 3arousa>
Literal translation: Dress-up a stick and you get a doll.
Hidden meaning: Make up (cosmetics) can make the ugly quite pretty.
Applicability: Don't be fooled by appearances..
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'En kan habibak 3asal ma-telhasoush kolloh>
Literal translation: If your friend is like honey, then don't lick all of it!
Hidden meaning: Do not take advantage of the sweetness of a dear friend!
Applicability: Criticizing a person who abuses the generosity of a friend.
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<makedroush 3al Homar kedrom 3al barda3a>
Literal transalation: They couldn't beat the donkey so they beat the saddle!
Hidden meaning: Be fair. Blame the source of the problem.
Applicability: Inability to see the real problem and the real evil.
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<malekyoush fi 'elward 3eib kalom ya 'aHmar el-khaddein>
Literal translation: They found no wrong with roses, so they said it is red!
Hidden meaning: People will disagree with you no matter how perfect you are.
Applicability: When people criticize just for the sake of criticizing.
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<ya dakhel bein el-baSala we 'eshret-ha may noubak 'ella Sannet-ha>
Literal translation: Oh you getting in between the onion and its peel, you
want get anything other than its bad smell.
Hidden meaning: Mind your own business
Applicability: To advise somebody you gets involved in a dispute when he/she
shouldn't.
<TabbaKH el-sim dawa'uh>
Literal translation: A cook tastes his own cooking, even if it's poison.
Hidden meaning: One gets the results of one's own actions
Applicability: To comment on somebody who suffers from his/her wrong acts
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<3aKluh fi rasuh ye3raf KHalasuh>
Literal translation: He has his own brain, he can solve his own problems.
Hidden meaning: Don't get into others' own business
Applicability: To advise somebody not to intervene in somebody else's business
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<el-3a'l zeena>
Literal translation: Having brains make a person look good.
Hidden meaning: Wisdom is beautiful; foolishness is ugly!
Applicability: To praise a wise man/woman
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<el-salaf talaf we el-rad KHosara>
Literal translation: Borrowing is bad, and paying back is a loss.
Hidden meaning: None
Applicability: Advice given to discourage borrowing
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geh yekaHalha 3amaha>
Literal translation: In trying to put make-up around the eye, he blinded it.
Hidden meaning: Instead of fixing it, he messed it up even more!
Applicability: When somebody, trying to fix a situation, causes more harm
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<eb3ed Habba tezeid maHabba>
Literal translation: Go far, you'll be loved more.
Hidden meaning: The far-away friend is loved more
Applicability: Comment on somebody's love for a far-away friend
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<'a3ma we beygur mekasaH>
Literal translation: A blind pulling a cripple.
Hidden meaning: None
Applicability: To criticize people whose claim to know it all when they are
missing the basics.
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< el-kezb ma loosh reglein >
Literal translation: Lies have no legs.
Hidden meaning: Lies will be discovered
Applicability: To comment on the fate of a lier
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<ekfi el-edrah 3ala fummaha, teTla3 el-bent le `umaha>
Literal translation: Place the pot upside down, and the girl will take after
her mother.
Hidden meaning: A daughter will grow to be very similar to her mom
Applicability: Comment on the physical or character resemblance of mother and
daughter.
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<al-Toyoor 3ala ashkaleha taka3>
Literal translation: Birds of all kinds will end up landing
Hidden meaning: Don't be fooled by appearances
Applicability: Same as english saying "birds of feather flock together"
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<el-markeb elli feeha rayysein teGHra'>
Literal translation: A boat with two captains will sink
Hidden meaning: You can't have to leaders for a group
Applicability: Same as english saying "too many cooks spoil the soup"
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<haza al-shebl men zaka al-asad>
Literal translation: This baby from this lion
Hidden meaning: Kids inherit their parents stature
Applicability: Words of praise for a promising kid (same as english "a chip of
the old block")
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<Ebn el wezz 3awwam>
Literal translation: The goose's (maybe swan's) son is a good swimmer
Hidden meaning: Like father like son (in a good sense)
Applicability: When a son is as gifted as his father in a certain aspect
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<be3eid 3an el-3ein, be3eid 3an el-'alb>
Literal translation: out of sight, out of mind
Hidden meaning: Distance makes one forget old friendships/relationships
Applicability: Obvious
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Literal translation: A person with a wound on his head keeps touching it..
Hidden meaning: A person is likely to point to his/her own weaknesses..
Applicability: When somebody's acts expose what he/she is trying to hide.
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<3ala kad lehafak med regleak>
Literal translation: Stretch your legs as far as your quilt (blanket) goes..
Hidden meaning: Do not do what you cannot afford..
Applicability: When extravagancy is unaffordable.
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<'Elle fat kadimoh tah>
Literal translation: Lost is the person who forgets his/her past.
Hidden meaning: Remember what you were before bragging about what you became..
Applicability: Criticizing those who want to be disassociated from their roots.
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<Labbes 'el bousa tebka 3arousa>
Literal translation: Dress-up a stick and you get a doll.
Hidden meaning: Make up (cosmetics) can make the ugly quite pretty.
Applicability: Don't be fooled by appearances..
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'En kan habibak 3asal ma-telhasoush kolloh>
Literal translation: If your friend is like honey, then don't lick all of it!
Hidden meaning: Do not take advantage of the sweetness of a dear friend!
Applicability: Criticizing a person who abuses the generosity of a friend.
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<makedroush 3al Homar kedrom 3al barda3a>
Literal transalation: They couldn't beat the donkey so they beat the saddle!
Hidden meaning: Be fair. Blame the source of the problem.
Applicability: Inability to see the real problem and the real evil.
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<malekyoush fi 'elward 3eib kalom ya 'aHmar el-khaddein>
Literal translation: They found no wrong with roses, so they said it is red!
Hidden meaning: People will disagree with you no matter how perfect you are.
Applicability: When people criticize just for the sake of criticizing.
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<ya dakhel bein el-baSala we 'eshret-ha may noubak 'ella Sannet-ha>
Literal translation: Oh you getting in between the onion and its peel, you
want get anything other than its bad smell.
Hidden meaning: Mind your own business
Applicability: To advise somebody you gets involved in a dispute when he/she
shouldn't.
<TabbaKH el-sim dawa'uh>
Literal translation: A cook tastes his own cooking, even if it's poison.
Hidden meaning: One gets the results of one's own actions
Applicability: To comment on somebody who suffers from his/her wrong acts
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<3aKluh fi rasuh ye3raf KHalasuh>
Literal translation: He has his own brain, he can solve his own problems.
Hidden meaning: Don't get into others' own business
Applicability: To advise somebody not to intervene in somebody else's business
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<el-3a'l zeena>
Literal translation: Having brains make a person look good.
Hidden meaning: Wisdom is beautiful; foolishness is ugly!
Applicability: To praise a wise man/woman
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<el-salaf talaf we el-rad KHosara>
Literal translation: Borrowing is bad, and paying back is a loss.
Hidden meaning: None
Applicability: Advice given to discourage borrowing
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geh yekaHalha 3amaha>
Literal translation: In trying to put make-up around the eye, he blinded it.
Hidden meaning: Instead of fixing it, he messed it up even more!
Applicability: When somebody, trying to fix a situation, causes more harm
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<eb3ed Habba tezeid maHabba>
Literal translation: Go far, you'll be loved more.
Hidden meaning: The far-away friend is loved more
Applicability: Comment on somebody's love for a far-away friend
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<'a3ma we beygur mekasaH>
Literal translation: A blind pulling a cripple.
Hidden meaning: None
Applicability: To criticize people whose claim to know it all when they are
missing the basics.
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< el-kezb ma loosh reglein >
Literal translation: Lies have no legs.
Hidden meaning: Lies will be discovered
Applicability: To comment on the fate of a lier
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<ekfi el-edrah 3ala fummaha, teTla3 el-bent le `umaha>
Literal translation: Place the pot upside down, and the girl will take after
her mother.
Hidden meaning: A daughter will grow to be very similar to her mom
Applicability: Comment on the physical or character resemblance of mother and
daughter.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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<al-Toyoor 3ala ashkaleha taka3>
Literal translation: Birds of all kinds will end up landing
Hidden meaning: Don't be fooled by appearances
Applicability: Same as english saying "birds of feather flock together"
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<el-markeb elli feeha rayysein teGHra'>
Literal translation: A boat with two captains will sink
Hidden meaning: You can't have to leaders for a group
Applicability: Same as english saying "too many cooks spoil the soup"
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<haza al-shebl men zaka al-asad>
Literal translation: This baby from this lion
Hidden meaning: Kids inherit their parents stature
Applicability: Words of praise for a promising kid (same as english "a chip of
the old block")
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<Ebn el wezz 3awwam>
Literal translation: The goose's (maybe swan's) son is a good swimmer
Hidden meaning: Like father like son (in a good sense)
Applicability: When a son is as gifted as his father in a certain aspect
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<be3eid 3an el-3ein, be3eid 3an el-'alb>
Literal translation: out of sight, out of mind
Hidden meaning: Distance makes one forget old friendships/relationships
Applicability: Obvious
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