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Proverbs and Idioms
Common Arabic proverbs and their meanings.
الصبر مفتاح الفرج
Patience is the key to relief
Al-sabr miftah al-faraj
Lit: patience is the key to relief
من جد وجد
He who strives finds
Man jadda wajada
Lit: he who strives, finds
العقل زينة
The mind is an adornment
Al-aql zina
Lit: the mind is an adornment
الوقت من ذهب
Time is gold
Al-waqt min dhahab
Lit: time is from gold
الصدق منجاة
Honesty is salvation
Al-sidq munjah
Lit: truthfulness is a path to salvation
خير الأمور الوسط
The best of things is the middle
Khayr al-umur al-wasat
Lit: the best of matters is the middle
العلم نور
Knowledge is light
Al-ilm nur
Lit: knowledge is light
اليد الواحدة لا تصفق
You cannot clap with one hand
Al-yad al-wahida la tusaffiq
Lit: one hand does not clap
اضرب حديداً وهو حار
Strike while the iron is hot
Idrib hadidan wa-huwa harr
Lit: strike iron while it is hot
على قدر أهل العزم تأتي العزائم
Determination is proportional to will
Ala qadr ahl al-azm
Lit: ambitions come in proportion to the ambitious
جزاء سنمار
Ingratitude for good service
Jaza' sinimmar
Lit: the reward of Sinimmar (betrayal for service)
ما حك جلدك مثل ظفرك
No one helps like yourself
Ma hakka jildaka mithla zafrak
Lit: nothing scratches your skin like your own nail
