Arabic Proverbs (Egyptian 19th Century)

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NU IVE R S
SRSIITT Y OF MICHIGAN.
OF
VE
IGAN
THE
THE
LIBRARIES
1
ARABIC PROVERBS ;
OR
THE MANNERS AND CUSTOMS
OF THE
MODERN EGYPTIANS,
ILLUSTRATED
FROM THEIR PROVERBIAL SAYINGS CURRENT AT CAIRO ;
TRANSLATED AND EXPLAINED
BY THE LATE
JOHN LEWIS BURCKHARDT,
SECOND EDITION .
LONDON :
BERNARD QUARITCH, 15, PICCADILLY,
MDCCCLXXV
PN
6519
· A7
395
1875
cop .2
LONDON :
HARRISON AND SONS, PRINTERS IN ORDINARY TO HER MAJESTI,
ST. MARTIN'S LANE .
RE
GeJneb.Lciobmr,ary
Nuttall
2.24-42
44787
0 -4-4225
added
copy
3
TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE.
Many of the proverbial sayings translated in this

volume, were collected by Sheref ed dýn Ibn Asad,
( cm ) w w w j a native of Cairo, who lived , it
is said, early in the last century, but never acquired
a very high literary reputation. The translator
found those Proverbs written upon nine or ten leaves
in the common -place book of a sheikh, with whom
he was acquainted in this city ; but they wanted
explanation or commentary. Of those he has
omitted a considerable number, many being alto
gether uninteresting, and others so grossly indelicate
that he could not venture to lay them before the
public, although it must be acknowledged that they
excelled in wit. Several sayings which appear to
have been popular in the time of Ibn Asad , are no
longer current ; and these the translator has marked
with an asterisk .
The original collection he has augmented by
some hundreds, committed to paper as he heard them
quoted in general society or in the bázár. Where
the sense of a Proverb did not seem quite clear, he
iv TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE.
has explained it, or at least noticed the meaning

commonly assigned to it, as well as any peculiarity
of language wherever the provincial idiom differs
from the learned Arabic. In this labour he was
assisted by many intelligent Arabs of Cairo. The
natives, in general, are so fond of figurative language
and of witty allusions and comparisons taken from
low life, that these sayings are constantly quoted on
every common occasion , and express the tendency or
moral of an event much better than could be done
by a long or flowery speech. Many of these sayings
are rhythmical, and sometimes the rhymes are ex
tremely happy ; but the drollery is lost in a plain
translation, which has been rendered as literal as
possible, and in which the true sense has never been
sacrificed to elegance. They are written in the
vulgar dialect of Cairo, such as every inhabitant
understands and every one uses, except perhaps a
few who affect to despise the language of the lower
classes. These Proverbs offer a genuine specimen of
the Arabic at present spoken in the Egyptian capital,
and the same, or very nearly the same, as that used
in the towns of the Delta,
These sayings are useful, as they serve to show
us how the Arabs judge of men and things, and in
this respect it must de acknowledged that many are
dictated by wisdom and sagacity. Several Scriptural
sayings and maxims of ancient sages will be found
here naturalized among Arabs ; as well as some
TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE. V
Proverbs which have generally been supposed of

European origin.
Meidani has collected many sayings that were
current among the ancient Arabs at the most bril
liant period of their social state and of their
language; but the present collection offers to our
view a different nation and different manners ; it
also exhibits in some places an adulterated dialect,
and alludes to vices which were probably but little
known among the forefathers of the Egyptians. It
proves , however, that the language is not by any
means so corrupted as various travellers have
imagined, and that the principles of virtue and
honour, of friendship and true charity, of inde
pendence and generosity, are perfectly well known
to the modern inhabitants of Egypt, although very
few among them take the trouble of regulating their
conduct accordingly.
The number of nine hundred and ninety -nine
Proverbs might easily have been augmented by one,
but the translator refrains from completing the thou
sand, adopting here aa notion prevalent among Arabs,
that even numbers are unlucky, and that any thing
perfect in its quantity is particularly affected by the
evil eye. He does not pretend to possess such a
thorough knowledge of the learned Arabic as would
have enabled him to indicate every instance of dis
crepancy between the language of these popular
sayings and that used by the ancient Arabian
vi NOTE OF THE EDITOR .
writers. His long residence at Cairo rendered the of
vulgar idiom of its inhabitants familiar to him ; and om
fro
knowing how few specimens of that idiom have
1
hitherto been published, he flatters himself with the th
hope that this collection may interest and gratify eas
the Orientalist, and that his explanations will be th

in
regarded as the hasty work of a traveller subject to st
numerous inconveniences, and who may, in some CO
cases, have been deceived by erroneous or defective of

cu
information, and not criticised as the elaborate
ph
treatise of a learned Arabic scholar or grammarian, al]
surrounded by all the means of making his com th
position perfect.
PI
CAIRO, 25th of March, 1817. W
ne
ha
SE
(
lit
NOTE OF THE EDITOR. es
07
To Burckhardt's short Preface aa few lines must here be added.

r
That accomplished traveller has sufficiently explained his
motives for withholding from publication several Proverbs which
had found a place in his original collection. It seems necessary
that the Editor should account why this volume does not
contain even so many as Burckhardt evidently intended to
publish (nine hundred and ninety - nine ). The numerical series
is interrupted in various parts of the manuscript, not by any
accidental injury, mutilation , or loss of leaves, but by chasms,
which amount in some instances to whole decades of Proverbs;
the most considerable deficiency occurring where in the middle
NOTE OF THE EDITOR . vii
of a page) immediately after No. 516 follows No. 577. These

omissions may not unreasonably be supposed to have arisen
from the writer's mistake of one figure for another ; in fact the
1 of No. 516 so much resembles a 7, (being nearly joined to
the 5 by a stroke of the pen at its upper part,) that it might
easily deceive the eye. Some allowance must also be made for
the effect of those inconvenient circumstances to which our
ingenious traveller has above alluded. Under whatever circum .
stances of difficulty, danger, or inconvenience, he may have
collected and explained these Proverbs, his work offers a variety
of curious and original information respecting the manners ,
customs, and opinions of an extraordinary people ; while his
philological remarks must prove highly useful and interesting to
all who are desirous of understanding, with critical accuracy,
the modern Arabic dialect used at Cairo.
In the composition of this work, as of his volumes already
published, he adopted the language of our country, and generally
with sufficient correctness ; it has been, however, in some places,
necessary to substitute an English for a foreign idiom , Burck
hardt's meaning being on all occasions most scrupulously pre
served ; even where his translation of certain terms or phrases
(which the Arabic scholar will soon discover) appeared more
literal than decent, it has been endeavoured by circumlocution to
express the sense without offending delicacy. These and the
omission of a few Proverbs (found to agree most exactly both in
words and signification with others given under preceding
numbers) constitute the only liberties which have been assumed
by the Editor.
WILLIAM OUSELEY.
London, May 21st, 1830.
ERRATUM . — Proverb No. 138. For oslo read alo
!
ARABIC PROVERBS
OF THE
MODERN EGYPTIAN S.
‫حرف الألف‬
No. 1 .
‫الف دقدق ولا سلام علیک‬

A thousand raps at the door, but no salute or
invitation from within.
This is said of a person's fruitless endeavours to
become intimate with another.
2
.
‫الف قفا ولا قفاي‬

(Let them strike or slap) a thousand necks, but not
mine.
Among the Arabs it is usual to strike the neck
(les) and not the ears. A blow on the neck is con
B
2 ARABIC PROVERBS .
sidered a much greater affront than a slap on the

face. Not only the neck, but a blow struck upon
the neck, is expressed in the Egyptian dialect by le .
Thus “ I struck him a blow on his neck ,” (löä сüns)
is exactly equivalent in its meaning to the English
phrase, “ I boxed his ears."
3.
‫الكف‬
‫الف كركي في اجت ما تعوض عصفور في‬
A thousand cranes in the air are not worth one
sparrow in the fist.
The crane ss $ is a bird common in the Delta,
‫ كف‬pro
particularly about the Lake of Menzaleh . ces
perly signifies the “ hand ,” or “ palm of the hand ;"
"
but in Egypt is generally used for the “ fist.

4.
‫اذا كان القمر معك لا تبالي بالنجوم‬

If the moon be with thee, thou needest not to care
about the stars.
5.
‫اذا كان معک نحس لا تسيبه يجيك انحس منه‬

If a worthless fellow be with thee, do not let him go, or
else one worse will come to thee.
The general meaning is, that we should bear

present ills rather than, by endeavouring to remove
them , expose ourselves to greater. This saying
ARABIC PROVERBS . 3
is often quoted with respect to servants, whose

dishonesty and insolence are subjects of universal
complaint throughout Egypt. The word ‫ب‬om ‫ يسی‬in
6
common acceptation signifies “to leave a thing, to

let it go out of one's hands.” The word cmoiis used
in Egypt to express a low, disorderly, unprincipled
character — a base, worthless fellow ,
6.
‫اذا كانت العمايم تشتكي الغسة ایش یکون حال الألبسة‬

If the turbans complain of a slight wind, what must
be the state of the inner drawers ?
This proverb is quoted when the citizens of Cairo
murmur at oppression, the peasants having much
greater reason for being discontented. ämell flatus,
‫ ایش‬in the Egyptian dialect used for ‫ اي شي‬- ‫البسة‬,
plural of cow , drawers worn under the great trowsers.
7.
‫اذا كان زوجي راضي ایش فضول القاضي‬

If my husband consent, why should the kadhy's inter
ference be necessary.
This means in general that when two parties who
have contended agree to be reconciled , the arbitration
of a third person is not requisite . But the saying
more particularly alludes to divorces, which in many
cases are determined by the kadhy. ‫ل‬Jenis ‫ فضو‬in the
Egyptian dialect, signifies — the meddling, officious
interference of a third person .
4 ARABIC PROVERBS ,
8.
‫اذا نسيت الحمد تصلي بايش‬

If thou forgettest to say “ Praise be to God ," in what
other words wilt thou pray ? .
This is addressed to persons who neglect the
principal object or part of their business, and execute
only that which is the least important. ubi means
the expression will unbl, which commences the Fateha,
or first chapter of the Koran, and should be recited
in every prayer. ‫ بایش‬in the Egyptian dialect for
sam sl. The Egyptians always put this after the
verb in interrogations, as wüul shas — whilst the
Syrians invariably place it before, and say she cable
9.
‫اذا كرهک جارک غير باب دارک‬

If thy neighbour dislike thee, change the gate of thy
house.
The intimacy with neighbours is much greater in

the East than in Europe ; and the repose of a family
often depends upon the harmony subsisting between
it and those who occupy the adjoining house.
10.
‫اذا حلق جارك بل انت‬

If thy neighbour shaves (somebody), do thou soak (the
head of the person whom he shaves)..
Always endeavour to act agreeably to the wishes
ARABIC PROVERBS . 5
of thy neighbour. Ju to wet, meaning here to wet

the head with a lather of soap before the application
of a razor.
11 .
‫اذا اراد ربنا هلاک نملة انبت لها اجنحة‬

If God proposes the destruction of an ant, he allows
wings to grow upon her.
The sudden elevation of persons to stations above
their means or capacities, may often cause their ruin .
12.
‫اذا رايت اعور عبر اقلب حجر‬

If thou seest a one -eyed person pass by, turn up a
stone.
The people of Cairo turn up a stone or break a

water-jar behind the back of any person whom they
dislike, just on his leaving them, hoping thereby to
prevent his return ; this is a kind of incantation.
The term one-eyed here expresses a person disagree
able on any account. The Arabs regard a one-eyed
man as of bad omen (pages), and nobody wishes to
meet him.
13 .
bizi ‫اذا رايت حيط مایل هرول من‬

If thou seest a wall inclining, run from under it.
Fly from him whose power is tottering, or whom
dangers threaten . In the Egyptian dialect bus is
used for ‫حایط‬.
6 ARABIC PROVERBS.
14 .
‫اذا كثرت الالوان اعرف انها من بيوت الجيران‬

If the dishes increase in number, it becomes known
that they are from the houses of neighbours.
In the East, neighbours frequently supply the
wants of their friend's kitchen on occasion of family
feasts. This saying implies that when a person makes
too expensive an entertainment, it is evident that he
.h borrowed fromas others ‫) لون‬in the plural ‫الوان‬
means not only “ a colour," but, among the Egyptians,
a dish of dressed victuals.
15 .
‫اذا كترت النواتية غرقت الركب‬

If the sailors become too numerous, the ship sinks.
‫ كترت‬instead of ‫کثرت‬-The
. e is seldom pro
nounced in Egypt.
16 .
‫اذا حبت حية اطوق بها‬

If a serpent love thee, wear him as a necklace.
If dangerous people show affection towards thee,
court their friendship by the most polite attention .
17.
‫اذا انكسر الجمل حمل حمل حمار‬

If thy camel break down, put on an ass - load .
Suit thy business to thy circumstances.
ARABIC PROVERBS . 7
18 .
‫اذا كان الكفن خلق و الغاسل اعور و الدكة مكسورة و الأرض سبخة‬
‫يكون الميت من اهل جهنم‬
If the winding -sheet be ragged , and the corpse-washer
one-eyed, and the bier broken, and the burial
ground a saltish soil, then truly the deceased
must belong to the inhabitants of hell.
If everything in a person's business goes wrong,
‫ دكة‬is properly a
he must be totally ruined at last. 3
stand or frame on which the coffin rests before it is
removed to the grave .
19 .
‫اذا بليت بالشحاتة دق الأبواب الكبار‬

If mendicity should unfortunately be thy lot, knock at
the large gates only.
Ask assistance from those only who have the
power of helping thee.
20 .
‫اذا كان البصل يهلل له فالسكر ايش نقول له‬

Ifan onion causes his loud rejoicings, what then shall
we say to sugar ?
Said of people who bestow admiration upon trifling
objects.
21 .
‫أنا سوى حصاد شرشر منجلک‬

If they call thee reaper , whet thy scythe.
Endeavour, even by mere appearances, to con
8 ARABIC PROVERBS .
vince people that thou deservest the reputation that

thou enjoyest.
22 .
‫حضر المأ بطل التيمم‬ ‫أنا‬

If water is present for ablution, the use of sand is
discontinued .
Affluence renders unnecessary what is practised

during poverty. ‫ التيمم‬is the ablution with sand
which the Turkish law prescribes when water cannot
be procured.
23 .
‫انا حضرت الملايكة غابت الشياطين‬

When the angels present themselves, the devils abscond.
24 .
‫أنا هب الهوي دخل دخل الشقوق‬
‫ه‬.‫وج‬.‫دالحسي‬.‫م‬
* ‫ب‬
*
‫ر‬
If the wind blows, it enters at every crevice.
A lucky person is fortunate in the most trifling
.affair ‫ شقوق‬plural of
. a
‫شق‬, fissure in the wall
25 .
‫اذا كان في ايدک دهن امساكه فن اقرب الناس اليک‬

If there be grease on thy hand, rub it off at thy
nearest friend's.
Let your own kindred, and not strangers, share
in your superfluities, or the fragments from your
ARABIC PROVERBS . 9
‫ اید‬is used at Cairo for w — and pronounced

table. Jul
there eed, not yed, as it ought to be.
26.
‫اذا رايته يسبه اعلم انه يحبه‬

If thou seest him reproaching and swearing at him ,
know that he loves him .
De amatoribus dicitur. ‫ بسب‬is commonly used
at Cairo for reviling, calling opprobrious names, or
swearing at a person .
27. *
‫اذا جا المأ طوفان اجعل ابنك تحت رجليک‬

If the water come like a deluge, place thy son under
thy feet.
Save thyself, even at the expense of thy nearest
kindred or friends — a selfish principle very general in
the Levant. According to Moslim tradition, when the
deluge came and the rebel sons of Noah felt the water
approach their ankles, they took their little children
in their arms ; when the water rose higher, they
placed them upon their shoulders, then upon their
heads ; but at last, when the flood reached to their
own mouths, they put the children under their feet, en
deavouring to keep their own heads above the water.
28. *
s
‫اللص العيار ما يسرق من حارته شي‬

The thief who understands his business does not steal
from his own quarter (of the town).
well, able, clever, expert.
C
10 ARABIC PROVERBS .
29.
‫اخر الليل تسمع العياط‬

• At the close of the night the cries are heard.
This saying is addressed to persons exulting in
good fortune, to warn them of the final issue. The
night may have passed tranquilly, but at the end
affrays often happen, occasioned either by drunkards,
profligates coming from the houses of public women ,
or by robbers, who generally commit depredations at
that time, when they suppose the inhabitants to be
asleep
30 .
‫اخر الطب الكي‬

The ultimate remedy is a cautery.
If nothing else will avail, violent measures must
be at last adopted.
31 .
‫العرس عرس ابونا و الناس يضاربونا‬

The nuptials are the nuptials of our father, yet the
people fight with us.
Those who have the strongest claim find them
selves dispossessed of the advantage by others. This
saying alludes to a crowd of fellows who have as
sembled at a nuptial entertainment, but beat and
displace the bridegroom's children , to make room for
themselves.
ARABIC PROVERBS . 11
32 .
‫الحبلة الشتهته و المرضعة اكلته‬

The pregnant woman longed for it, but the nurse ate it.
This proverb resembles in sense that immediately
preceding. The whims of pregnant women are treated
with indulgence in the East as well as in Europe.
33 .
‫الطحان ياخد كف بكف و ربنا ياخد بغل ببغل‬

The miller takes ( steals) handful by handful, but the
Lord takes (sums up his reckoning) mule ( load)
by mule (load ).
‫ ياخد‬in Egypt used for ‫ياخذ‬the- ‫ذ‬-being
gene
rally pronounced as s.
34.
‫الحجامة بالغاس ولا الحاجة لناس‬

Rather be scarificd with an axe than require favours
from others.
‫ الحاجة‬for ‫الاحتياج‬. It might likewise mean a
thing, or (as hereafter remarked ), and so under
stood would signify, “better to be scarified with an
axe than to owe or be indebted to others for any
thing."" äolosul means cupping, also to make mere
scarifications on the forehead or legs — a common
practice in the Levant. Among the Bedouins, a
father threatening his son , says, ‫ “ اذا فعلته ناکاکمک‬if
you do so we shall cup (or scarify) you ."
35 .
‫الريس يکبک امسح يدك في القلع‬

* The captain (of the ship) loves thee, wipe thy hand
on the sail.
He who is favoured by government may do any

thing with impunity.
36 .
‫انا احب حماتي و احب عند أنفي تغسي‬

( Yes )—I like my mother-in -law, and I like also that
she should make a (disgusting) smell under my
nose ( crepitum reddendo ).
This refers to a silly, obstinate fellow , who per
sists in longing for what offends others. In the East
it is generally supposed that a mother- in - law cannot
long be on good terms with the son -in -law , and her
name is commonly used as a term expressing " dis
agreeable kindred .” Here is to be understood
‫واحب انها عند‬
37.*
‫العب مع العبد یوریک شقه‬

Play with a slave, he will show to thee his hinder parts.
Low people become insolent if you admit them to
familiarity.com is equivalent to juba or rather to
‫خرق الطيز‬
38 .
‫اعور وقعت في عينه الصحيحة قشة قال الله‬

‫يمسيكم بالخير‬
A splinter entered the sound eye of a one-eyed person .
“ I wish you good night,” said he.
He fancied that night had arrived. This refers
to those who judge the world merely by their own
sensations, and suppose that every one must feel as
they do. äs in the Egyptian dialect, signifies any
small piece of wood, straw , &c.
39. *
‫احدب ويشقلب‬
He is hump-backed , yet whirls about.
‫ يشقلب‬properly expresses those tours de force "
practised by a rope dancer in wheeling round his
whole body with the head forwards.
40 .
‫اعمي ویشالق‬
He is blind, and still ogles the women.
‫ پشالق علي النسوان‬or ‫ يتشالق‬is commonly used at

Cairo to describe the glances which a man passing in
the street directs towards the shutters, behind which
the women sit.
41.*
‫الكلام لك يا جارة الا انت حجارة‬

It is to thee I speak, my ( fair) neighbour ; but truly
thou art an ass .
This is said of dull persons, unable to comprehend

a slight hint. A man conversing with his own wife,
was desirous of giving a hint to his neighbour's wife,
of whom he was the gallant, and who overheard the
conversation ; but she did not understand him , and
he in a rage used the words above quoted.
42 .
‫ان جات الدادة احن من الوالدة دي حنية فاسدة‬

If the midwife happen to have more commiseration
(for the child ) than the mother, that is a corrupt
feeling.
The humane intentions of inferior officers are of
little 'avail, if the spirit of government be unmerciful.
‫لدادة‬.th
‫ا‬ e
midwife ‫ دي‬used in Egypt for ‫هذي‬.
änis may likewise be translated " affection ."
43. *
‫ایش ما طبخت العيشة لزوجها بيتعشا‬

Whatever the half-blind wife cooks for her husband ,
he sups on it.
Custom reconciles us to bad living. vus half
blind, sore-eyed. (The

( Egyptians frequently use the
‫عش‬.
imprecation, “ blindness to thy eyes,” Time şi‫ في‬vús.)
The of live is according to the Egyptian dialect,
and often prefixed to verbs ; but still more commonly
in Syria than in Egypt.
44*.
‫اللي في الدست تطلعه المغرفة‬

What is in the cauldron is taken out with the kitchen
spoon .
Every affair requires its own peculiar treatment,
and its own people to bring it to a conclusion : also,
to obtain information , the proper mode must be
adopted. ‫ اللي‬used in Egypt for ‫الذي‬. ‫ يطلع‬has
many significations ; it here means " to take out."
äjäll is the great kitchen ladle or wooden spoon .
45 .
‫الباطل ما له رجلين‬
The lazy person has no legs.
The Egyptians pronounce a as if it were written
j loo, instead of saying lahoo.
46.
‫ الميت كلب‬9‫الجنازة حامية و‬

The burial is attended by crowds of people, the
deceased is - a dog.
Alluding to great honours bestowed on persons
not worthy of them . ‫ حامية‬signifies a burial or
Ävela
funeral when it is “ hot ;" i.e., attended by multitudes .
16 ARABIC PROVERBS.
47.
‫العب بالمقصوص حتي پاجیک الديواني‬

Play with false coin until thou gettest a diwány. 1
uggsco is the old clipped silver or copper coin,

likewise false coin . The Egyptians more generally
Díwány is
use ‫ زغل‬or ‫ زيوف‬to express false money.. Dauting
the same as pará. To gain, begin humbly.
48 .
‫الفرخ الناجب من البيضة يبان‬

The fine pullet shows its excellence from the egg.
The pullets most likely to thrive are those which
cry from the very egg. This is likewise expressed
by the saying
‫الكتكوت الناصع من البيضة يصيح‬
The words ‫ فرخ‬and ‫تكوت‬.a
‫ ك‬synon
re ymous
49. *
‫الدنيا مراية اوريها توریک‬

The world is a mirror ; show thyself in it, and it will
reflect thy image.
We may also translate thus : “ show thyself in it
(i.e., be frank with the people), and it will let thee
see its image ” (i.e., people will be frank with thee).
This meaning would be more clearly expressed by
the words ‫اوريها نفسک توریک نغسها‬. In the Egyptian
น
dialect ‫ مراية‬is used for ‫مراة‬.

ARABIC PROVERBS. 17
50.
‫الليلة النيرة من العصر بينة‬

From the aszer (or afternoon ) it appears whether the
night will be clear.
This (like No. 48) means that a person gives
indications of his future virtues from early youth.
‫ بينة‬is much used among the Egyptians for ‫باينة‬.
51 .
‫اتعمم بأسفوط ولا تنسي الشروط‬

Tie a turban of straw round thy head, but do not
forget thy engagements.
Play the fool as much as thou wilt, but observe
thy promises and engagements. ‫ط‬bgiwi
‫ اسغو‬ribbands of
straw from which baskets are made. Idiots fasten
them like turbans about their heads. przeüs signifies
“ to tie a turban."
52 .
‫المستعجل و البطي عند المعدية يلتقي‬

The hasty and the tardy meet at the ferry.
‫ مع‬a ferry-boat. The
Extremes often meet : äideo
ferries wait a long time on the banks of the Nile,
until the complement of passengers be full.
53 .
‫الاسم لطوبة و الفعايل لامشیر‬

l'ooba bears the name, but the deeds belong to Emshyr.
This alludes to the common saying, ‫ ‘‘ برد طوبة‬the
cold of the Tooba,” which in Egypt is applied to any
D
18 ARABIC PROVERBS.
considerable degree of cold . Tooba is the Coptic

month comprehending the greater part of January :
but the coldest month in Egypt, although it has not
the character of being so, is Emshyr, the month next
after Tooba.
54 .
‫اشتهينا علي دي الطلق يكي غلام‬

From the mother's efforts in labour, we expected the
birth of a male child .
“ Parturiunt montes, nascitur ridiculus mus.”
Sons are much more desired than daughters through
out the East. coilbo “ the labour of a woman in child
bed .”
55.*
‫ايل بحبة و حااسسبب البطال‬

Work (were it only) for a single grain, and reckon up
the profits of him who does nothing.
ão often means “ a trifle.” Thus it is said, äos,
“ not even the smallest trifle . "
56 .
‫أن لقيتها قطع ایزارها قال الدورة علي لم الشمل‬

If thou find her, cut her veil in two. “ The object is
now tofind the chance of meeting her,” he replied.
It is not sufficient to form projects, circumstances
must favour us in executing them . ‫ر‬spl ‫ ایزا‬aa woman's
veil, generally of black silk or cotton. Jo is here
put for J lll Jl . In the Egyptian dialect 3jou means

“now, for once, above all.” Bygd “ in my turn.”
bowlj literally, “ the gathering together what is
separated ;” or as here, “ to cause or find a meeting .”
The expression ‫ الدورة علي لم الشمل‬often signifies
nothing more than “if, if !”
57 .
‫انا اخبر بشمس بلدي‬

I best know the sun of my own country .
Every one knows best his own affairs, and those
interested in them.
58 .
‫الزلابية محرمة علي الكلب‬

The Zalabye is ( a dish ) forbidden to the dogs.
The higher classes only can enjoy certain pleasures.
awy; are round cakes made of flour, butter, and
sugar ; not much in fashion of late at Cairo.
59.*
‫المحتاج اخو القرنان‬

The needy is the brother of the cuckold.
The needy husband connives at the dishonourable
earnings of his unfaithful wife. The term ‫قرنان‬
(cuckold ) is no longer used at Cairo. Cuckolds and
procurers are generally comprised under the same
appellation ‫ و معرس‬which is the common expression of
insult among the Egyptians, and heard on every
occasion, Equivalent to cujes are the words sig; and
‫دماغ‬.
2Û ARABIC PROVERBS.
60 .
‫الخنفسة في عين أمها ملياحة‬

The beetle is a beauty in the eyes of its mother.
On the infatuation of parents. The beetle
(ämeis ) is cited by the present Egyptians as re
markable for its ugliness. They use aho in the sense
of “ handsome .”
61 .
‫العمل بالزيت ولا القعاد في البيت‬

Work, though thy gain be merely the oil, rather than
sit (idle) at home.
This alludes to the oil with which lamps are
lighted, and which costs each family at least two
paras every night. To express that a man is
reduced to abject poverty, the Egyptians say, “ he
has not as much as would pay for the oil.” ‫ما عنده‬
‫حق الزيت‬
62.
‫الغايدة في الخرا ولا الغرامة في المسك‬

Gain upon dirt rather than loss upon musk.
Endeavour to gain in low pursuits rather than

lose in brilliant concerns. äolis
‫ غرامة‬is used in Egypt to
signify “ loss ; " but the term öyluss is more fre
quently employed.
63.
‫احد من بعيد‬ ‫ان سلمت الدار من سعید مايجي‬

If the house be relieved from (the presence of ) Sayd,
no other will come from afar.
This relates in general to importunate and in
truding visitors. Sayd was one of those parasites
( called Jaib) who in former times were established as
a regular corporation at Cairo, and became a plague
to all who gave entertainments. They have their
chief or sheikh , and obtruded their company at every
private feast, unless they were induced by a present
to depart from the house.
64 .
‫العاقل من غزة و المكنون من لكزة‬

The wise with a wink, the fool with a kick (are taught
to understand).
65 .
‫اتبع البوم یودیک الخراب‬

Follow the owl, she will lead thee to a ruined place.
On the consequences of bad company. ‫ يودي‬in
constant use among the Egyptians, signifying “ to
‫و‬ )
carry,” “ to lead ,” “ to transport.”
66 .
‫الدبان يعرف وجه اللبان‬

The fly knows the face of the milk -seller.
This proverb chiefly refers to the dancing girls,
22 ARABIC PROVERBS.
who, when they are brought for the amusement of

company, pay attention particularly to those whom
they soon discover to be the most inclined towards
them.
67 .
‫ابليس ما يخرب بيته‬

The devil does not destroy his (own) house.
68 .
‫ابليس يعرف ربه لكن يتخابت‬

The devil knows his Lord, but still practises evil.
On a person who understands the precepts of
religion , but never acts according to them. In the
Egyptian dialect, ‫ يتخابت‬for ‫ يتخابث‬، to practise
foul deeds," “ to intrigue,” or “embroil.”
69 .
‫السلطان پنشتم في غيبته‬

The Sultan is reviled in his absence (only ).
70.
‫البيت لنا واحدیت لنا‬

To us belong the house, and the talking ( therein ).
This expresses that we are here sole masters, or
that it is our own affair exclusively. ‫ حدیت‬for
‫ حديث‬:
ARABIC PROVERBS. 23 1
71.*
‫القحبة الكوادة ما تريد لها قوادة‬

The public woman who is liberal (of her favours), does
not wish for a procuress.
A thorough scoundrel wants no inducement to
.badactions ‫دة‬.a
‫ قوا‬procuress ‫ قاكبة‬commonly used
in Egypt for an unchaste female or prostitute.
72. *
‫اهل العرس يشتهوا المرق‬

The people concerned in the nuptials long for the broth.
Those nearest to wealth are often prevented from
enjoying it ; the great enjoy the least . In this pro
verb it is supposed that the guests devour all the
meat of the nuptial feast, leaving the members of
the family to long even for the broth.
73 .
‫اخلط الهم بالزبيبة‬

Mingle thy sorrow with Zebybe.
Drown your griefs in pleasures . awj is a pre
paration from the flower of hemp, opium, and honey,
excessively intoxicating. It is used among the lower
classes and peasants. In Hedjaz this flower of hemp
is mixed with raisins ( called Zebyb) and tobacco, and
is smoked in the Persian pipe ; from which mixture
the name of Zebybe has probably been derived.
74.
‫أما بالجمل أو بالجمال أو بصاحب الجمل‬

( The misfortune) falls either upon the camel, or upon
the camel -driver, or upon the owner of the camel.
This expresses that if aa person be once unlucky,
he is unfortunate in every thing, whether with
respect to his family or his business.
75.*
‫اوقد شمعة وفتش جمعة تلتقي شي قدر الودعة‬

Light a candle ; search for a whole week ; thou wilt
find something worth a shell.
On fruitless or childish exertions. öcs, are small
white shells brought from the Red Sea, which serve
as playthings for children , and as counters in the
.game
of mangal ‫ تلتقي‬used in Egypt for ‫تلقي‬
76.*
‫ينقلي‬, ‫العصفور يتغلي و الصيان‬

The little bird picks its breast, while the sportsman
sets his net.
The word geiss , properly a sparrow , is often

used to express any small bird. cole in the original
sense means to pick the vermin off the head or body
of a child. The birds in performing that operation
upon themselves always appear to be much pleased.
In Egypt it is said of a person shers Ju to express
that he is in a thoughtless state of security or happy
leisure. ( J's stands for claes “ he does ;” and is an
ARABIC PROVERBS. 25
auxiliary verb in constant use.) vüü

släü properly sig
nifying “ to fry a piece of meat in the pan ;" here
means, “ to turn the ends of the net-strings in the
sportsman's hand, as meat is turned with a spoon in
the frying-pan .”
77. *
$
igri
‫الوحدة ولا القرين السو‬
vij
347
JEi
To live single rather than have ill -natured companions.
78. *
‫احتاجوا لليهودي قال اليوم عيدي‬
They stood in need of the Jew (to assist them)—this
day, said he, is myfeast-day.
Addressed to persons unwilling to serve or oblige.
79. *
‫لا ساحل‬ ‫الف عشیق و‬

A thousand lovers rather than one Mostahel.
Many lovers or gallants cause less shame to a

woman than one Mostahel. According to the Moslim
law a person who has once divorced his wife cannot
re -marry her, until she has been married to some
other man who becomes her legitimate husband,
cohabits with her for one night, and divorces her the
next morning ; after which the first husband may
again possess her as his wife. Such cases are of
frequent occurrence — as men in the haste of anger
often divorce their wives by the simple expression
E
Cüöll - which cannot be retracted . In order to

regain his wife a man hires (at no inconsiderable
rate) some peasant, whom he chooses from the ugliest
that can be found in the streets ; but who must
engage effectually to consummate the nuptials. A
temporary husband of this kind is called Mostahel,
and is generally most disgusting to the wife.
80 .
‫اللي تجمعه النملة في سنة تاكله الغارة في ليلة‬

What the ant collects in the course of a whole year, >
the monk eats up in one night.

‫ اللي‬for ‫الذي‬
81 .
‫ایش تبالي السيها بعياط الكلاب‬

What does heaven care for the cries of the dogs ?
On the indifference of government to the com
plaints of the lower classes. Jhay “ to care for ”
> 66
_ “ be attentive to :” thus it is said, oli ‫ " دیر‬take
care. "
82. *
‫اقل الزاد يوصل البلاد‬

The smallest stock of provisions supports (the traveller
back) to his home.
ollut is often employed, as here, for one's home
or country.
ARABIC PROVERBS. 27
83 .
‫السر معه في بيت الوالي‬

A secret confided to him may be regarded as if it were
(published) in the house of the police officers.
slu is the chief officer of police, in whose house
every private transaction becomes known.
84 .
‫الشاقة ودنها‬ bro ‫اعطاه‬
He gave him the sheep's ear ( for his share ).

This relates to unjust or unequal divisions.
‫ ودن‬is used in Egypt for ‫اذن‬
85 .
‫اسقاه الخل باجكة الدبان‬

He gave him the vinegar to drink upon the wings of
flies.
He devised the most artful and ignominious
methods of slowly tormenting him.
86 .
‫اوراه النجوم بالنهار‬

He let him see the stars in day -time.
This proverb is exclusively applied to those who
from stinginess keep their own people in such a
state of hunger that they become faint, and every
object seems black to their eyes.
28 ARABIC PROVERBS.
87 .
‫ارقص للقرد في دولته‬

When the monkey reigns, dance before him .
88 .
‫الريس في حساب و النوتي في حساب‬

The captain (of the ship) means one way, the sailor
another.
Of a person who gives such an answer as does
.not
relate to the question asked ‫ حساب‬is not used
here in its usual sense, of “account," but stands for
‫ نية‬or ' meaning." Thus it is said ‫حسبت اني‬
‫اروح هناك‬ ،، I meant to go there.”
89 .
‫تتعب‬ ‫و‬ ‫اردب ما هو لي لا تحضر کكېبله تتغبر دقنك‬

‫في شبله‬
If the erdeb (of corn ) does not belong to thee, be not
present when it is measured out ; (else) thy beard
will be dusted , and thou wilt be wearied with the
removing of it.
Do not trouble thyself about the business of
..o the
, else thou it ‫ اردب‬the Egyptian
wilt repentrs
corn -measure, equal to about fifteen bushels.
90.
‫الفراش الشاطر ما يحتاج مهماز‬

The clever and active valet wants no one to set him
right.
.lazy T h
only require ‫ الفراش‬in Egypt
spurs e
ARABIC PROVERBS. 29
signifies the valet de chambre, who keeps his master's

clothes and keys, is the chief among his servants,
and generally his confidant. The Egyptians use the
word ; lago to express a man who is lazy himself and
only occupied in the affairs of others. The Mog
grebyns give this name to “ spurs.” In Egypt bli ‫اطر‬ve‫ش‬
denotes one who is both active and clever in his
Pfri1
business,
91 .
‫الغزالة الشاطرة تغزل برجل جار‬

A clever spinster spins with an ass's foot (as her
distaff").
Of those who do much with small means.
92 .
‫الحيطان لها اودان‬

The walls have ears.
‫ أودان‬for ‫أوذان‬
93.
‫الداخل بين البصلت و قشرتها ما ياخرج الا بصنتها‬

He who introduces himself between the onion and the
peel, does not go forth without its strong smell.
On the consequences of intimacy with bad
people. äs is used in Egypt for " stink ” or “ bad
smell."
30 ARABIC PROVERBS.
94.
‫المصارين في البطن يضاربوا‬

( Even ) the entrails in the belly quarrel together.
On family broils.
95 .
‫اطعم الغم تستحي‬

Feed the mouth , the eye will be bashful.
Give presents to great people and they will be
ashamed not to look upon you with kindness. This
saying is very common at Cairo.
96 .
‫ابيع من اخوة يوسف‬

He sells his friend more easily than the brethren of
Joseph sold him .
W signifies at Cairo one who abandons his old
friends for new, on the slightest prospect of gain.
The history of Joseph is very finely told in the
Korán .
97.
‫اطمع من اشعب‬
(He is) more greedy than Ashab.
98 .
‫اكذب من مسيلمة‬
A greater liar than Moseylama.
These two sayings relate to Ashab and Mosey
lama, ancient Arabs ( the latter a false prophet)
remarkable for the vices here imputed to them .

These personages are noticed in the following fine
verses :
‫و وعدتني حتي حسبتك صادقا‬

‫طمع اجيه و اذهب‬ ‫من‬ ‫فجعلت‬
‫انا و انت بمجلس‬ ‫فانا حضرت‬
‫هذا أشعب‬ ‫قالوا مسيلمة‬
‫و‬
Thou gavest me thy pledge so that I believed it to be true.

In my greedy hopes I went (to thy abode) and turned back .
If in society thou and I should meet,
People will say, “ here is Moseylama — and that is Ashab .”
99 .
‫اتبع الكذاب لباب الدار‬

Follow the liar to the gate of his house.
.To
ascertain whether he has spoken truth ‫الباب‬
used in Egypt for ‫الي باب‬
100. *
‫ايش يبالي البطاح أذا خرب المراح‬

What does the wolfcare if the sheep -fold be destroyed ?
て‫ بطاح‬the same as ‫ ذیب‬.a wolf
101 .
‫الغندرة المخفية التكة و الطاقية‬

Gay or expensive fashions (adopted but) concealed
consist in the Tikke and the Tákye.
Said of hypocrites or timid persons who declaim
against gay fashions, but secretly indulge in them .

El Tikke is a sash of silk or muslin, often embroidered ,
with which the trowsers of men and women are
closely tied about the loins, while it remains hidden
under the garments. El Tákye signifies a white
cambric bonnet or cap, frequently embroidered, that
is worn close to the head under the red bonnet or
Tarbosh . In the Egyptian dialect ögdiell means
" "
“high gaiety,” “ fashion ,” “ liberality ,” “ heartiness,"
The words ‫ غندور‬and ‫ غندورة‬are very
" jollity .”
common ; being applied also to low people, who in
their station and among their own acquaintances
affect to be smart and dashing. Those who do not
wish or who fear to make themselves too conspicuous
by an open display of gay fashions, console themselves
by having these two hidden articles of costly materials
and expensive workmanship. Both the Tikke and
the Tákye are among the first tokens of affection
sent by a lady to her lover. The Tikke affords
subject for many jokes in gay conversation.
102.
‫ایش افتكر لک یا بصلة مع كل عضة دمعة‬

What can I think of thy good qualities, onion ! as
every bite draws tears ?
Said of men who in this respect are like the

onion . Here is to be understood,
‫ایش افتكر لک یا بصلة من المحاسن‬
and ‫مع‬ stands for ‫مع انه‬
ARABIC PROVERBS. 33
103 .
‫راوا سکران يقرا قالوا له غني تشاكل بعضک‬

They saw a drunkard reading (the Koran ). Sing,
they said , and both thy occupations will resemble
each other.
If the verb lë stand by itself, it is often to be

understood as ‫يقرا القران‬
104 .
‫ان طلعت حرة علقي في ودني جرة‬

If thou shouldest prove a virtuous woman, hang a jar
on my ear.
I shall submit to pain and ridicule if the woman
.convirtuous
tinu‫ة‬e ‫ حز‬virtuous, as becomes a
free- born woman ."
105 .
‫العبد اما اولته او اخرته‬

(Of) the slave (take) either the first or the last.
Beware of the pains that must be taken with a
half - bred man . Purchase the slave either when he
is quite young and raw , so that he may be educated
as you please ; or when he is full grown and all his
good or bad qualities can be discovered .
106 .
‫حون‬ ‫اشتريناه للجباسة طلع للطا۔‬

We bought him ( the jackass) to turn the plaster ( of
Paris) mill; but he proved fit only for the corn mill.
. disappointeOd expectationsn ‫ جبش‬gypsum , or
F
34 ARABIC PROVERBS.
plaster of Paris. It requires much greater strength

to turn the heavy gypsum mill, than a common corn
mill. Almost every respectable house at Cairo has
its own mill which is worked by a jackass.
107 .
‫بلا جسم‬ pamil

À name without a body (or reality ).
This is said of persons who bear honourable
names . Such as
‫ حسن‬- ‫مصطفي العبدالله احمد‬
-&c. , but whose characters little answer to their
names .
108 .
‫السلف تلف‬
Lending is ruinous (to lenders and borrowers).
There is a similar proverb :
‫اللغة تربي العداوة‬
Lending nurses enmity.
célú in the Egyptian dialect, “ to advance or
lend money ." "
109 .
‫اعمل انت يا شقي لهذا المنكي‬

Work thou, O unfortunate person , for this idle
Sybarite.
fint one who sits at ease reclining upon his
cushions; and, in general, the idle who enjoy every
luxury.
110 .
‫ام الاجبان ما تحزن‬

The mother of the coward does not grieve (for him ).
She has no cause to grieve for one who never
exposes himself to danger.
111 .
‫ان تابت القاكبه عرصت‬

If the harlot repent, she becomes a procuress.
Similar to this proverb is the following :
‫قحبة و هي صغيرة قوادة و هي كبيرة‬
112 .
‫انت مغسل و ضامن جنة‬

Thou art but the washerman (of the dead), yet thou
wilt insure (him) Paradise.
On the airs of patronage or protection assumed
by those who possess not any influence or authority
whatever.
113 .
‫آن جا الورد اكلنا و شربنا عليه و آن راح لا نتاشف عليه‬

If the rose come, we eat and drink near it ; if it
depart, we do not regret it.
We court the friendship of those whom we after
wards leave with indifference. This proverb alludes
to the Eastern custom of having feasts and collations
in gardens during the season of roses. ‫ عليه‬is here
for 8 ‫عند‬
114 .
‫الأب عاشق و الام غيرانة و بنتهم في الدار حيرانة‬

The father is a lover ( of some one not in his own
house)—the mother is jealous the daughter at
home is puzzled how to act.
115 .
‫الله لا يجعل لذا جار و له عينين‬

God grant us not any neighbour with two eyes.
It is better that our neighbours should be half
blind.
116 .
‫ايش يبالي من يسرق الحمير اذا باع كل مار بدرهم‬

He who steals the asses, what does he care about
selling each of them even for one derhem ?
117. *
‫لو مسه النصر‬ ‫و‬ ‫اگر حر‬
An honourable man is honourable, even though mishaps
should befall him .
signifies here “ virtuous,” or “ honourable ,” as
above ((in No. 104) . Of this proverb the pronuncia
tion at Cairo is as follows :
El horr horr
Wa low messoo eddorr,
the ow in low having the sound of ow in the English
word owl.
118. *
‫المفرط اولي بالخسارة‬

The inconsiderate is the first to lose (or nearest to loss ).
Some "robbers attacked a house, and the owner
was forced to give them a hundred pieces of coin ;
but these being all base money, the robbers were
detected in the bázár, where they went to make
purchases. One of them on his way to the scaffold ,
passed by the house of the person robbed, and re
proached him for his cunning ; but the man replied,
‫ ‘‘ انت المفرط‬thou art the inconsiderate person :”
which words gave origin to this proverb. There is a
common phase at Cairo, ‫“ فرطت في الشي الغولانه‬، I
have foolishly or inconsiderately löst such a thing.”
The people of Upper Egypt use the word ja, in the
same sense— thus, cuilt w., 11 this is probably
a corruption of the verb ‫ وذر‬or ‫يذر‬.
119. *
‫اللسان عدو القفا‬
The tongue is the neck's enemy.
Bad language is retorted upon the neck of him
who uses it, with a blow.
120 .
‫الا فقده‬ ‫الصبر على الأحبیب‬

To have patience with a friend rather than lose him
for ever.
In the dialect of Cairo many terms are used in
the sense of “ friend .” calo denotes the first class

of friends— then follows Las or solo
‫ ماکب‬- and the
superlative is ‫صدیق‬.
121 .
‫الحبل على الجرارة‬

To haul the rope is incumbent upon the boatmen .
Everyone has, and should know, his own
business. Here is to be understood ‫الجبل ذهبه علي‬
‫رارة‬word-
‫ الج‬The ‫ الحبل‬is the rope by which boats
are dragged along the shore of the Nile against the
‫ الجرارة‬are the boatmen who pull the rope,
stream.sylasuf
or peasants hired for that purpose.
122 .
‫القمح يدور و يجي الطاحون‬

The corn passes from hand to hand, but comes at last
to the mill.
However he may turn or shift, he will at last be

caught or fall into the hands of his enemy.
123 .
‫وفي فيه سمكة‬9 ‫أرميه البحر يطلع‬

Throw him into the river and he will rise with a fish
in his mouth..
Said of a lucky or highly fortunate person . ; swi

‫ في‬The term si expresses
‫ البا‬si
is here put for ‫كر‬at
throughout all Egypt the Nile or dildo ‫ کر‬The
ö often added to nouns (as in äow) not only marks

the feminine gender, but shows precisely that the
noun is singular — thus jä: a single cow, 3, b a single
bird ; but in common conversation the ö is frequently
added without any particular meaning:
124 *
‫اسلفه‬
‫العب معه تخسر معه‬
Advance or lend him (money), and play or joke with
him ; thou wilt lose by him.
Jocularity with a debtor often causes the loss of
the money due.
125 .
‫اصلح النية ونام في البرية‬

Improve or correct thy intentions (preserve a clear
conscience) and sleep (without fear) in the desert.
126 .
‫اشتري بدرهم بلح صادله في احي نخل‬

He bought for one derhem some dates , and has now
his palm -trees in the village.
Said of boasters - this man wishes others to
believe that the dates which he purchased were the
produce of his own trees. In Egypt it is generally
considered by the peasants as an honour to possess
date trees, because they mostly belong to ancient
families and cannot easily be purchased. Of similar

meaning is the proverb :
‫صاحب قراة في الغرس پسرب‬
Let him who owns one kerát of the mare, mount her.
Fine horses and valuable mares are shared among
different proprietors, each of whom possesses a certain
number of the twenty - four keráts into which the
animal is supposed to be divided .
127. *
‫الدين مواد التخدين‬

Debts cause both cheeks to become black.
.D eb
are a constant ts
shame ‫ سواد الوجه‬or ‫سواد الاخد‬
is the distinguishing colour of wicked persons on the
(Moslim ) Day of Judgment. In common discourse
>
it means “ shame. ” The father says to his son, or

the friend to his companion, ‫ لا تسود وجهي‬do not
blacken my face ’’ ‘‘ do not let thy behaviour prove
a cause of shame to me."
128 .
‫الدبان في العسل‬
‫اوقع من‬
He falls more frequently (or more easily) than flies
fall into honey.
‫ أوقع‬is here used as the comparative of ‫ وقع‬an
irregular form often employed by the Egyptians. It
is equivalent in meaning to ‫اکثر وقوع‬
129 .
‫الاعور في بلاد العميان طرفة‬

The one -eyed person is a beauty in the country of the
blind .
130.
‫این تروح الشمس من القصارین‬

Whither can the sun retire from the bleachers ?
This alludes to persons who cannot elude the
pursuit of their importunate clients. The bleachers
are constantly watching for the sun , that they may
‫ قصا‬in the dialect of
spread out their cloth or yarn . ‫ر‬Thaï
Egypt, is “ a bleacher.”
131. *
‫اليد الغريبة تخرب البيوت العامرة‬

The foreign hand destroys the well - conditioned houses.
Jools signifies both “ populous ” and “ in a good
>
state of repair or cultivation.”
132.
‫التقوا قرد يبول في مساجد قالوا له ما تخاف ربنا يمساخک‬

‫قال ان كان يعملي غزال‬
((
They met a monkey making water in a mosque, “ Dost
thou not fear,” said they, “ that the Lord may
transform or metamorphose thee ? ” ( “ Indeed ,")
6
replied he, (“ I should fear that punishment) if

he were to change me into a Gazelle .”
This refers to conceited persons. Gazelles and
G
42 ARABIC PROVERBS.
monkies, according to Eastern nations, represent the

.extremes of beauty and ugliness ‫ » الله يمساخک‬May
God metamorphose thee !" is a common expression
of insult ; to which is frequently added, "may he
change thee into a dog or a hog ! ‫الله يمساخك‬
‫ كرلبنبا او‬Here is to be understood " ‫ماتخاف أن‬
‫ساخنخزیکر‬
133 .
‫العادة طبع خامس‬

Custom is a fifth nature.
Arabian physiologists divide the human character
into four natural classes ; the choleric (usglow ), the
bilious ) ‫(صغراوي‬, the melancholy ) ‫( سوداوي‬, and the
phlegmatic ) ‫(بلغمي‬.
134. *
‫الجار النحس ينظر ما يدخل ما ينظر ما يخرج‬

The bad neighbour sees only what enters (the house) ,
not what goes out ( from it ).
He keeps an account of what his neighbour
gains, but not of what he expends in charity ; i.e. ,
he is blind to your good qualities and only notices
your defects.
ARABIC PROVERBS. 43
‫حرف البا‬
135 .
‫ركب حرك رجليه‬ ‫بعد ما‬

After he had mounted, he put his legs in motion ( to
excite the animal that he rode). 3
When a man is once firmly established in power,

he begins to oppress and tyrannize.
136. *
‫بعد ما وصل الاسلام ادعي الشرف‬

After he had attained to Islám , he affected to be a
Sherif.
Success renders a man bold.
137. *
‫بدوي مقروح ولقي تمر مطروح قال این اروح‬

A miserable Bedouin found a date (that had been)
thrown away. " Whither shall I go,” said he,
(‘ ‘ to eat it in safety ?' ' )
.T becomeri the poor ‫ح‬s
treasures tode ‫ مقرو‬is
not used by the Egyptians in its literal meaning
،، ulcerated, but generally to express ،، miserable ,
66
pitiable. They also use ‫ تمر‬for ‫مر‬.
‫ث‬ drya
date "
44 ARABIC PROVERBS.
138 .
‫بعد ما ناكوها عشرة صات للغفرة‬

After they had ravished her, she called out to the
watchmen .
On the hypocrisy of prudes. Jtés in the plural

jes - watchmen stationed in different quarters of the
town .
139 .
‫بهلول الريف عیار‬

The village saint is a clever impostor.
Jelas signifies a living saint or half-mad man.
Egypt abounds with fellows of this description, who
are well known to be vile impostors. Lood in the
usual acceptation of the word , means the open
country and villages between Cairo and the Medi
terranean Sea. ylic in the Egyptian dialect, a clever
active thief, an impostor.
140. *
‫باعت المنارة و اشترت ستارة قال دي هتيكة بحسن عبارة‬
She sold the lamp and bought a curtain (to hide her
doings in the bed chamber). “ That,” said one,
" is a scandal under a fine appearance .”
6
Luis
‫ “ هتيكة‬scandal. ” Thus jolis “ they make a,
public scandal of me. ” The word iw is likewise
used in the same sense. Sluns ‫ن‬ ‫س‬
‫ عبارة‬wie‫ “ ?ح‬finely ex
>
plained , giving a good external appearance.”
a
ARABIC PROVERBS. 45
141 .
‫بعد ما اكل و اتكا قال دارياكة عيشكم مستكي‬

After he had eaten and was reclining on the sofa, he
said, “ thy bread has a smell of mastick.”
When he had fully enjoyed it he began to dis
parage it. Kul “ he reclined,” as people after dinner,
upon sofa -cushions, when coffee is presented to them .
Cüms in the Egyptian dialect signifies “ bread .”
142 .
‫بلدنا صغيرة و نعرف بعضنا‬

Our town is but small, we all know each other.
This is said when an acquaintance meditates some
fraud or deception .
143 .
‫اكعابک‬ ‫شیلي شراميطک‬ ‫بدال شیک بقبقابک‬

Instead of walking upon kabkábs, take the rags ofj
thy heels.
Provide for the necessaries of life before you
enjoy the luxuries. Jlay in the Egyptian dialect for
JW -Kabkabs are stilts or wooden slippers, four or
five inches high, upon which the women walk in the
baths, and the ladies of genteel rank in their houses .
These latter have their kabkábs ornamented with
various sorts of silver tassels , and inlaid with mother
of pearl. übeone is used by the Egyptians for “ a
rag ;” also for “ a vile slut.”
46 ARABIC PROVERBS.
144 .
‫خرا وتزاهم علي البوس‬

She has an offensive breath, yet presses forward to
get a kiss.
1
On the ill - founded pretensions of people. 1
145. *
$
‫بیس البديل بيدق بغيل‬

( That is) a bad exchange, ( like giving) aα pawn for a
bishop.
A saying derived from the game of chess.
146 .
‫بانا ضاعت ادانا‬ ‫و‬ ‫بین جانا‬
Between Háná and Búná our beards were lost.
This proverb owes its origin to a story resembling

one which La Fontaine has related. Háná and Báná
were the wives of an elderly man -- one plucked out
his grey hairs, the other his black, and so left him
without any In Egypt there are other terms, like
Háná and Báná, used merely because they sound
almost alike : thus “ he went to Khirt Birt "
( ), which means that he travelled upon a
foolish errand ; or “ he went to Hersh Mersh”
) ‫مرش‬ ‫( خرش‬, implying that he did not succeed in his
business, or else that he was placed in a state of
mortification or disgrace, which might be expressed
by the English saying, “ he was sent to Coventry.”
( Other words without any literal signification used
ARABIC PROVERBS. 47
in this manner, will occur hereafter.) It may here

be remarked that many facetious stories long current
in Europe, are of Arabian origin.
147 .
‫بكي ادم علي فراق الجنة‬

( Like) the lamentation of Adam on his departure or
separation from Paradise.
This is said of unavailing grief, chiefly of lamen
tation for the deceased .
148 .
‫باتت جيعانة و زوجها خباز‬

She went to sleep hungry, (although) her husband is
a baker.
Those nearest to plenty sometimes experience
.want ‫ جيعانة‬in Egypt used for ‫جايعة‬
149 .
‫بلد ما تعرف فيها أعمل ما تشتهي فيها‬

In a town where thou knowest nobody, do whatever
thou likest.
Most people are ashamed only of those by whom
they are known. Here is to be understood aute
‫التي ما تعرف فيها احد‬
150 .
‫بيت تاكل منه لا تدعي عليه بالخراب‬

A house from which thou eatest, do not pray for its
destruction..
48 ARABIC PROVERBS.
151 .
‫فيه حجر‬ ‫بیر تشرب منه لا ترې‬

A well from which thou drinkest, throw not a stone
into it.
152 .
‫بس تحميصها لا تحرقها‬

Roast them only, do not burn them .
Too violent measures cause us to lose the expected
profits. vennoi signifies the roasting of coffeebeans
in small iron pans, according to the Eastern custom ;
these pansare called üsusho
änansio The word cus‫ بس‬is of the
Syrian or Egyptian dialect and much used. ; it means
»
“ only,” “ at all events,” “nothing more,” - this will
do,” & c.; at other times it is merely a superfluous
particle, or an expletive without meaning, annexed to
some phrase .
153 .
‫بيع و شرا وما في الطبلة شيء‬

Selling and buying,and nothing upon the board.
Equivalent to the saying, " great cry and little
wool. ” ‫ طبلة‬or ‫ طبلية‬is a round board on which the
pedlars who walk about the streets expose their
goods for sale.
154 .
‫باز على تغاز‬

( Like) a hawk over a scare-crow (i.e., Aying about it).
To designate a person of meddling disposition,
ARABIC PROVERBS. 49
who never remains a moment quiet. ;le is a par

ticular sort of scare-crow, made of thin pieces of
wood, and used in the gardens about Cairo.
‫حرف التاء‬
155 .
‫لا طلب المغفرة‬9‫ترک الذنب و‬

He left off sinning, but never asked forgiveness.
Said in allusion to those who think it sufficient
if they discontinue their bad actions, but never make
atonement or solicit pardon for those they have
already committed.
156 .
‫تابت القحبة ليلة قالت ولا والي يمسك القحاب‬

A harlot repented for one night. “Is there no police
" 6
officer,” she exclaimed , “ to take up or lay hold of
harlots ?"
Those who have been sinners themselves are often
the least indulgent towards others ; and on the
slightest repentance they claim the privilege of rigid
.virtue ‫ ) قحبه‬plural ‫ (قحاب‬the term used at Cairo
to express a harlot or public woman . y, is an
exclamation. Siell the chief police officer at Cairo.
He is also entitled exclusively “ El Aga.”
H
157.
‫تعالوا في دي الزحة نطاهر القليط‬

Come, let us circumcise the kalyt in this crowd.
A proverb ironically expressing that this is not
the proper time or place for a business in question.
buli is a person suffering from certain tumours which
sometimes affect even children at Cairo ; and which
would render the operation of circumcision extremely
tedious and troublesome. Kalyt among the vulgar
is aa nickname frequently applied .
158 .
‫تعالي بلا دعوة اقعدي علي دي الغروة‬

Come, (my dear ,) without any (more) quarrelling, sit
down upon this pelisse.
Said in ridicule of the means employed by a
husband to coax his wife into good humour. 40
for sis In the Egyptian dialect jyss signifies
' complaint,” “ quarrel.” To spread a pelisse that
another тау sit upon it is a mark of great respect
and attention .
159 .
‫و عينها في الخطف‬3 ‫تموت الهداية‬

The falcon dies and his eye is ( still) upon the seizure
(of his prey ).
The tyrant continues a tyrant to his last breath.
älds an ash -grey falcon of the smaller species,
common throughout Egypt and Syria. Libisul the

action of seizing or carrying off prey. The verb
Libs is constantly employed to express the carrying
off plunder by soldiers from peasants and shop
keepers.
160.
‫تطلق النار و تصيع أطریق‬

Thou kindlest the flume, and criest " fire.”
161 .
‫تكون نار تصبح رماد‬

It may be a fire ; on the morrow it will be ashes.
Violent passions easily subside.
· 162.
‫الحافي نعله‬ como ‫تاخذ‬
Thou takest from the sore -footed his sandal.

Thou ruinest the man completely.. ‫ي‬la ‫ حاف‬means
"
not only " bare-footed ,” but one who has the sole of
his foot sore from walking.
163 .
‫تبوس الريف تقلع اسنانه‬

Thou kissest thy lover, and tearest out his teeth.
On the greediness of bad women. Lobi pro
perly means “ a rival;" but in Egypt is generally
used for “ a lover :" it signifies also at Cairo a partner
at the chess or backgammon board .
164.
‫تقرا الزبور علي اهل القبور‬

Thou readest the Psalms to the inhabitants of the
tombs.
Thou doest what nobody else does. The Psalms

are seldom read by Moslims, because they assert that
the Christians have interpolated them ; yet they
acknowledge that David was inspired by heaven
when he composed and sung them . Nobody thinks,
however, of reading or reciting to the dead.
165 .
‫تمكنوا حتي تمكنوا‬

They behaved like poor honest people until they were
firmly established .
On the artful system of Eastern governors.
‫ تمسكنوا‬from the word ‫ مسكين‬which means not only
"
poor ” or “ humble,” but also “ honest;"" a sense

probably arising from the circumstance that in
Eastern countries poor people only are honest. It
sometimes implies likewise a reproach of stupidity ;
thus w‫ين‬Suo
‫ مسك‬dol
‫راجل‬, “ а a. poor,, honest fool,”” and perhaps
for a reason similar to the former ; because here no
one is ever blamed for cheating or deceiving others,
but for allowing himself to be cheated. Few who
have talents and cunning condescend to be honest ;
so that honesty is rather depreciated, or found only
among poor fools.
166 .
‫تبيض بيض مدور و تطلب فراريج هندية‬

He lays round eggs and asks for young turkeys (to
proceed from them) .
On unreasonable expectations. The turkey egg
is oval, while the pigeon egg (here meant) is nearly
round.
167 .
‫تضارب الريح وو الجر قالت المراكب دي نوبة وقعت علينا‬

Wind and sea combat— “ this time,” said the ships,
' we shall have the worst of it. ”
When two rivals contend for the government, the
subjects are most to be pitied dig in the Egyptian
dialect means “for once,” “ this time.” links ‫ وقعت‬ägi
‫ علينا‬weg ‫زوبة‬
“ for once it has fallen upon us ;" i.e. , the misfortune.
>
There is also a saying ‫ ‘‘ نوبة جت علينا‬for once or

this time it has come upon us,” ( i.e., the goodhap, )
or " we shall be gainers.” es used in Egypt for
‫جات‬
168 .
‫ي السفان‬y‫ا يشته‬I‫تجري الرياح بما ل‬

The wind blows as the sailors do not wish.
On untoward circumstances in general. 1971

“ to run ;" it implies also any other kind of rapid
motion .
54 ARABIC PROVERBS.
169 .
‫تحت الكسا تیس‬

Under this ( fine) apparel a he-goat ( is hidden ).
A he-goat ( cumi) is, among Arabs, the emblem
of a stupid clown. cum ll chawl “ be silent, thou
goat,” is a phrase often heard in the bázárs.
170 .
‫تاج المروة التواضع‬ 1
The crown of a good disposition is humility.

ögo in the Egyptian dialect does not merely
s
signify what belongs to the ‫ مر‬-what is manly, but

in general “" good disposition,” “kindness," " zeal.”
It is said of a person ‫ صاحب مروة‬،)who likes to be
serviceable to others,”, “ who is honestly zealous in his
2 66
.business
” ‫ (ما له شي مروة) مالوش مروة‬a cold egotist
‫حرف الثا‬
171 .
‫ثوب العارية ما يدني‬

A borrowed cloak does not keep one warm .
We best enjoy what is our own property.
ARABIC PROVERBS. 55
172 .
‫ثور اخرت ما يتكمم‬

The ox that ploughs is not to be muzzled.
This was a precept of the Jewish law . See Deute
ronomy xxv, 4. We must necessarily trust to those
‫ يتكم‬comes from
whom we employ in any business. ‫م‬pace
‫ كمامة‬a muzzle inade of ropes, closely tied to the
mouths of oxen, camels, and other cattle, to prevent
their grazing in the fields of strangers in passing
along the road ; for there are not in Egypt any
inclosures.
173.
‫ثلاثة اذا اتنقوا علي بلد اخربوها‬

Three (persons) if they unite against a town will
ruin it.
The smallest number of evil -disposed persons, if
well united, can work considerable mischief.
174 .
‫توبه ماخرق من أي مكان اشتهي يطلع يده‬

His gown is full of holes ; he thrusts out his hand at
whatever place he likes.
Poverty is sometimes an advantage, as it insures
.fre edom
of action ‫ توبه‬for ‫ثوبه‬
175.*
‫ثعبان علي قرص جلة عايم في بركة قذر قال ما لدي البركة‬
‫دي الشاختور الخرا و هذا المتفرج القذر‬ ‫المنتنة الا‬
A serpent upon a dung-cake was swimming in a dirty
1
pond. Some one said , (indeed,) “ nothing suits
this stinking pond better than this ship of dirt
and this filthy spectator .” (i.e., the serpent) .
‫ لدي‬for ‫ الي هذي‬or ‫ لهذي‬The dried cakes of
cattle-dung are called äls - used as fuel in the East.
A common term for “ serpent” in Egypt isão a
great serpent is called ulei — and this name is like

wise given to the eel.
‫حرف الجيم‬
*
176. *
‫ولا عدل العرب‬9 ‫جور الترك‬
The oppression of Turks, rather than the justice of
Arabs.
1
By the term Arabs are here meant the Bedouins, |
who, in the Mammelouk times, most grievously op

pressed the open country of Egypt. The Bedouins
"
themselves often call their nation exclusively“ Arab,
a term they use more frequently than “ Bedou ;"
and all other Arabians, who are not of Arab tribes,
they distinguish by the appellation of Hadhary or
Fellah , which with them are terms of reproach or
contempt.
ARABIC PROVERBS. 57
177. *
‫ولا عدل الغار‬ ‫جور القط‬
The tyranny of the cat, rather (or is better) than the

justice of the mouse .
The mouse bears a much worse character in the
East than in the West ; “ wily,, insidious, rapacious,"
are the gentlest epithets applied to her. Mice are
certainly a great nuisance in Egypt, where the open
country (as well as every town) abounds with them
to such a degree, that I have known instances of
families being actually driven from their homes by
the numbers and rapaciousness of the mice and rats,
that spared neither victuals nor furniture. ‫ جور‬-sig
nifies “ unjust, violent, oppressive behaviour.'
178 .
‫جيت ادعي عليه رايت اخيط مايل عليه‬

I came to utter an imprecation against him , and
found the wall inclining over him .
It is unnecessary to revile a person who is already
crushed by universal opprobrium . dalis Jilo “ in
clining over him ,” “ ready to fall upon him .”
179 .
‫جواب الأكس علي طرف لسانه‬

The fool has his answer on the edge of his tongue.
The fool answers without reflection, whatever
6
comes first into his mind . cuws. bere means “ a fool,”
1
not merely “ vile or bad.” The following verse is

quoted on the same subject :
‫و قلب الاحمق في فمه‬ ‫لسان العاقل في قلبه‬
The tongue of the wise is in his heart,
The heart of the fool is in his mouth .
180 .
‫جواب الأيق السكات عنه‬

Silence is the (best) answer to the stupid.
92
‫ عنه‬.means
‫السكات‬ likewise to leave him alone
‫ اسكت عنه‬، leave him alone ” is a common expression ,
signifying " neither speak to him nor meddle with
him . "
181 .
‫جا عند الزنادقة يكفر‬

He came to the impious to blaspheme.
He did what was superfluous, because all his
companions did the same. With a similar meaning
‫ " تحصی‬a (( second) receipt for
the Arabs say chola ‫ل‬chesi
what has already been settled ,” or equally super
fluous actions.
182 .
‫جا الخروف يعلم أبود الرعي‬

The lamb came to teach its father how to feed .
183 .
‫جائوا لينعلوا خيل الباشا فهدت الخنفسة رجلها‬

They came to shoe the horses of the Pâshá ; the beetle
then stretched out its leg (to be shod) .
On ridiculous pretensions.
184 .
‫جمل موضع جمل يبرک‬

The camel crouches down on the place of another
camel.
This is said when one great dignitary dies and

another immediately takes his place. In travelling,
the places where the camels repose on the evening
station are distinguished from the surrounding
country, and caravans usually halt at the same spots.
*
185. *
‫الندا‬ ‫جب ما يمتلي من‬
A well is not to be filled with dew .
This is said when trifling presents are offered to a
powerful person who is known to be greedy..
186 .
‫جيت الاقرع يونسني کشف راسه و خوفني‬

I came to the scabby -headed (person) to be amused in
his company ; he uncovered his head and fright
ened me .
Friendship ceases when a person's real character

is known .
187 .
‫الرايات‬ ‫ امواج البحر غلط قال الأجيات اكتر من‬،‫جا واحد بعد‬
One came to count the waves of the sea ; he erred ( in
the reckoning). “ There are (at all events) more
coming than going,” he said .
On paltry expedients to conceal ignorance or
60 ARABIC PROVERBS.
negligence. The expression ‫ت‬will

‫الأجيات أكثر من الرابحا‬
is likewise often used to console a person for some
al
disappointment, and then it means “ one opportunity

is lost, but another will present itself .” h
‫ جیات‬in the
Egyptian dialect for ‫جایات‬
188 .
‫نجوا يكلبوا التيست ضرط‬

They came to milk the goat ; he br — ke w-nd.
The stupid clown disappoints those who require
his services. ls used in Egypt for 'g'L
189 .
‫جهد اقل دموعه‬

The efforts of the poor are his tears.
The poor can only weep for the misfortunes of
others, but are not able to alleviate them ; this is a
frequent apology for withholding assistance.
190 .
‫جارک معلم‬
Thy neighbour is thy teacher.
We learn from our companions.
191 .
‫القملة في راس الأقرع‬ ‫جوع‬

( Like) the hunger of the louse upon the head of the
scabby.
Is said when a person in affluence pleads poverty.
ARABIC PROVERBS. 61
192. *
‫عند الهم عدت‬
‫جا الهم‬
Grief came to converse with grief.
The afflicted cannot console the afflicted .
193 .
‫لا قدامه‬ ‫و‬ ‫جنازة غريب لا وراه‬
( Like) the burial of a stranger, no one goes before and
no one behind him .
This is said of a person who retires from office

without the regret of any one. slygy is to be under
stood as ‫لا وراه احد‬
*
194.*
‫جندي ما قبل شیع طرطوره‬

The (intercession of the) soldier was not accepted, he
(then) sent the soldier's cap (to intercede for him ).
If the patronage of the master cannot serve, that
of the servant can be of little avail. In Egypt estis
implies a horse soldier, in opposition to a foot soldier
oruse-
‫ عسكري‬The Egyptians9
‫ شيع‬as the common
term for “ to send .” Jobb is the high woollen or fur
cap worn by the horsemen, called dely or delaty.
195 .
‫جنة ترعاها الخنازير‬

A paradise in which hogs feed.
Said of a beautiful woman whose husband is ugly.
62 ARABIC PROVERBS.
196 .
‫جهل يعولي خير من عقل اعوله‬

Ignorance that supports me is better than wisdom
which I must support.
Rather take from the fool, than give to the wise.
197.
‫كفك‬
‫جهلك اشد من‬
Thou art more ignorant even than thou art impious .
Verbatim : “ thy ignorance is stronger than thy
impiety.” The word ,6 is a very common term of
insult among the Moslim Egyptians themselves, and
means, when applied by one of them to another,
“ impious.”
198 .
‫الجمل في شي و الجمال في شي‬

The camel has his projects, and the camel driver has
his projects.
The interests of the governor and the governed
‫ شي‬never
.a re
‫نیته في‬alike
. ‫ في شي‬is here to be understood as 1
.
199. *
‫اجلس حيث يوخذ بيدك و تبذل لا حيث يوخذ‬

‫برجک و‬
Sit down when thou art taken by the hand and when
ARABIC PROVERBS. 63
thou receivest presents ; and not when they lay

hold of thy leg and drag thee (away ).
Visit only where thou art welcome. With respect
to the expression we is , some remarks shall be
offered hereafter.
‫حرف الحاء‬
200 .
‫حياتك مناقرة طلق بنتها‬

Is thy mother-in-law quarrelsome ? Divorce her
daughter.
Cut up the evil by the root.. The mother and
daughter will leave thy house together.
201 .
‫حبيبي مليح و يتعمم بن‬

(In truth) my lover is a fine fellow, and he wears a
straw turban .
Said in derision of a ridiculous spark. pieci “' to

tie,” and “ to wear a turban .” 3 are the mats made
of dry reeds in which is packedthe charcoal sent to
Cairo from the country about Thebes.
64 ARABIC PROVERBS.
202 .
‫حزينة ما لها بقر فتلت شعرتها فرقلة‬

Afflicted , because she has no cows ; she twisted her
hair into a whip.
Said of one who consoles himself for the want of
enjoyments by mere phantasms . alig is a whip
made of date-leaves, with which the peasants drive
their oxen in ploughing or drawing at the water
mills ; it is likewise called ‫ رخو‬The word jjew must
not be confounded with reü
em or “ hair,” although I
have so translated it ; this latter means the “ hair
of the head ; ” but jell those hairs which in the East
it is usual to shave off or remove by a depilatory,
although the slovenly peasant-women often allow
them to grow for months.
203. *
‫وزیت‬ ‫حزينة ما لها بيت اشترت مكنسة‬
Afflicted at having no house, she bought a broomstick
and some oil.
Of the same signification as the proverb imme
diately preceding
204 .
‫حزينة ما لها عينين اشترت مراية بدرهمین‬

Aggrieved because she had no eyes, she purchased a
looking-glass for two derhems.
.O f
the same import ‫ مراية‬for ‫مراة‬
205 .
‫حسبنا حساب الحية و العقرب و أم أربعة و اربعین ما‬

‫كانت لنا في حساب‬
In our account we reckoned the serpent and the
scorpion ; but the “ erba wa erbayn ” was not in
our reckoning
We have not taken proper precautions against
the most dangerous enemy. The " erba wa erbayn ”
is a small spider-like insect, which is said to have
forty -four feet, whence it derives its name. It is
reputed extremely venomous. I never happened to

see one .
206 .
‫حلبوا قردة كشت قالوا اللبن اللي يجي من دي‬

‫الوجه حرام‬
They milked a monkey ; she drew back in a surly
manner. “ The milk ," said they, " which comes
from (one with ) that face is ( surely) bad
stuff.”
The wretch who with affectation and grimace
refuses to assist others by a service that would reflect
honour on himself, will never do any good. ‫ش‬cüc
‫ يك‬in
the Egyptian dialect means “ to draw back sulkily,""
or like a prude or coquette, if any one approach too
near. plo not only signifies “ unlawful” or “ for
bidden ,” but in common speech, “worthless."
K
66 ARABIC PROVERBS.
207 .
‫چاقة بلا جاه صفع حاضر‬

Anger without power (is) a blow ready.
If a person become angry with another to whom
he is inferior in strength, he may expect to receive a
blow. öl in the Egyptian dialect signifies “ anger,"
> 66
as well as “ stupidity.” It is said, die wärei “ I
>
became angry with him . " ‫ جاه‬is “ official power,,
influence, importance, patronage derived from rank
or wealth .” zis equivalent to le “ a blow on the
neck ."
208 .
‫ من ععاامموودد لعامود لعل پاتي فرج‬srita

Loose me from pillar to pillar ; perchance it may
cause liberation .
Loose my chains from one pillar, and fasten them

to another , said a prisoner, perhaps in so doing I may
effect my release . This signifies, that the unfortunate
grasp at the most trifling circumstance in hopes of
relief. Among other meanings i implies deliver
ance, relief, return of good luck, an opening to happier
->
circumstances. In this sense God is styled client

and when Arabs pray for deliverance from misfor
tunes they always address him by this name , and say
‫ یا فرا‬The expression ‫ فيه فرج‬is often used in like
manner to console a person , and then means “ hope
the best !
209 .
‫حجر في دكان زجاج‬

A storm in the shop of a glass-dealer.
Signifying that a thing is quite out of place.
a
zbz; a dealer in glass-ware.
210 .
‫حطه في لغة الملوخية طلع في قفة البادنجان‬

He put him into the basket of Meloukhye ; he came
out of the basket of Bádenján.
Said of one who is continually running about and
seen almost at the same time in different parts of the
town, always in great haste. The Meloukhye is
corchorus olitorius, a favourite vegetable among the
Egyptians. Badenján, the egg -plant, is likewise
much esteemed by them .
211 .
‫حزينة ما لا دار عملت تقبتها زريبة‬

Afflicted because she had no house, she made a livery
stable of the hole (in which she lived).
On the ridiculous attempts of poor people to
imitate the great, or to appear rich .. ‫ة‬äär
‫ تقب‬for ‫ثقة‬
means a “ hole,” more particularly foramen ani. In
derision this term is applied to a small dirty place
where poor persons live. ämnej a public stable wherein
cows are kept in the town at that season when the
open country is inundated. Similar stables are found
in every quarter of the town, and the cows kept
therein furnish Cairo with milk during the inundation.
212 .
‫لایه‬ ‫حك رغيف برغين لا بد من‬
Rub a loaf against a loaf, no doubt of its crumbs
(coming forth ).
Set two men of equal powers against each other,
their true character will appear from that experiment.
213 .
‫حول باب اصطبلک‬

Reinove the gate of thy stable to another side.
This is generally said on averting the danger of
the evil eye. If a house is reputed of evil omen
(pogumi ), the owner usually walls up the gate, and
opens one at another side, by which he hopes to
avert the baneful consequences of the evil eye of
his enemies. ‫) اصطبل‬or ‫ (اسطبل‬is the origin of
“ stabulum ," a stable.
214 .
‫حلو اللسان بعيد الاحسان‬

Sweet of tongue (but) offar distant beneficence.
Said of a hypocrite.
215 .
‫حسبنا في البيدة رجال‬

We thought that there were men in the desert.
Said of persons whose cowardice has disappointed
our expectations. ‫ حسب‬is often employed
‫سبت‬in
‫ ح‬the
a “ I
sense of “thinking ;” thus visi ci
thought thou lovedst me. ”
216 .
‫حكم القوي علي الضعيف‬

( Like) the government of the strong over the weak.
Applied to unjust oppressions in private life.
217 .
‫حرة صبرت بيتها عمرت‬

A virtuous woman had patience (with her husband ),
her house flourished (or continued well peopled ).
66
‫ البيت مرت‬means here to be peopled , or to

continue inhabited by all its inmates ; in opposition to
‫ بیتها خربت‬words which would have been used if her
husband had divorced her and she had left the house :
here is to be understood ‫حرة أن صبرت‬
218 .
‫حديثكم طيب و بيتنا بعید‬

Your talking is fine, but our house is far distant.
In spite of all your fine reasoning I am far from
.complying
with your desire ‫ حدیث‬is often used
in Egypt synonymously with ‫ كلام‬as the verb ‫يتحدث‬
is used instead of ‫يتكلم‬
*
219. *
‫حد با عرجا ويدها اليمين فلجا‬

Crook -backed, limping, her right hand trembling.
Denoting a woman afflicted with every kind of
misery. zile
‫ فالج‬in the Egyptian dialect, means one
who labours under a tremor produced by extreme
70 ARABIC PROVERBS.
debility. Instead of ‫ یامین‬it ought to be ärbecause

‫ ید‬is feminine ; but the Egyptians very often con
W
found the genders. It may, however, be possibly
understood here as ‫يدها من جانب اليمين‬
220 .
‫حبك احب و بغضک الرب‬

9
May the ulcer (of the Franks) love thee, and the Lord
hate thee.
Addressed to a hypocritical enemy who assures

us of his friendship, and says, “ I love thee," or
‫ انا الحغربنكجی‬The word ‫ الحب‬is here put for ‫الحب‬
el "the ulcer of the Frank ,” or “the French
disease.”
221 .
‫حاسد تھا تعتر في شعرتها‬

May her envier stumble over her hair.
An imprecation against the enemy or jealous
rival of a woman.eü in the Egyptian dialect for
.
hep See above, No. 202, for a remark on jjei - It

means, ‘ may he be unlucky whenever he approaches
her.”
222 .
‫حبة تتقل الميزان‬

A single grain makes the balance heavier.
Where two parties of equal power contend, a
very slight accession of strength will decide the
.qu in est ion
favour of one ‫ تنقل‬for ‫تثقل‬
1
ARABIC PROVERBS. 71
223 .
‫حبلة و رضعة وقدامها أربعة‬

She is with child , and nurses a child, and has four
(children ) before her.
On affluence of riches .
224 .
‫حساب القرار على الدوار‬

The ( broken ) pots are put to the account of the
retailer:
Great people make the poor pay for the mishaps

that befall them . lgö in the Egyptian dialect “‘ pots
and jars of earth .” It is to be understood here
‫ القرار المكسرين‬The name of ‫ الدوار‬is given to those
who carry the earthenware upon their heads about
the streets, on account of the manufacturers. If any
of them should break, those who carry them are
responsible to their principals.
225 .
‫حلم القطط كله فيران‬

The dream of the cat is all about the mice.
226 .
‫حلفا و پاکاشر النار‬

( Like) dry reeds and (still) keeps company with the
fire .
Most likely to suffer from the calamity yet im
prudently exposing himself to it. lile is the arundo
epigeios, that grows particularly in Upper Egypt

in districts which are not regularly inundated : the
poor people use it as fuel. ülsy is the Egyptian
pronunciation of led The lower classes frequently
pronounce the ‫ ع‬like Thus they say ‫اربحت عشر‬
‫ح‬
for ‫ربعة عشر‬also-
‫ا‬ ‫ ماكصرة‬for ‫عصرة‬and-
‫م‬ ‫کت له‬
for ‫ بعت له‬---- ‫ رخت‬for ‫وجعت‬likewise-- ‫ چت‬for
the--
‫ جعت‬but the same people pronounce ‫ ع‬strongly
in other words when it is placed at the beginning or
end of them .
227 .
‫تكبه ولو كان قرد‬ ‫من‬ ‫حبيبك‬

Thy beloved is the object that thou lovest, were it even
a monkey.
Love is blind.
‫حرف الخاء‬
228 .
‫خير الزاد ما حصل في الغواد‬

The best food is that which fills the belly . *
Such is the true though not the literal meaning.

.is
‫ فواد‬taken here for the whole of theintestines ‫حصل‬
" to reach, to arrive at, to hit, to fulfil one's purpose,
to satiate."
ARABIC PROVERBS. 73
229 .
‫خطبوها تمتعت تركوها تطلعت‬

They wooed her, and she resisted ; they left her, and
she then fell in love.
On the whims of those who capriciously oppose
.t others ‫ع‬-am
wishes of he ‫تطل‬ ong
several signifi
cations, means, in the Egyptian dialect, the same as
"
‫ “ تتشوق‬to fall in love , because it is understood ‫تطلعت‬
‫علي العاشق‬
23Ů .
‫خباز و ماكتسب‬
Baker and (at the same time) Mohteseb.
His interest will cause him to lose sight of his
duty.. Mohteseb is the public officer who super
intends the legal price and weight of the provisions
sold in the bazar.
231. *
‫خذي بختك من حجر اختک‬

Take thy luck from the lap of thy sister.
A poor woman complained that she had not any
children, her sister had half-a -dozen little ones in her
lap, and did not know how to supply them with food .
The person is therefore advised to take warning from
her and not to form rash wishes.
L
*
1
232. !
‫خرا العمل‬
‫ ;زعفران البطاله‬y‫لا‬ ‫و‬ 1
The dirt of labour rather than the saffron of indolence.
Rather to be busy were it even in dirty work or
labour of little profit, than to be indolent though in
possession of luxuries.
233
‫خلال‬ ‫ياكب‬ ‫خلال ما‬

A vinegar seller does not like (another) vinegar seller'.
On the “jalousie de métier.” At Cairo the name
of livi is given to the sellers of pickles ; cucumbers,
turnips, onions, badenjáns (egg -plants) preserved in
date vinegar are favourites with the Egyptians.
234 .
‫خذ العلم و الخبر من خراطيم البقر‬

Acquire learning and information (even if they come)
from the mouths of cows.
Never object to any source from which you may
derive useful knowledge. pobjes is the snout of a
hog, and generally applied to any ugly mouth .
235 .
‫من الغريم و لو حجر‬

Take from the (bad) debtor were it but a stone.
Do not refuse from a bad debtor whatsoever he
ARABIC PROVERBS. 75
may pay on account. In receiving a small part of a

considerable debt, it is often said,
‫ذقنه‬ ‫شعرة من الخنزیر احسن من‬
A single bristle of the hog is better than all his (the
bad debtor's) beard.
236 .
‫خنفسة علي مكنسة داخلة المستراح قال انظر الحامل المحمول‬

‫ودار الوكالة‬
A beetle upon a broomstick was entering the privy ;
“ look ," said one, “ at the carrier, the carried,
and the hotel !"
The obgle yls are public khans at Cairo, where

strangers halt and merchandise is deposited . The
abridged saying, “ look at the carrier and the carried ,”
is often quoted on seeing a mean looking man riding
upon a wretched Rosinante,
237 .
‫خردة بلا عدة‬

Toys without instruments.
ösa small ware and other toys sold usually in
the same shop. šas implements used in the different
crafts. The saying implies, “fuss about trifles,”
“much ado about nothing.” A man keeps toys in
his shop, but not any useful or necessary im inn
plements.
76 ARABIC PROVERBS ,
238 .
‫خلاها على الأرض السودا‬

He left her upon the black ground.
He ruined her completely. In taking away her
mat, the poorest article of household furniture, he left
her to sit upon the bare floor.
239 .
‫خيار الناس من كسبوا عليه‬

Those are (esteemed) the best people through whom
one gains.
The expression ‫من کسبوا عليه‬ stands for ‫علي يد من‬
‫ كسبوا‬or ‫‘‘ علي يد الذين‬upon whose hand they gained,”
i.e. , through whose interference or medium.
240 .
‫خيار البر عاجله‬

The best generosity is that which is quick.
241.
‫خیر ما تعمل شر ما تلقي‬

Do no good — thou shalt not find evil.
On ingratitude.
242
‫خلوا الغزل المخبل لدي القلب المدبل‬

Leave the entangled yarn to be untwisted by the
effeminate or pusillanimous.
‫ المخبل‬interwoven, intricate, disordered ; this
sense is likewise expressed by ‫ ملخبط‬The word ‫المدبل‬
in the Egyptian dialect for us signifies “ effemi

6
nate,” “ weak -hearted,” “ unable to make exertion . ”
‫ لدي‬for ‫ لهذي‬This saying means that the business
must be suited to the capacity or character of a man,
and the puny or weak -hearted must be employed
in women's work.
243. *
‫خاوي البطن و يمضغ لبان‬
Of empty stomach, yet he chews incense.
A hungry beggar, yet affecting the manners of
great people. It is a common practice in Egypt
among the higher classes to chew incense in order
to sweeten the breath ; or, as it is said, to facilitate
2
digestion.
244 .
‫حطه في المرجونة‬ 9
‫ عقله‬como is
Take his understanding and put it into the basket (at

thy back ).
Said in derision of a person's understanding .
‫ة‬üyoyo
‫ مرجون‬is a small basket which the poor Nubians,
who come to try their fortunes at Cairo, sling upon
their back , and carry in it their food and miserable
luggage.
245 .
‫خير المال ما وجهته وجهه‬

Those are the best riches which are spent in their
proper place.
Literally, “ which are directed towards the proper
side."
246 .
‫خیر الناس من فرح للناس بالخير‬

He is the chosen of the people who rejoices in the
welfare of others,
247.
‫الخرق يالرفق يلاحم‬

With gentleness thefracture is repaired .
With politeness and softness a reconciliation can
be effected in quarrels. This refers to the common
saying, ‫ خرق خرق في الصاكبة‬a hole has been bored
in the friendship ,” or “ friends have been disunited ."
248 .
‫الخضوع عند الحاجات رجولية‬

To be humble when we want (the help of others) is
manliness.
This maxim is deeply impressed on the minds of

in the East ‫ الحاجات‬، affairs,” ،“، business,"
.people
66
so wants,” “ demands from others,” && c.
249 .
‫اخرج الطمع من قلبك ياحل القيد من رجلك‬

Expel avidity from thy heart ; the fetters will be
loosened from thy foot,
Be contented , and thou wilt be free.
79
ARABIC PROVERBS.
250.
‫خلوه بهمه اخذ واحدة قدر أمه‬

Leave him alone with his grief – he has taken one as
old as his mother.
Of one who deserves his misfortunes. The man
had married an old woman , and might therefore have
expected from the first not to be very happy with her.
isl is often used for moj “ he married .” ‫ “ قدر‬similar
to anything in quantity or quality ;" often employed
in the same sense as ‫مثل‬
251 .
‫و لا تاخذها‬
‫من صاحي‬ ‫سكران‬ como ‫خذها‬
Tuke (the wine) from the drunkard and do not take it

from the sober.
The sober will more probably betray thee in this
instance than the drunkard . The lo of locis refers
to õjas or “ wine.” Golo “ one who is awake,” “ in
possession of his senses," " sober .”
252 .
‫خذ الكتاب من عنوانه‬

Take the book by its title ; rr , take the letter by its
address.
The first view teaches us to judge of a person's
character, and whether he be a fit object for a nearer
acquaintance. Such is generally thought in the
East, where a Lavaterian system of physiognomy
prevails. Every governor of a province is a phy
80 ARABIC PROVERBS.
siognomist, and fancies that he can ascertain in the

looks or mien of those brought before him which is
the guilty party. A prepossessing face has more
influence in the East than in Europe ; but the rules
of physiognomy are never strictly analysed, and it is
chiefly from the expression of the eyes and the state
of the eyebrows and nose that an opinion is formed .
253.
‫خبزه مخبوز و ماءه في الكوز‬

His bread is kneaded and his water is in the jug.
jy is a small earthen or tin jug, by which water
is taken out of the large jars that stand in the vesti
bule of each house in Egypt.
254.
‫التليس‬ ‫يسع‬ ‫خذ بلاش قال ما‬

Take it for nothing. (“ No,") he said, “my sack is
not large enough (to contain it).”
On the great luck of some to whom more is
offered than they can accept. cualis is a sack of black
or white and black striped goat hair, in which the
‫ بلاش‬for ‫بلاشي‬
peasants carry their corn to market. Le
is the common expression in Egypt for “ gratis.
255 .
‫خذ طينة و اضربها في الحيط أن ما لزقت اثرت‬

‫و‬
Take a piece of mud, strike it against the wall, if it

do not stick it will leave a mark.
On the effects of slander.
256 .
‫خیال خرا و پرمع في الأخل‬

A bad rider — yet he gallops about among the date
trees.
This is said of the ignorant who affect to display

learning. lo “dirt,” is often used to express a
"
thing as bad as dirt,” “ useless,"” “ miserable. ”” ‫پرمع‬
" to set off the horse in full gallop ," “ to ride at full
"
speed .”. To gallop among date-trees is of course
difficult on account of the numerous turnings.
257.
‫خذ اللص قبل ان ياخذك‬

Take the thief before he take thee.
258 .
‫بيدي اليوم اخذ برجلك غدا‬ ܶ‫ܛܽܥ‬

Take me by the hand to-day, I will take thee by the
foot to -morrow .
Be kind to me now, I will hereafter return the
.favour
two-fold ‫ خذ بيدي‬is equivalent to ‫خذ يدي‬
“take my hand,” or “ assist me. ” The beggars at
Cairo constantly say ‫ “ الله ياخذ بيد الكريم‬God assists
.thecharitable and generous ” ‫ “ الله ياخذ بیدک‬May
God assist thee.” The expression “ I will take thee
by the foot,” means that on a future occasion I will
>
assist thee more powerfully than thou assistest me at

present.
M
82 ARABIC PROVERBS.
259.
‫خاطر من استغني برايه‬

He exposes himself (to danger) who regards his own
counsel or opinion as sufficient.
‫ استغني‬is here in the same sense as ‫ اكتفي‬But
this is not the usual signification of the word in
Egypt, where it commonly means “not to be in want
of. Thus a very frequent expression is ‫استغنيت عنه‬
“ I do not want it,” “ I can dispense with it."
260.
‫خذ القليل من الليم و ذمه‬

Take the merest trifle from the vile and abuse him (at
the same time).
‫و‬
. T
miser deserves no h
better treatment
e ‫الليم‬
is here put for ‫ل‬ ‫ي‬ ‫خ‬ .th
‫ الب‬،، miser e
” ‫ الذم‬properly
signifies “ to reproach a person with his bad qualities,”
or ‫ذكر المعایب‬
‫برف الدال‬
261 .
‫دار الظالم خراب و لو بعد حين‬

The house of the unjust oppressor is (or must be) des
troyed , th rugh it should happen in distant times.
262 .
‫دیار مصر خيرها لغريبها‬

The riches of Egypt are for the foreigners therein.
Since the time of the Pharaohs Egypt has never
been governed by national rulers, but constantly by
foreigners.rar els is said in the same sense as
‫ دار فور‬or ‫دار النوبة‬
263.
‫دخل شي في اضراسه ما بقي يخرج‬

Something has entered into his back teeth that will
never come out again.
This is applied to a person who cannot rid himself
of a disagreeable companion or confidant. The word
çæ pronounced “baka,” is constantly employed as
an adverb, sometimes quite superfluously and without
any meaning ; at other times it signifies " now ,,”
" again ," " then ,”» “ never ."
264.
‫دموع الغواجر حواضر‬

The tears of the adultress are ever ready.
265 .
‫دار و بوابه ما يعتر الغار فيها بلبابه‬

A house with its gate — and the monk cannot find a
crumb of bread in it.
On the stinginess of a person in easy circum
stances. “ A house with its gate,” implies that it

is a well- conditioned dwelling. very for ‫ “ يعثر‬to
stumble,” “ to make a false step,” and therefore “ to
>
sin ;" likewise "to find ,” or “light upon .” ‫ة‬älg
‫ بواب‬is
often used synonymously with 1 — at other times
it means a “ by- gate.” The gates which inclose the
interior quarters of the town are called alg!
266.
‫دب لا يحلب ولا يجنب و لا يكب‬

( Like) a bear that is neither to be milked , nor to be
led in parade, nor to be ridden .
.Said
of a useless clown ‫ دب‬often pronounced ‫دب‬
is a “6 bear. ” Turks from Anadolia sometimes ex
hibit bears in shows at Cairo. A large party of those
Turks came in 1814 from Romelia to Cairo with
half-a -dozen bears. The people then said, that in
Mohammed Aly's country (he is a native of the sea
coast of Romelia,) every man was a dancing master
to a bear, and that the pasha had sent for them
to remind him of his youthful pursuits. On the
spreading of this report the bears and their masters
were immediately banished from the country. ‫ب‬Visu
‫پاكن‬
comes from his a horse led in parade before a
great man in public processions.
267 .
.
‫دسوتهم عالية و بطونهم خالیت‬

Their boilers are high ; their stomachs are empty.
Costly furniture in a house, but no provisions nor
.money ‫ دسوت‬is the plural of ‫دست‬ a boiler, or

(6
“ large pan .”
268 .
‫دا قال كس بلاش قال أدخل‬ ‫دق علي الباب قال من‬
‫و لو انك سم الموت‬
There was a knock at the door . " Who is there ? ”
"
“ A wenchfor nothing.” “ Enter," he said , “ even
if thou wert the poison of death."
What is given gratis is always acceptable ; and
according to that rule no one in the East, from the
lowest to the highest, refuses a present. On this
subject the following proverb also is cited :
‫اللي بلاش كتر منه اللي بفلوس حود عنه‬
What is for nothing, get still more of it ; what is for
money ,, avoid it.
.
‫حود عنه‬ “ take another road that you may not

.meet
it ” ‫دا‬ for ‫ من هذا‬is the common interro
gation at Cairo for “ who is there ?" In Syria they

say is ‫من‬ and likewise lis dio instead of lio ‫من هو‬
cus is not properly “ a wench ;" its true meaning

may be found in the dictionaries. It is a term heard
much more frequently in public than Europeans
would suppose, who generally entertain very false
notions concerning the modesty and decency of the
Easterns, with respect at least to language.
269.
‫دود الخل منه‬

The worms of the vinegar are of the vinegar itself.
This is said when something disagreeable happens
in a family caused by one of its ill -natured members.
270 *
‫دع ما راب و كل ما طاب‬

Leave ( or do not think on) what is spoiled, but eat the
good things (that are before thee).
‫ راب‬in the Egyptian dialect is the same as ‫تلف‬
“to be spoiled,” and is principally said of food.
‫ “ ما طاب‬what fell to thy lot of good things. The
sense of this proverb is expressed in the following
ancient verses :
‫زمانک ما صفا ودع الذي فيه الكدر‬ ‫خذ من‬
‫الغير‬ ‫فالعمر اقصر من معاتبة الزمان علي‬

271 .
‫دار الحق علي غطاه لما لتقاه‬

The box went in search of its lid until it met
with it.
On a person's eagerly watching an opportunity

.and
at last finding it ‫ الحق‬is a small box made
of ivory or bone wherein perfumes, balm, civet,
musk, &c. , are sold . ü in the Egyptian dialect
often implies, as here, the same as ſis and then
means until .”
272.
‫الدراهم مراهم‬
Money is sweet balm .
It heals all wounds. Such is the general opinion
in the East.
273.
‫الذابة تساوي مقرعة‬

The animal is worth (no more than) a whip.
As much as to say “ it is worth nothing.” ‫ة‬icio
‫مقرع‬
is a scourge or whip made of date-branches cut into
thin slips, still holding together like a harlequin's
wand : children play with it. usgluwi
uglu “it is equal,”
“it is like, " and more usually “ it is worth.” In
Egypt it is pronounced as if written Igmy — thus they
say , ‫ “ ايش يسوا‬what is it worth ?" " what is the
price of it ??
274.
‫دوا الدهر الصبر عليه‬

The remedy against (bad) times is to have patience
with them .
In their nervous language the ancient Arabs said ,

‫واكلت دهک اربعین و اربعة فاصبر لكلته و عضة نابه‬
Thou hast eaten ( or enjoyed ) thy age for forty-four
years ; wait then when it preys upon thee with its

back teeth .
‫ر‬Joul
‫ الده‬is sometimes limited to the space of forty
four years, or the computed age of man .
275 .
‫دنیاک ما انت فيه‬

( That is) thy world wherein thou findest thyself.
Enjoy the present moment. ‫ ما انت فيه‬stands
for ‫ الحال ما انت فيه‬or ‫ الشي ما انت فيه‬The ‫فيه‬
cannot relate to Wis which is of the feminine gender.
‫حرف الذال‬
276.*
‫ذكروا مصر للقاهرة قامت باب اللوق بخشایشها‬

They mentioned Misr to Kahera ; on which Báb el
Look rose with its weeds.
In ridicule of those who push themselves forwards

to attract notice while nobody pays them attention.
They mentioned Misr (or Fostát, the first-built
Moslim city, southward of the present Cairo,) to
Kahera, the town erected by the Fatemites, on the
north of Fostát. Báb el Look is a small and at
present half -ruined quarter formerly belonging to
to Fostát, but now included within the environs of

Southern Cairo ; it is in many places quite deserted
and abounds with grass and weeds ; it had, there
fore, but slight pretensions for standing up when
Misr ( or Fostát) was mentioned, of which it formed
one of the worst quarters or rather suburbs.
277.
‫ذكروا النبي بكوا قال اسمعوا ايش قال‬

They mentioned the Prophet ; the people wept.
“ Hear,” cried one, " what he said ” (rather than
weep ).
278 .
‫ذا سنبوسك ما احناش حشوه‬

That is a patty, (they said ,) but we are not ( fit to be)
its stuffing
A fine affair ; but not one in which we can par
ticipate. Swine is a flat meat patty sold in the
bazár. lix according to the Egyptian pronunciation
for ‫ كن‬. ‫“ حشر‬the hashed meat and spices with
which patties and other dishes are stuffed . ” The
‫ ش‬of ‫ احناش‬is the common appendage to nouns and
verbs in the Egyptian dialect.
279 .
‫اسنانك‬ ‫ذات اللون اقلعه‬
Pull this dish out of thy teeth.
This is not made for you. Wel in the Egyptian
2
dialect " a dish of cooked victuals ."
N
280.
‫ریح‬ ‫مماا يسد‬ ‫زرب‬ ‫نا‬
That is aa lattice-work that does not keep off wind .

.On
half-measures ‫ زرب‬is a lattice-work used
as sheds in gardens, or upon balconies, which are
usually covered with vines or creeping plants. It is
made of the very or dry canes of the durra . ‫ ذا‬for
‫هذا‬. ‫ت‬.to
‫ “ پس‬keep off, to stop or hinder "”
281 .
‫ذا شغل المعلم لابنه‬

That is (like) the master's work for his son .
In praise of nice and well -executed work.
282.
‫فذي لزقة بيطارية‬

That is a plaster like (the plaster) of a horse doctor.
Said of a coarse remedy applied to some evil.
92
‫ » بيطار‬the horse-smith , who, at Cairo, is likewise
veterinary surgeon .
283.
‫ذي شي ارخص من الصكت‬
That is a thing cheaper than a blow .
It is of a very low price. ‫ ست‬or ‫ ست‬،، a blow
on the neck .”
284.
‫ذا جوع يفتت الرد‬

That is a hunger that breaks a cuirass.
. Savidity
of boundless aori d
greediness ‫يفتت‬
in the Egyptian dialect is often used for justo “ to
‫ " زرد‬a coat of mail,” “ aa cuirass ..”
.break Ay;
285. *
‫ذنب الكلب عمره ما يستقیم‬

A dog's tail never stands straight.
Said of incorrigible habits. ‫ » عمره‬during his
whole life ,” is often used for ‫ “ ابد‬never, without
any reference to life -time.
286. *
‫ذبابة ما هي شي و تغلت الروح‬

A fly is nothing ; yet it creates loathsomeness.
The most insignificant person may prove dis
agreeable. Wale in the Egyptian dialect “ to excite
disgust,” “ to become loathsome.' ‫ » تغلت منه‬he has
disgusted me.” Of the same sense is the term ‫تقرف‬
287 .
‫نال العزل يضعك من تيه الولاية‬

The removal from office which is despised, laughs at
the pride of government.
When we have departed from our station we
begin to see what was ridiculous in it. Jš the “ dis

dained, despised, mean, miserable.” This is here
personified together with Jjell which is the removal
from office, rank, or power. " puffed up pride."
288 .
‫و ان كان حقا‬, ‫در مشكل القول‬

Leave off ambiguous talking, should it even be true.
289. *
‫دل من لا سغیه له‬

Debased is he who has no impudent defender.
daim insolent, impudent.” So are called in
Egypt those persons whom their masters, patrons, or
friends employ in fighting their quarrels or in dis
puting for them with their insolent behaviour and
impudent language : people of this kind are easily
found at Cairo. The following verse expresses the
same sense :
‫الرجال‬ ‫و من يحلم و ليس له سفيه يلاقي المعضلات‬

290,
‫ذكرني فک جار اهلي‬

Thy mouth put me in mind of the jackass at home (or
of my family).
On a person appearing well at first, but proving
a worthless object on nearer view . A young man
followed a woman in the street thinking her pretty ;
when she led him to a remote corner and lifted up

her veil, he discovered her ugliness, and exclaimed
in those words.
291 .
‫ذهبت الناس و بقي النسناس‬

The people went away ; the baboons remained .
Lulimi is a species of the monkey tribe, I believe
a
a baboon. çö in the Egyptian dialect is seldom
conjugated ; it ought here to be wa
‫حرف الرا‬
292 .
‫راحت السكرة و جات الفكرت‬

Drunkenness departed and reflection came.
293 .
‫رزق الكلاب علي المجانين‬

Dogs are left to be provided for by fools.
The extravagant fool throws away his money upon
those who little deserve it. ‫ رزق‬here means 66 the
lot,” or “ whatever is assigned by destiny.” In this
sense it is often employed, and we find it so in the
94 ARABIC PROVERBS.
Koran. To this sentence we might here suppose

prefixed ‫ جعل الله‬In Syria the term jy
‫ رزق‬is often
used to express “ merchandise,” which in Egypt is
called ‫بضاعة‬
294 .
‫رزقت القردة وردة‬

A rose fell to the lot of a monkey.
Said of persons little deserving their good luck .
295 .
‫رأيتك حاج و الناس راجعين‬

I saw thee go on the pilgrimage at the same time that
the people returned from it.
On tardiness.
296.
‫راح يتوضي غرق‬

He went to make his ablutions in a pond and was
drowned.
He expected some advantage, but instead of it

met with total ruin .
297.
‫رحم الله امة كانت أقود من ابوه‬
God bless his mother ; she was more profligate than
his father.
.Reviling
language ‫ أقود‬from ‫) قواد‬see Dictionary(.
The meaning of ‫ رحم الله‬is literally ،، God have
2
mercy ;" but in vulgar use the phrase corresponds

rather with the English “ God bless him !”
298 .
‫رزق ܩܽܥܐ ܠܫܶܥܠ‬
The provisionfor to -morrow belongs to the morrow .

Do not trouble thyself about futurity.
299 .
‫ردوا لنا مقطغنا ما نريد عنب‬

Give us back our basket, we do not wishfor any grapes
(therein ).
Pay what thou owest us only, we want no profit
from it. Libi . a basket made of date-leaves, in
which the servants bring fruits and vegetables from
the market.
300 .
‫رمية من غير رامي‬

A throw without a thrower.
This is said in excuse of a loose word inadver
tently dropped and giving offence to another person .
301 .
‫راح مني بشاكم كلاه‬

He went away from me together with the fut of the
kidneys.
Used to express that the person left me and took
away even the smallest trifle of what was due to
him ; so that he has no further demands on me.

When a sheep is killed by a private person some of
the bystanders often take away the kidneys, or at
least the fat that incloses them , as due to the public
from him who slaughters the sheep. ss is the
‫ “ كلي‬kidney."
Egyptian plural of ‫ة‬as
302.
‫روح اجض ما عندک اطبخه‬

Go, (and) the most sour thou hast, cook it.
An answer to one who excuses himself on pre
tence of the bad state of his larder for not being
able to entertain a guest. In the vulgar Egyptian
dialect
‫روح‬
is the imperative instead of र
303 .
‫زار وخفف‬
‫رحم الله من زار و‬
God bless him who pays visits, and short visits.
The visits in the East, and chiefly those paid by
women to each other, sometimes last a whole day ;
and even the visits of men are usually prolonged to
a most unreasonable length. ‫ف‬ ‫ “ ق‬to lighten ,”
Liês
cause to be less heavy,” and here "to shorten ."
304 .
‫راح ياخطب اتزوج‬

He went to woo (her for a friend ) and married her
himself.
On an agent taking possession of the profits
ARABIC PROVERBS. 97
that he was employed to earn for his principal.

‫ اتزوج‬in the Egyptian dialect for ‫تزوج‬
305 , *
‫الله أمرا عرف قدرة و كفي الناس شره‬ ‫رحم‬

Blessed be the man who knows his power and abstains
from doing evil to others.
306 .
‫راسه في القبلي و استه في الخرابة‬

His head turned towards the Kebly, his hinder parts
among ruins.
On the hypocrisy of devotees, who seem attentive

to their religious duties while they are occupied in
base worldly affairs.
307. *
‫راس في السما و است في الماء‬
The head in the heavens, the hinder parts in water.
On pride assumed by low people.
308.
‫ركوب الخنافس ولا المشي علي الطنافس‬

Riding (though) upon a beetle, rather than walking
upon carpets.
Persons of high rank in Egypt hold walking in
great horror ; and after they have passed the years
of childhood, are rarely seen on foot beyond the

thresholds of their own houses. cuilib is the plural
of ‫ » طنفسة‬a carpet : it is more usually called ‫سجادة‬
in Egypt.
309 .
‫رضي الخصيان و ابي القاضي‬

The two purties (who had been) contending agreed (to
it) , but the kadhy refused his consent.
Said when the arbitrator, from an interested
motive, endeavours to prolong the quarrel.
310.
‫قفص‬ ‫ريح في‬

( Like) wind in a cage.
Said of frivolous nonsensical actions and of
measures that cannot have any effect.. vei a cage
made of loosely interwoven palm -leaves.
311.*
‫ܬܟܲܢܐ‬ ‫رب صبابة ترست‬

Sometimes love has been implanted by one glance
alone.
*
312.*
‫لفظة‬ ‫وب حرب شبت‬

‫رب عرب‬
( Thefire of) more than one war has been enkindled
by a single word .
313.
‫را شرق شارب الما قبل ریه‬

Perhaps the drinker of water is nearly choked by it,
and spits it out before his thirst be quenched .
We must sometimes abandon a business which
seemed profitable at first, but proves ruinous before
the conclusion of it. ‫ق‬b‫ شر‬in the Egyptian dialect,
signifies the gurgling noise made in the throat by
spitting out water that nearly chokes one . In the
>
same dialect 15, signifies “ perhaps,” or “it may

sometimes happen ;" the more common meaning is
perhaps."
‫حرف الزين‬
314 .
‫زوج الصرتین قفا بين درتين‬

The husband of two parrots (is like) a neck between
two sticks (that strike it).
On the misfortunes of a man married to two
quarrelsome and garrulous women .
315 .
‫زقاق ضيق و الحمار رقاص‬

A narrow lane, and the ass (upon which one rides)
is kicking.
Said of those who cause additional difficulties in
an intricate business, instead of carrying us through

.it ‫ يرفص‬is the common term expressing the kicking
of beasts.
316.
‫زوجي يكذب علي و انا اكذب علي الجيران‬

My husband tells lies to me, and I tell lies to the
neighbours.
I do according to what I learn .
317. *
‫زوجي ما غار فتش علي عشيقي بشمعة‬

My husband was not jealous, (although) my lover
came to search for me with a candle.
On the blindness of cuckolds.
318. *
‫زوج القحبه قواد بشهادته‬
The husband of the harlot is a base wretch by his own
testimony.
319 .
‫زعيط وممععيیطط و نطاط اخطيط‬
Zayt and Mayt, and jumping over the wall.
This is said of a man fond of company and noisy.
Zayt and Mayt are words without any literal
meaning, expressing merely the noise of a busy
crowd. (See Proverb No. 146.)
320.
‫زامر الي ما يطرب‬

Thefifer of his own) camp does not rejoice.
The talents of a person are less admired at home
than abroad .
321 .
‫زيتنا في دقيقنا‬
Our oil is (mixed) with our ( own) flour.
Said when a person marries his own near relation .
Oil-cakes are a favourite dish with the lower classes
in Egypt ; the oil used is lamp-oil ( b wyj).
322.
‫زاد في الطنبور نغمة‬

He added singing to the drum.
Said when either good or bad fortune receives an
addition . Juite the small drum or tambourine which
is held in one hand and beaten with the other, and is
the constant companion of the women, especially of
the lower classes, in their gay moments..
323 .
‫ كان من شهوة الاعمار‬9‫از حلق الحمار و‬

The ass slipped (and fell) ; this (proceeded ) from the
ass driver's desire (to see a lady).
The affair was spoiled because the person en
trusted with the management of it yielded to the
impulse of his own passion or interest. A lady rode
upon an ass, which the driver caused to stumble and

fall, that he might obtain a sight of the fair one.
‫ از حلق‬used in the Egyptian dialect for ‫ زلق‬or ‫زحلق‬
" to slip, slide, stumble, fall,” &c.
‫حرف السين‬
324 .
‫سالته عن ابوه فقال خالي شعيب‬

I asked him about his father, “My uncle's name is
Shayb,” he replied.
Applied to those giving an answer not suited to
the question. Jl
‫ خال‬is the mother's brother ; ‫عم‬ the
father's brother.
325.
‫سلموا مفاتيع البرج للقط‬

They entrusted the keys of the pigeon -house to the cat.
‫برج‬ in Egypt is the name given to the pigeon
houses, which in the open country are built in the
shape of small towers, upon a plan much resembling
that of the propylæa of the ancient temples.
326. *
‫ستوک راجع قال ان شا الله نجي الحق‬

They have called thee Rádjeh. “If God please,"
they said , ،، (now ) we shall come to the just
(measure)."
Thy reputation and outward appearance promise
much. Rádjeh is frequently used as a man's name ;
it also in the Egyptian dialect signifies “ to increase
the weight of the lighter scale until it equal the
other .” cösti is not only " truth ,” but also “ just,"
and ،، one's own due.”
327 .
‫ساعة لربک‬ ‫ساعة لقلبك‬

One hour for thy heart, and one hour for thy Lord.
Divide thy time between heavenly and worldly
concerns.
328 .
‫ستي و لاش و جاها النفاس‬

A lean little thing of a lady ; and (moreover) in
childbed .
She was miserable enough, and still became

more miserable (by the labours of childbed (. ‫ستي‬
used in the Egyptian dialect for ‫ست‬. - ‫لاش ۔‬ ‫و‬ is
said instead of a sud ‫و‬, a common expression to
denote a person or thing of utter insignificance , poor,
thin, miserable. culet is the state of a woman for
104 ARABIC PROVERBS.
forty days after the birth of her child, during which

time the Moslim law regards her as impure.
329 .
‫سوق الغسوق قایم‬

The market of debauch is always open.
‫“ قایم‬،، erect ; if said of the market, it means
‘‘ open.”
330.
‫ست بمنفعة ما على القنا منه مضرة‬

A blow that is profitable does not hurt the neck.
331.*
‫سلاح حاضرر و عاقل غایب‬
Arms ready and good sense absent:
On a passionate man ready to vent his rage.
332.*
‫سابق الحج بمرحلة‬

He is proceeding to the pilgrimage by a day's journey.
Said of the hasty.
333 .
‫سوسوا الشغل بالمخالفة‬

Govern the rabble by opposing them .
‫ سوسوا‬is the imperative of the verb ‫ساسا‬-- ‫يسوس ۔‬
The substantive is allow which means the govern
ment or administration of the executive power, in
opposition to that of the judicial body or Emiell pla

In the Egyptian dialect in low has also another sense,
and means " to talk gently to a person,”" “ to coax or
wheedle him ..” diw low means then, “ I have talked
gently with him, enticed him by soft words .” The
grooms in Egypt are called ‫) سیاس‬singular ‫( سایس‬
because they treat (or ought to treat) the horse
gently. The proverb means, that low people can
only be governed by acting in direct opposition to
their inclinations.
334 .
‫فتنه تدوم‬
‫سلطان غشوم خير من‬
A tyrannical sultán is better than constant broils (or
anarchy).
335 .
‫الغنا برسام حاد‬ cow

The hearing of music is a poignant pain.
This is said in ridicule of misers, who are re
proached for their contempt of music and songs ; in
proof of which the following saying is attributed to
them :
‫الانسان يسمع فيطرب‬

‫فينفق فيفتكر فيغتم فيموت‬
The person listens (to music), he rejoices in it, spends
money (on the songstress) ; then comes reflection ,
he grieves and dies.
plaw a Persian word, meaning the pain of any
P :
disease ; it is naturalized in Egypt among the phy

sicians, and signifies a violent pain, or distemper in
the brain .
336 .
‫سارت به الركبان‬
The riders have carried it with them (on their journey).
Said of a piece of news so publicly known, that
even the Bedouin travellers heard it, and reported it
. every placeion their wayn . ‫ رركب‬is a party of
Bedouins mounted on horses or camels.
337 .
‫الاستقصا فرقة‬
Inquiries become (or lead to) separation.
Too much inquisitiveness or curiosity about the
affairs of another may cause a disagreement and
separation.
338. *
‫وا ن‬
‫يعلم‬, ‫السلطان يعلم ولا‬

The sultán teaches, and is not to be taught.
339. *
‫اساجد لقرد السوة في زمانه‬

Prostrate thyself before the wicked monkey in his
time (of power ).
ARABIC PROVERBS. 107
340 .
‫السنور الصياح لا يصطاد شي‬

The cat that is (always) crying catches nothing.
To be successful in taking game one must pro
ceed with secrecy and caution.
‫حرف الشين‬
341 .
‫شي ما طبخنا جانا دي الجمر من این‬

We have nothing cooked ; whence came this fiery coal ?
On unforeseen and undeserved mishaps . jus
äy is employed
is the usual term for lighted coal. La
also in the same sense.
342 .
‫شي ما أكلنا نشرب علي ايش‬

We have eaten nothing ; why should we drink ?
We have not done anything to render necessary
the action in question. It is usual among people
in the East to drink only after eating, so that being
thirsty they may the more enjoy the draught.
‫ علي ایش‬is put here
‫ الي‬for ‫ لايش‬or ‫لاي شي‬-as
the pre
positions sk and si are in general used indiscrimi
108 ARABIO PROVERBS .
nately. Thus, yi isto ‫ “ تضربني‬why, or for what

dost thou beat me ?”
343 .
‫شددوني حرموني ما لي علي الحرب طاقة‬

They prepared me ; they girded me ; but I have not
strength for war.
Notwithstanding every assistance the person is
.unfit
for his business ‫ شددوني‬from ‫ “ يشد‬to make
ready, ” “to pack up and prepare for travelling.".
344.
‫شبيه الشي منجذب اليه‬

It resembles the thing that is attracted towards it.
This saying, which sounds better in Arabic than
in my translation, is frequently quoted , to say that
a person frequents those people only whose characters
agree with his own . The construction is ‫الشي الذي‬
‫منجذب اليه شبیه‬
345 .
‫شكروا القط خري في بيت الدقيق‬

They praised the cat ; she (then went and) dirted in
the meal-box.
Said of those who become insolent and over
bearing in consequence of praise.
346.
‫شالوه من الدقن خطوه في الشارب‬

They took it off from the beard and put it into the
moustaches .
The change did not better the condition.
347.
‫ تربيته‬y‫لا‬ ‫و‬ ‫شرا العبد‬

The buying of a slave ; but not the training of him .
The Eastern people know well how difficult a
task it is to educate a slave and break his stubborn
temper.
348.
‫شابت لحيته طابت عشرته‬
His beard became grey ; his society ( then) became
agreeable.
349 .
‫لك لا تعد ايامه‬ ‫ما هو‬ ‫شمر‬

Of a month that does not belong to thee, do not count
the days .
Do not score up the profits of others which can
never become thine own . By ‫ شهر‬or « month ," is
here understood the monthly pay or gain.
350 .
‫میان امتلات ماخلاته‬ ‫شعات‬
A beggarfilled his sack from another beggar.
‫ شحات‬a corruption of ‫ شاز‬commonly used in
Egypt for " a beggar.”" olšto

‫ ماخلانة‬is the bag out of which
horses and asses get their evening allowance of barley
or beans. It is loosely tied to the mouth over the
head , like a muzzle, and the mouth and half of the
head are in the bag during the time of feeding.
351 .
‫شرط المرافقة الموافقة‬

The ( first) condition offriendship is to agree with
each other .
352 .
‫شیب وعیب‬
Greyheaded and vicious.
353. *
‫شبهاته الحساد تفقت الغوان‬

The rejoicing of the envious rends the heart.
354 .
‫شرارة تحرق الحارة‬

A single spark can burn the whole quarter .
Trifles may cause universal disaster.
355. *
‫لا‬
‫يشبع ياجوع‬ ‫شي‬
A thing that does not satiate, creates hunger.
356. *
‫انا مستعجل‬ ‫حين‬ ‫شیل بتاعك حتي احط بتاعي لا‬

Take away thine, that I may put down mine, for I
am in haste.
On an angry person in haste, who thinks that

every one must make room for him and give way to
.h is
desires or caprices . ‫ بتاعك‬and ‫ بتاعي‬-are
ex
pressions commonly used in Egypt for *:thine " and
،، mile. In the same manner ‫ متاعك‬and ‫ متاعي‬are
used by the Moggrebíns ; and the Arabians say
‫ جتک‬and ‫ حقي‬From the singular cu a plural is
‫بتاع‬
thus formed'in the vulgar dialect,, ‫ع‬egr
‫ بتو‬- and we hear
‫ “ الخيل بطوعي‬my horses,’’ ‫ الكتب بطوعه‬،،» his books,”
‫ الاولاد بطوعكت‬.t
،، hy
childr en ”
357 .
‫شبعت اكلاب تهادوا‬

The dogs became satiated, and then made presents to
each other (of the remaining meat).
This is applied to the generosity evinced by
páshás and other great men towards each other.
358 .
‫شي شاط و شي باط وشي اكلته القطاط‬

Part (of it) was burnt, part of it spoiled , and part
eaten by the cats.
For money frivolously spent, such is the account
given to him who had possessed it. blbö a vulgar
plural of bü The term by is used by the gardeners;

who, about Cairo, are accustomed to prick the figs
of the sycamore, while yet on the tree and before
they are ripe, with a pointed iron, so as to tear out
of them a piece, not larger than a pea ; this is done
to render the fruit more sweet, for experience has
shown that an increase of sweetness is the conse
quence of allowing the air to enter by that operation
into the heart of the fruit . Figs that have not been
pricked never acquire a good flavour and are called
bli or spoiled. The operation itself is styled “the
.circu mc
of sycam oreis ‫ججممييزز‬n
figs ”io ‫تختين االل‬
359. *
‫من المرق لا تكترق‬ ‫شیل یدک‬

Take off thy hand from the broth lest it should be
burnt.
Said to expose an insidious adviser whose object
was that he might have the broth for himself.
‫ لا تحترق‬in the Egyptian dialect for ‫ لان لا تحترق‬In
similar cases the u is often dropt in conversation.
360 .
‫شويخ و يتحالا‬
A little old man, yet he plays the part of a gay
spark.
‫ شویخ‬the diminutive of ‫ شیخ‬. ‫ يتحالا‬from ‫ حلو‬to
play the spark or gallant.”
361 .
‫شاجرة تستظل بها لا تدعي بقطعها‬

A tree that affords thee shade, do not order it to be
cut down .
362 .
‫شيل ابوک عن اخوک‬

Take off thy father from thy brother.
This expression, which has no real sense in itself,
has received, I know not how, a kind of meaning in
the familiar language of conversation. It implies
“ after many difficulties ,” or “ in short ,” or “ to make
’ thus in talking of aa
few words ,” or “at last :”
journey they say, “ we travelled, we became very
tired on the road, thirst came upon us, and hunger,
we had to fight — ' take off thy father from thy
.brother'until ‫ تقا‬we arrived " ‫كنا مسافرين فتعبنا‬
‫ا شيل ابوک عن‬at‫تلن‬last
‫في الطريق و عطشنا وجعنا‬
‫و‬
‫اخوك حتي وصلنا‬

363 .
‫شاخاخ انحدر علي خرا قال مرحبا قرداش‬

Urine alighted upon dirt. “ Welcome, my friend,"
he said .
This is to ridicule the dirty rascally Turkish

soldiers, who when they meet salute each other in
the Turkish manner with the expression ‫مرحبا قرداش‬
“ Welcome, brother, or friend !"
Q
364 .
w
‫الشر قدیم‬
Evil is of old date.
365 .
‫البر‬ ‫عن‬ ‫شغلي الشعير عن الشعر و البر‬

The barley engrossed my thoughts instead of the
poetry, and the corn instead of liberality.
I had things quite different in my head. This
saying, which is without wit, puns in the Arabic
.text ‫ ‘‘ شغلني عنه‬it engaged myleisure or attention "
and prevented me from adverting to the other ."
This is an expression much used .
‫الصاد‬ ‫حرف‬
366 .
‫صارت القوقة شاعرة‬

The owl has become a poetess.
Of those who undertake professions for which
they are not qualified. Ägäll more commonly called
ään gör pl is that species of small owl which the Syrians
denominate ‫بومه‬
367 .
‫صادفت الحمير التلاليس‬

The asses have met with the sacks.
.Misfortunes
return ‫ تلاليس‬is the plural of ‫تلیس‬
( See No. 254. )
368.
‫صار نقاب الغرایر واعظ‬

He who made a hole in the corn sacks has become a
preacher.
A thief turned saint. ‫ب‬vlä
‫ نقا‬one who bores a
hole, more particularly with the intention of stealing:
Thus babe ‫ب‬ble
‫ نقا‬signifies one who breaks through a
wall that he may steal in the house, an operation
practised with incredible dexterity by the thieves of
Upper Egypt. Hele the plural of slé a corn bag
carried by camels ; it is shorter but wider than the
‫ تلیس‬In the southern parts of Syria the ‫ غرارة‬is a
corn measure .
369 .
‫ فطر علي بصلة‬9‫صام سنة و‬

He fasted for a whole year, and then broke his fast
with an onion.
We sometimes find persons of good repute who
forfeit their character upon some trifling occasion ,
or to obtain some small advantage. When the
Ramadhán is over the Moslims break their fast on
the morning of the great feast ( subes) with some

dainty morsels from their kitchens. It is thought
meritorious on that occasion to eat first aa few dates,
after the example of Mohammed, and it would be
shameful to use so mean a thing as an onion. The
term biz is applied to the legal breaking of the fast,
as also to the illegal breaking of it during the course
of the month of Ramadhan ; and it is thus said of
a person bli go or “ he is breakfasting,”, when he
eats in secret, which thus becomes a very opprobrious
expression.
370 .
‫صغار قوم كبار اخرین‬

The little among ( certain) people are great among
other people .
371. *
‫صلحت عويشة لعبد الكريم‬
The little Ayshe well suited Abd el Kerym .
On the meeting of two persons who suit each
other. s ather in the Egyptian dialect means “ it
fits or suits me," “ it is of use to me,” or “proper
.for
me ‫ عويشة‬is the diminutive of ‫عيشة‬
372 .
‫لا صباح العطار‬ ‫صباح الغول‬

The morning salutation to the bean-seller, and not to
the druggist.
Rather be poor but healthy like a peasant, than
rich but require the apothecary's medicines. The

66
word ‫ صباح‬is here put for ‫ ‘ مصابحة‬the first meeting
or saluting on going out in the morning.” According
to popular belief in the East, the good or bad luck of
the day is influenced by the object first seen on
coming out of the door in the morning. Thus it is
said if a lucky object present itself at early hours,
‫ ‘‘ صباحنا طيب‬our morning salute is fortunate or
.good” ‫ الغوال‬from ‫ فول‬is the man who early in the
day sells coarse horse-beans ( called when boiled
cucco) in the bázár ; they form the principal break
fast of the lower classes ; but it requires the stomach
of a peasant to digest them — they are mixed with
butter or lamp-oil. The druggists are at the same
time the common physicians of the town.
373.
‫اصاب التيس الماء و بل شواربه‬
The goat met the water and wetted his whiskers.
On a person immoderately enjoying the good
luck that had happened to him.
374.
‫صاحب القليل اولي به‬

it.
Who possesses little has the first right to .
375 .
‫صاهر كاشاني جزار قال جا الاخرا الباب الدار‬

A seller of dogs-meat became the son -in - law of a
1
butcher, “ (There,)” they said, “ the dirt has 1
come to the gate of (its) house."

Said of a connection formed between two low
fellows ; it is usual to abridge this proverb and only
quote the latter phrase , ‫ جا الخرا لباب الدار‬The
person is called ‫ كراشاتي‬who sells the ‫ کرشة‬or stomach
of a sheep, together with tripes or entrails and all
other kinds of dogs-meat ; which, however , in the
East, seldom falls to the lot of dogs, but is purchased
by poor people.
376 .
‫صقل جبته و تغش حيته‬

He has smoothed his cloak and cleaned his beard.
He prepared himself for the business. Jis when

used on the subject of cloth, means “ to pass a hot
iron over it to restore its lustre :" if spoken of paper,
it means “ to glaze it .” äis is the under vest of
cloth as worn in the East. ‫ نغش‬in the Egyptian
dialect “ to cleanse the beard from dust ;" the word
is used in the same sense.
‫تسرح‬
377.
‫صورة المودة الصدق‬

The image of friendship is truth .
It is to be wished that the Egyptians would take
this maxim as their guide. Truth in friendship does
not occur in the East ; I can at least conscientiously
declare that neither in Syria nor in Egypt did any
instance of its appearing under difficult circum

stances ever come within my observation : but on
the contrary, numerous cases where those who called
themselves friends, betrayed each other on the
slightest prospect of gain, or through fear, or some
other base motive.
378 .
‫صاحب الحاجة اعي‬

Who wants a thing is blind (to its faults).
In the Egyptian dialect isbi Lolo means “ he
who wants the thing,” “ who asks it,” or also “ he
who possesses the thing .” In the first sense dobi
stands for ‫ الاحتياج‬and ‫ صاحب الحاجة‬means then
the same as ‫ طالب الحاجة‬.See
) No .34()
379 .
‫اصاب اليهودي لاكما رخيص فقال هذا منتن‬

A Jew found meat at a low price. “It stinks,” he
then said .
On the excuses offered by a miser.
380. *
‫صفعة بنقد خير من بدرة بنسية‬

A ready blow with cash is better than eighty thousand
derhems of promised future payments.
‫ة‬ja
‫ بدر‬is equal to “ eighty thousand derhems,” a
term not used at present in keeping accounts. ‫ة‬ämne
‫نسي‬
in the Egyptian dialect equivalent to ‫ اجل‬or ‫وعد‬
ARABIC PROVERBS .
120
‫حرف الناد‬
381 .
Samul ‫لا تسبیح‬ ‫و‬ ‫صراط الابل‬

Rather (hear) the flatulencies of the camels, than the
prayers of the fishes.
The most fatiguing journey by land is preferable
to the pleasantest sea voyage. “ Take thy passage
by sea ," said a person to his friend, “ thou wilt
see many fishes about the ship performing their
devotions.' " No," replied the friend , “ I think it
better to hear ,” &c. The Egyptians dislike sea
voyages so much that most of them choose the
tedious and fatiguing journey by land to Mekka,
rather than the shorter passage by sea . ‫ح‬ca‫ی‬rm
‫سب‬u‫ ت‬is the
prayer all ulslaw and in general any homage paid to
the divinity .
382 .
‫ضربتين في الراس توجع‬

Two blows on the head cause pain .
Said of a person who has been twice cheated in
the same manner .
383 .
‫فاكتوا علي السقا حسبوا من ܟܢܵܐ‬

They laughed with the water-carrier, he thought it to
be true.
On the credulity with which inferiors listen to

.the
joking promises of their superiors ‫ضاحكوا علي‬
usually means “they laughed at him ;" but some
times, as here, " they laughed with him ," or " joked
with him.”” Imus
gaus the Egyptian pronunciation of
dus having the last syllables very strongly accented ,
2
thus “ hasabooe . ”
384 .
‫ضيف الكرام يضيف‬

The guest of the hospitable treats hospitably.
Or he learns hospitality from those who have
evinced it towards him. This alludes to a custom
general in the East ; a man invited by any respect
able person to an entertainment may bring with him
several of his own friends without the desire or per
mission of the host ; who, nevertheless, treats them
with as much politeness as those whom he had
himself particularly invited .
385 .
‫سربي و بكي و سبقني و شكي‬9
He beat me and cried out ; he got the start of me

and complained .
Said of those who complain in the midst of their
successes .
R
386 .
‫ضيف البدوي يسرق ثیابک‬

Entertain the Bedouin , he will steal thy clothes.
On ingratitude. The Bedouins of Egypt have
the worst reputation amongst the townspeople ; and
many of them , reduced to a mongrel race between
free Bedouins and peasants, have adopted all the
vices of the latter. Lin is the Egyptian imperative
‫ '" يضيف‬to treat as a guest,” “ to entertain.”
of Lima
387 .
‫ضرب الحبيب مثل اكل زبيب‬

A blow from our lover is as (sweet as) the eating of
raisins.
Here the wit lies merely in the Arabic rhyme of
zebyb, raisin, with habyb, lover .
388 .
‫ضاوي و لا تمسک خصاي‬

Fight with me, but do not lay hold of such a part as
may be seriously injured.
Observe some decency and moderation in thy
enmity. When the Egyptian peasants fight with
each other it frequently happens that the weaker
seizes his adversary in such a manner as to cause
dangerous or fatal results.
389 .
‫ضاع عقله في طولة‬

His understanding is lost in his length.
Said of a person as tall in stature as he is stupid
in mind .
390.
‫ضاحك الجوزة بين الحاجرین‬

( Like) the laughter of the nut (when cracked ) between
two stones.
Said of smiles or laughter forced amidst poignant

sufferings.
391 .
‫ضع الامور واضعها تضعك موضع‬

Put the things into their places, they will put thee
into thy place.
Give to every one his due and right, and thou
shalt have thy due. This saying also means, ، ( make
no innovations, and thou shalt not be disturbed .”
392 .
‫اضرب البري حتي يعترف المجهري‬

Strike the innocent, that the guilty may confess.
What a judicial maxim ! It is related that in
an intricate law suit, the kadhy caused a person
avowedly innocent to be bastinadoed . When the
poor man complained, the kadhy declared that he
beat him merely with the hope that whoever was
the real culprit might be induced to confess out of

compassion .
393 .
‫ضاحک الافاعي في جراب النورة‬

(Like) the laughter of serpents in the sack of burning
chalk .
This in purport is similar to No. 390. To torment

serpents the children put them into a sack of
unslaked lime, and then pour water on it ; the hisses
of the serpents while they suffer the torture of
burning, are called by the children “the laughing of
the serpents.” öggj
‫ نورة‬is unextinguished lime; the same
name is also given to a paste made of this lime and
mercury , which is used in the bath as a depilatory
to remove hairs from the body. Why
V is a “ leather
bag.”
394 .
‫ضيق الوصلة‬ 1
(He is) of narrow throat.

This is said of a person who blabs every secret.
älogs in Egypt signifies that part of a bird's throat
wherein the food is deposited before digestion.
395. *
‫اضبط منن الأعمي‬
(He) holds faster than the blind man.
Said of one who never relaxes his hold. Blind
men grasp at the objects before them with peculiar
force and eagerness .
1
}
396 .
‫اضيق من سم الخياط‬
Narrower than the ear of a needle.
.Appliedto business of a difficult nature ‫قسم الخياط‬
is an expression meaning the “ear of a needle.” We
find in the Koran ‫سم الخياط‬ ‫حتي يلج الجمل في‬>
“ until the camel shall enter into the needle's ear.
‫الطا‬ ‫حرف‬
397 .
‫طار طيرک و اخذه غیرک‬

Thy bird flew away, and another took it.
Another has seized upon thy good luck, or of the
opportunity that thou hast missed.
398. *
‫طرطوري يقع من أطية‬
( Like) a high cap, it falls off at a single blow .
This is said of an effeminate cowardly person
‫ طرطوري‬or ‫) طرطور‬See No. 194.) In the Egyptian
dialect ämbl signifies a blow not very violent.
399 .
‫طبل طبلک و زمر زمرک‬

Beat thy drum and blow thy pipe.
Thou hast obtained thy wishes, now rejoice, this
is the time for mirth. The Egyptians frequently
quote this saying. The drum and the pipe are
instruments much used, especially among the peasants .
400.
‫طير طيره و راح يجري علفه‬

He caused his bird to fly away, and then went
running after it.
On inconsistency of conduct.
401 .
‫ع تقبه علي شونة‬-

‫طل‬
The hole (which he made ) opened into a granary.
Said of the failure of a person's eager endeavours.
A thief contrived to make aa hole in a wall, expecting
to find a room full of valuable goods on the other
side ; but instead of it he found a magazine of straw
or corn that was of little service to him. Lä is
the hole made in the wall.. ‫ة‬Zgie‫ شون‬is an open yard
where the corn or straw belonging to government is
kept. In every town of Egypt there is such a yard,
where the corn is heaped up, but uncovered and
exposed to rain ; which, however, only spoils the
surface to the depth of six or eight inches . As far
as I know, there exists at present in Egypt but one

roofed magazine of corn : this was lately erected at
Alexandria by Mohammed Aly Páshá.
402 .
‫طالب المال بلا مال کاحامل الماء في الغربال‬

Who seeks for wealth without (previous) wealth is like
him who carries water in a sieve.
403. *
‫طاعة اللسان ندامة‬

Obedience to the tongue (causes) repentance.
Who leaves his tongue uncontrolled, repents.
404 .
‫طبيب يداوي الناس و هو عليل‬

( Like) a physician curing the people, while he himself
is distempered.
(A verse. )
405 .
‫عدة الأسد تخية الذيب‬

The food of the lion (causes) indigestion to the wolf.
‫ية‬.sur
‫تخ‬ , indigestion
feit
406 .
‫الطمع الكاذب يدق الرقبة‬

False ambition severs the neck .
It leads to perdition. Erb means “ avidity,”
whether for pecuniary gain, or for power, or fame,

66
in which latter sense it means ambition. ' ‫ پدق‬in
(
the Egyptian dialect, ‘‘ to strike,’’ ‘‘ to cut off, &c.
‫الظاء‬ ‫حرف‬
407 .
‫ظلم البهایم حرام‬

The ill - treatment of brute creatures is unlawful.
408 .
‫ظنان خوان بعيد الاحسان‬

Suspicious, treacherous, remote from good works.
Striking characteristics of a worthless person.
‫ ظنان‬is one who thinks ill of others, because it is
understood ‫الذي يظن بالسوء‬
409 .
S
‫ظلوم غشوم كعب الشوم‬

‫و‬
Tyrannical, cheating, of bad omen.
‫ كعب السوم‬means that his heel (and therefore
the whole person) is of bad omen : it stands for
‫كعبه شوم‬ The Egyptians say concerning a thing
which is of bad omen to its possessor ‫کعبه عليه‬
(
‫ موش طيب‬،“ his heel is not good for it, ” or ،،، his
heel in passing over it will be unlucky." ) ‫موش‬

for a gud Lo) With respect to bad omens the
Egyptians say ‫و نواصي‬ ‫اكعاب‬ ‫و‬ ‫ أعتاب‬، thresholds ,
heels, and the" horses' forelocks ;” meaning that
houses, men, and horses, are most exposed to the
evil eye and bad omens. This is probably derived
from the saying of Mohammed , ‫ان يكون الشوم فغي‬
‫و الدابة‬, ‫ ثلاث الدار و !المرأة‬، Let the bad omen reside
only in three things; the house, the woman , and
the animal." The ancient Arabs were extremely
superstitious on this subject ; and even now the fear
of a bad omen is universal, and pervades every
transaction .
‫حرف العين‬
410 .
‫لا تري قلب لا يكزن‬ ‫عین‬

(When ) the eye does not see, the heart does not grieve.
Be not an eye -witness of misfortunes.
411 .
‫علي قد الكسا مد رجلیک‬

In proportion to the (length of ) thy garment stretch
out thy legs.
Accommodate thyself to the circumstances in
S
which thou art placed. To stretch out one's leg

beyond the cloak , so that any part of it should
appear, is reckoned highly indecent and unmannerly
among respectable persons in Eastern society. Before
a superior the man who sits cross-legged must en
deavour to hide even his feet and toes, in fact he
must show no part of his body but the face. In the
Egyptian dialect si is often used for juli
412 .
‫عدوتي غاسلتي‬
My enemy is the washer of my corpse.
I am thrown upon the
mercy of my enemy. ‫الغاسله‬
is the woman who washes the corpses of females
previously to interment.
413 .
‫و البخور تحته‬9 ‫عریان باسته‬

Naked about his hinder parts, and perfume under
them.
Although he has not money wherewith to pur

chase drawers, yet he has the vanity to perfume his
hinder parts ; while even the rich are content to
perfume their beards. The vanity of living beyond
one's station, and affecting airs of greatness, is very
common among the Easterns of a low class ; while
on the contrary, those of the higher classes endeavour
to conceal their wealth by living as poorly as is com
patible with their rank.
414 .
‫عقلا ما اختصموا‬
Wise men do not quarrel with each other.
415.
‫عداوة العاقل و لا صاحبة الجاهل‬
The enmity of the wise, rather than the friendship of
the fool.
416 .
‫عند المخاضة يبان القليط‬

At the ford over the river the kalyt becomes con
spicuous.
On certain occasions the bad qualities of a person
must show themselves. äolisho is a fording place
where the water is shallow . The peasants in crossing
over hold up their loose skirts, and on such occasions
the kalyt (see No. 157,) becomes conspicuous.
417.
‫عند الشوي لف لف و عند لاخل أنا ضرسان‬

At the roasted meat " take, take ;" but at the vinegar
my teeth ache."
He eagerly eats the roasted meat ; but when
vinegar is offered he says, “it makes my teeth ache.”
Le “ to encircle, to cover, or wrap up." Here it
means to wrap up the pieces of roast meat in some
bread as is practised at dinners in the East, where
every morsel taken from the dish is accompanied to

the mouth with a piece of bread ; or, if possible,
wrapped up in it. whow ni is that unpleasant sensation
of the teeth when we see anything repugnant to our
nature or taste. Vinegar made of dates is used by
the lower classes in summer ; they dip their bread
into it.
418 .
‫عند البطون تذهب العقول‬

When the stomach is concerned , wisdom withdraws.
Wisdom is overpowered by hunger or dire necessity.
419 .
‫عند المصيق لا اخ و لا صدیق‬

At the narrow passage there is no brother and no
friend.
In dangerous cases we must only think of saving
.
ourselves. camill " a narrow pass, " a difficult
moment.”
420.
‫عیياا تنحغففف ماكجنونة‬

A blind woman shaves an insane one.
On improper persons employed in ridiculous

.affairs ‫ تحفف‬is derived from ‫ جحف‬or ‫ تحفیف‬، the
rubbing the skin of the face with the libán shámy as
a depilatory to remove hairs. The libán shámy
Isola W ) is a white shining gum of a glutinous
quality, a kind of turpentine that is imported into

Egypt from the islands of the Archipelago, particu
larly from Scio, where it is produced from aa species
of fir. It is used in a melted state, the finger being
dipped into it and rubbed over the face, by which
process all the hair to which it sticks is eradicated .
The women of Cairo whose beauty is obscured by
hair on the skin , avail themselves of this besi
421 .
‫علي عینک یا تاجر‬

To thy eye, O Merchant.
The whole is displayed before thee, therefore open
thy eyes, for if thou art cheated in the business, it is
now thy own fault.
422.
‫علي بخت زفافي قصر !الليل وو تابت المغاني‬

To the good luck of my wedding festivities the night
was short, and thefemale singers became penitents.
This is said ironically to express that the wedding
did not succeed well; and the saying is applied to
any unfortunate circumstance that throws obstacles
in the way of rejoicings. ‫ زفاف‬is the plural of ‫زفة‬
"the procession in which the bride is carried to the
house of her spouse ;” and it also signifies “ the whole
wedding-feast,” the principal rejoicings of which take
place during the night ; and at Cairo always on the
night preceding the consummation of matrimony,
which last night is called üleni a While I am

writing this, the whole quarter of the city in which
I reside is illuminated on a similar occasion ; and
two men, one disguised as a French soldier, the
other dressed up as a French woman, play their
tricks before a large assembly of Arabs, in front of
the bridegroom's house ; a third Arab personifies a
cowardly Turkish soldier making love to the lady ;
he, as well as the French pair, pronounce Arabic
according to their supposed native idioms, a circum
stance which causes roars of laughter. The mock
lady's heart is won by the Turkish soldier, whose
pockets are full of gold ; but the French soldier beats
the Turk unmercifully whenever he meets him, and
at last obliges him to put on his hat instead of the
turban. The female singers are mostly public women
of a loose description ; those who were expected at
the wedding feast suddenly felt symptoms of repent
ance ( ), and therefore did not attend.
As certain customs usual on a Moslim wedding
ceremony at Cairo have not been mentioned by former
travellers, I shall here give some account of them .
When a girl is to be asked in matrimony, a friend or
relation, or the sheikh of the young man, (who has
instructed him in reading the Korán, ) goes to the
girl's father, and makes a bargain for her. It is a
real bargain, for the girl's affections are never con
sulted, and the amount of the price to be paid for
her ( indi cä as they call it,) is the only matter
taken into consideration, provided the stations in life
of both parties sufficiently correspond ; but even in
this respect the Egyptians are not very scrupulous,

and a man of low extraction and profession who
possesses wealth often marries into a high class. The
price paid for the girl to her father, or, if he be dead,
to the nearest male relation, varies according to her
rank, fortune, or reputation for beauty. Among the
first-rate merchants the price is from two hundred to
three hundred dollars; among those of the second
class, from sixty to eighty ; and the lower classes
often pay no more than from three to five dollars.
It is usual to pay half of the money immediately
in advance, this sum becomes the property of the
father ; the other half remains in the bridegroom's
hands, and reverts to his wife if he should die or
divorce her ; but if she herself sues for a divorce she
forfeits her claim to the money. On the day of
betrothing (äubišill pos) the girl's father gives a small
entertainment in his house, where none assemble but
intimate friends, the bridegroom himself not being
present. The day for the marriage is then fixed .
If any festivity is to take place (a circumstance with
which the poorer classes generally dispense), the
street wherein the bridegroom resides is for six or
seven days before the marriage decorated with flags
and various -coloured lamps, suspended from cords
drawn across the street . Three days before the
marriage ceremony the festivities usually begin ; if
the parties are great and rich people, they begin
eight days before — the house is then full of company
every night, and an open table is kept. But on the
great night of the feast (that immediately preceding
the nuptial night,) singing and dancing women are

hired to attend, and the whole street is illuminated .
Next morning when the nuptials are to take place
( aleNI px ), (which in Egypt is always on Monday
or Thursday, the other days being considered of bad
omen with regard to weddings,) the girl's father
repairs to the bridegroom's house, accompanied by
some of his friends, in order to conclude the marriage
compact ( südl); after a plentiful dinner the mutual
friends assemble in a circle, the girl's father and the
bridegroom sitting in the midst. The former takes
the other's hand, and after the recital of a short
prayer addresses him in these words : “ I give to thee
my daughter N * * * the adult virgin, in marriage
>
according to the law of God and of his prophet.”

)‫زوجتك بنتي فولاية البكرة البالغة بسنة الله ورسوله عليه‬
plull) To which the other replies : “ I take thy
daughter N * * * in marriage, the adult virgin, accord
ing to the law of God and of his prophet.” The
father asks, “ Dost thou accept my daughter ? ”
( siap bul) The answer is, “ I have accepted her .”
(laulu
‫ ()قبلتها‬The father immediately adds, “ God bless
thee with her. ” (las cosas all) And the bride
groom replies, “ I hope in God that she may prove a
blessing.” (anie Leo ut gjor) The Fatha (or first
chapter of the Koran) is then recited by the whole
company, and all present shake hands with the
bridegroom , and congratulate him . No document or
marriage contract is written on this occasion, nor
even at the time of betrothing, when two witnesses
only are required, to attest verbally the betrothing
and the payment of the money. While this ceremony

is taking place, the bride, having left her own house,
and accompanied by all her female relations, proceeds
through the town in a manner faithfully represented
in a plate of Niebuhr's Travels. She is completely
veiled, generally with a Cashmere shawl; a large
canopy of red silk or cotton stuff, held by four men ,
is carried over her head ; the musicians go before
her. She parades through all the principal streets
from morning till evening, for six or eight hours. *
When great people marry , these processions are con
ducted upon a more magnificent scale . I have seen
many nuptial processions of persons high in office at
the court of Mohammed Aly ; the bride was seated
in a carriage, and all the different trades and pro
fessions of the town appeared personified upon richly
decorated open waggons drawn by horses ; in these
waggons the tradesmen and artists had established
their shops, and sat working in the same manner as
in their own regular abodes : sixty or seventy of
those waggons followed the carriage of the bride.
Before them went rope-dancers, harlequins, &c., and
at their head was a masqued figure that is frequently
seen parading in front of nuptial processions of an
inferior order, and conducted with much less pomp
and splendour ; this figure is a young man whose
head , arms, legs, and entire body are patched over
* In Syria, where this procession is accompanied with other
ceremonies and usually takes place in the early part of the night,
it is reckoned a very bad omen to pass with the bride before a
public bath, and therefore those streets are carefully avoided into
which the baths open .
T
with white cotton, so that no part of the skin can be

perceived, his person appearing as if completely pow
dered over . He exhibits, in the natural position,
that object which constituted the distinguishing
attribute of the ancient Roman god of the gardens;
this is of enormous proportion, two feet in length,
and covered with cotton ; and he displays it with
indecent gesticulation in all the bázárs before the
staring multitude, and during the whole time of the
procession . How this custom , which is not known
in other places, began among the Egyptians, I am
unable to ascertain ; but it seems not improbably
some remnant of the worship paid by their forefathers
to that god, whose temple at Karnak is the most con
siderable now existing in Egypt. Towards evening
the bride arrives, half fainting from fatigue, before
the gate of her spouse's dwelling, from which he
issues, suddenly clasps her in his arms as if by
violence, and running off with his fair prize carries
her into the female's apartments up stairs, where all
the women of both families are assembled. This
evening is past with much fewer festivities than the
last ;; there are not any public rejoicings in the
streets, and none but the relations and intimate
friends attend at supper. The bridegroom now in
his turn leaves the house, he parades in his newest
clothes, by the light of torches and to the sound of
drums, a short way through the town, accompanied
by his friends ; he then goes to the Mosque, and
recites the Aeshe, or last evening prayer, after which
he returns to his home . As soon as he enters the
house his friends leave him , but at parting strike

him many times with their hands upon his back ;
these blows he endeavours to avoid by running in as
fast as possible. He is indulged with a short repose
in his own apartment, and a message is then sent
informing him that his bride is ready to receive him.
He finds her in his bedchamber, sitting upon the
sofa with two women by her side, usually the mother
or aunt, and the old midwife of her family. It is
here that for the first time her face is seen by the
bridegroom , and his expectations are but too often
disappointed . At his entrance the veil that covers
her is removed by her attendants ; she then rises
and kisses his hands. An invariable and indispen
sable custom now obliges the bridegroom to give
money to both the female attendants, and likewise to
put some money into the hands of his bride, this is
called "the price for the uncovering of the face”
‫(ه‬asl
‫ف الوج‬ ‫)( حق كش‬. If his circumstances allow him ,
cens
he generally gives gold coins : if he is poor, he gives
a piastre, or even a few paras ; something, however,
must be given, although a trifling sum , in testimony
of the veil having been removed with the girl's
consent. The two women then retire, and none
remain but the bride and bridegroom . During this
first nuptial “ tête à tête ” many women assemble
before the door, striking drums, singing, and shouting
loudly, to prevent from being heard any conversation
that might pass between the newly married couple.
On this occasion the bridegroom must convince him
self that no man has anticipated him in the possession
of the fair one, whom also he must no longer allow

to boast of being a maiden (43 ,sy dil). The mode
in which he acquires that conviction is sometimes so
repugnant to manly feelings, that I must describe it
in a language better adapted than the English to a
‫ باصبعهم‬of‫وها‬similar
.d ‫ق‬et
‫نت فياخر‬proceeding
‫ الب‬ai ‫أتنسهاتغنكيثيرفيين ذملنك الناالسو‬
‫ن وطية‬s‫قت ع‬l
9‫العامة يستعملوا ايضا مفتاح خشب حتي الفلاحين و‬ ‫و‬
‫ناس السغلا لا يخرقوا البنت الآ بالمفتاح بل يعيبوا كل الذين‬

‫ ما يفعلوا كذلك‬Before the bridegroom approaches
his bride it is reckoned proper that he should
utter aloud these words of the Koran : ‫و‬ ‫الله‬ ‫نصر من‬
ÇO C Among the lower classes of Moslims at
Cairo it is customary that on the day after the
nuptials certain female relations of the bride should
carry her innermost garment (not her handkerchief
as some travellers have related, ) in triumph to the
houses of their neighbours. But this practise is
not adopted by the more respectable inhabitants,
among whom the chemise is exhibited only in the
bridegroom's house to the women assembled there ;
and in many instances the people of high rank con
demn even this exhibition as indecent, and no longer
allow it. On that night, immediately after the
conclusion of their first interview , the bride and
bridegroom retire to separate apartments ; next
morning they go to the bath ; and for seven days
after some female relations constantly remain with
the bride in the house of her husband, but he is not
permitted to approach her.
The bride furnishes herself with clothes for the

marriage, and with ornaments ; she brings likewise
to her husband's house much furniture, bedding,
kitchen utensils, &c. (called ), ) often of greater
value than the price which was paid for her ; those
articles continue her property .
If a widow marries, none of those ceremonies
take place ; the nuptials are celebrated in a quiet
manner by the family alone . Even the marriage of
a virgin is sometimes not accompanied by any fes
tivities, but for this omission an express stipulation
must be made at the time of betrothing ; else the
bride and her friends would consider themselves
insulted.
It is always expected that those who are invited
to nuptials should bring some presents ; sugar, coffee,
and wax candles, are the articles generally sent on
such occasions to the bridegroom's house, upon a
large board covered with a fine handkerchief.
Divorces are extremely common at Cairo ; I
believe there are few individuals who have not
divorced one wife. Polygamy is much less frequent
than Europeans imagine. Of one hundred married
men in this city there certainly is not more than one
who has two wives ; and not more than one in five
hundred who has more than two. The privilege of
having four, which the Moslim law allows, is enjoyed
by the richest class only, those who can afford to
keep separate establishments.
To estimate the condition of the Arab women at
Cairo, by that reported to exist at Constantinople
and in the large Turkish towns, would be very

erroneous. Females probably enjoy more freedom
here at Cairo than in any other part of the Turkish
empire, the deserts excepted ; and whether for that
reason , or from some accessory causes, they are of less
reserved manners, and more addicted to debauchery
than the women of the neighbouring countries, Syria
and Hedjaz.
423. *
‫عمر الكذاب قصير‬

The liar is short-lived (soon detected ).
424.
‫علي الموقن أن يؤذن‬

It is the business of the Mueddin to call to prayers.
There are appropriate persons for the performance
of every business. ske sometimes means“ the business
of,” “ belonging to. " Thus it is said , ‫ هذا على‬، this
is my business or duty to perform,” “this obligation
devolves upon me.”
425 .
‫عیش یا چار حتي ينبت النوار‬

Live, thou ass; until the clover sprouts up.
Exhorting a foolish person to be patient and not
to despond, as it is quite certain that circumstances
will change for the better.
426 .
‫و روح‬ ‫علموني كيف اهجركم قالوا خلينا‬

Teach me how I can depart from you. Let us alone,
they said, and begone.
Said of a person fondly imagining that he is dear
to people who do not care about him.
427. *
‫عاشر المصاي تصلي و عاشر المغني تغني‬

Live with him who prays, and thou prayest ; live with
the singer, and thou singest.
428.*
‫عفاشة و تلاشة و بقبقة وحاشة‬

A miserable disorderly slut talks proudly and affects
prudery.
‫ عفاشة‬comes from the termn ‫ عغش‬which in the
Egyptian dialect signifies “ miserable baggage,”
>
trumpery ;" thus they say üei cüés meaning a

"deal of rubbish and trumpery .” The word cüc is
a cant term employed only in this phrase, and
without any real signification, but it serves to rhyme
with cüés (See No. 146 and No. 319.) In a wider
"
sense cüis means also “ baggage in general,” “ par

.cels
of goods ” ‫ تلاشة‬from the word ‫‘‘ متلاشي‬thrown
about,” “ disorderly,” “ worthless.” is
jää an imitative
word expressing the gurgling sound which water
produces in passing through the narrow opening of
earthen jars when poured out. From this is derived
its figurative sense, the talking loud, and also bab

.bling ‫ وحاشة‬from ‫ یوحش‬، to abstract one's self
>
from society,” “ to neglect one's friends,” “ to behave

towards them with reserve and affected airs. "
429 .
‫القط و كان بشهوة الفار‬

The cat became blind yet still was hankering after
mice.
430.
‫عمارة البيت ولا خرابه‬

To keep the family in good condition, not to destroy
it.
When the words ‫ عمارة عمارة‬and ‫ خرابة‬refer to ‫) بیت‬a

house or family ), 3;'s means " to keep the family in
a good state by letting the mother live with her
husband and children ;” and öils means “ to ruin
the family by divorcing the mother and obliging her
.to
quit the house " family
‫البيت‬dies.‫ خرب‬is likewise used
when the father of a
431 .
‫عازب و يضارب ما ياختي له صاحب‬

Unmarried , quarrelsome, and retaining no friend.
Said of one whose manners are repulsive.
432 .
‫عریان وفي كمه میزان‬

( Half) naked and a balance in his hand.
Miserable, still laying claim to the habits of the
wealthy. ulice does not here properly mean “ naked ,"
"
but “ half-naked ,” “in rags.” The substantial mer
chants of Cairo frequently carry a small balance in
their wide sleeves, to weigh the sequins and other
gold coins which they receive in payment.
433 .
‫علمناه الشحاتة سبقنا علي الأبواب‬

We taught him begging, and (now ) he has the start
of us at the gates.
The pupil excelling his master. See No. 350 ,
for ‫شحاتة‬
434 .
‫عصيدة من طبيخ أم علي‬

pap of the cookery of Om Aly.
A
To express a thing prepared with great care and

nicety. ötmas is a pap made of meal, butter, and
water, much used among the negroes and also among
the peasants. Le pl a woman's name; as women
are often called by the name of their favourite child,
usually the first - born son .
U
435. *
‫ميبت القدر علي المغرفة قالت يا سودة يا معارفة‬

The kettle reproached the kitchen spoon . “ Thou
blackee ,” he said, “thou idle babbler ."
Of those who reprove others for faults of which
they themselves are more guilty . diell is a large
wooden kitchen spoon . jjlsly has not in Egypt
always the literal signification , but means " to talk
"
idly,” “ to give bad advice ,” “ to delude a person by
shrewd words."
436 .
‫عواض خطوطک و احمرة امسكي عماشک یا بظرة‬

Instead of thy ( fine) tattoo and thy painting, wipe
off the dirt from thy face, thou hussey.
Do what is right and necessary before thou
thinkest of what is merely ornamental. ‫ط‬babs
‫ خطو‬so is
called the tattooing of the female peasants and those
of the lower classes in general; this is produced by
incisions made along the forehead and temples, dis
posed in separate lines, but never forming any regular
>
figures. sábi is the red colour, with which thegay

women paint their hands and feet ; it is made either
of Henna or of Cinnabar, In the Egyptian dialect
cüks
‫ عاش‬means “dirt in the eye,” (and likewise, “ sore
ness of the eye”) . Gli is an insulting expression ,
equivalent to " slut or wench .” It originally signifies
-labia pudendorum , quæ a Cahirinis etiam joj
dicuntur, et in puellis exciduntur.
437.
‫عناق الاجتماع اطيب من عناق الوداع‬
The embrace at meeting is better than that at parting.
438 .
‫عينه في الطبق و أذنه لمن زعق‬

His eye upon the cupboard, his ear towards the crier
(of things for sale in the street).
Applied to a greedy glutton. carb is a board or
shelf in a room whereon eatables, especially fruits and
.Sweetmeats
, are deposited . ‫ لمن زعق‬،،to him who
cries,” viz., cries victuals, fruit, &c. , for sale ; it is
here put for ‫في من زعق‬
439.
‫الشمس لم تتغطي‬ ‫عین‬
The eye of the sun cannot be hidden .

Superior excellence or beauty will become known,
notwithstanding every effort made to conceal them .
‫ عین الشمس‬and cushi are often said indifferently ; it
also means the body of the sun, or the solar rays.
This proverb is taken from a poem in praise of wine,
beginning with the following verses :
‫الراح المدام القرقف البكر العجوز الشمطا‬
‫غطوها الندامة قالت عين الشمس لم تتغطي‬
In the first line there are six different terms
expressing wine.
440 .
‫عیر و استعير هذا هو العار الكبير‬

Borrow and lend out (what thou hast borrowed ), that
is the great shame.
This is a verbal play on the different meanings of
‫عیر‬ and ‫عار‬
441 .
‫عرس وفي طرفه ختان‬

A wedding, and by its side a circumcision ( feast).
A surplus or superabundance of rejoicings. The
term ‫ طهارة‬is more commonly used in Egyptthan ‫ختان‬
To save expense the Egyptians frequently celebrate
these two festivals at the same time, when an oppor
tunity of doing so presents itself.
442 .
‫نكتة المسائية‬
‫و راس الأخت و اول الجريدة و‬ ‫القلادة‬
‫عین‬
‫و بيت القصيدة‬
The jewel of the necklace, the canopy of the throne,
the vanguard of the army, the point in discourse,
the best verse of the poem .
The « eye of the necklace " )‫ (عين القلادة‬is the
precious stone, or medallion , or gold coin , which
hangs upon the breast, from the middle of a woman's
.n ,toec kl
attract particular ac
notice ‫ جريدة‬eor ‫جريدة‬
an army or large body of troops in actual warfare;"
thus,, ‫“ التجريدة علي الوهابي‬، the army against the
Waháby.” ša ,sut Jyl is the “ head or vanguard of

the army, composed of the bravest soldiers .” Alustasi
" the very point or most material part of the question
under discussion . " ‫ بيت القصيدة‬so is styled the
verse (ww.) wherein the poet has exerted his utmost
powers ; the main verse of the poem, usually found
towards the end of those compositions called Kasýde.
443 .
‫عصارة ثوم في قارورة خبث‬

A dirty liquor in a wretched bottle.
A bad character and unseemly body. ‫ة‬jjhos
‫ عصار‬a
liquid extracted by pressure from whatever source it
may be. By the same as ö ;lj a “ glass bottle. ”
444.
‫العيد‬ ‫عليه ما علي الطبل يوم‬
May that come upon him which comes upon the drum
on the feast -day.
Much beating ; verbatim , “ to him what to the
drum on the day of festival. "
445 .
‫العذاب‬ ‫عليه ما علي المحصنات من‬

Muy those torments be his which are the due of the
adulteresses.
May he suffer stoning. Here is to be understood

‫ المحصنات الزانيات‬or those women whom the Koran
condemns to be stoned )‫( ترجم‬.
446 .
‫عليه ما علي اصحاب السبت‬

May that be his lot which is the lot of the Sabbat men.
The Sabbat men, or the Jews, are doomed to hell
fire by the Koran. All these imprecations are in
common and frequent use.
447 .
‫الانمي ياخري فوق السطح و يظن أن الناس لا يروه‬

The blind man does what is nasty upon the roof
of the house, and thinks that the people do not
see him .
Said of aa blockhead who fancies that the world is
unacquainted with his foolish tricks, however openly
he practises them. The meaning of ‫ فوق السطح‬is
properly “ above the roof or terrace of the house ;"
but it is constantly used to express upon the
terrace . ”
448 .
‫العادة توم الطبيعة‬

Custom is the twin of the innate character.
(See No. 133.)
449 .
‫من البعوض‬ ‫اعز من‬

More rare than fly -brains.
Said of any thing very scarce. ‫ بعوض‬means
originally (as here) “ a fly "; but in the common dialect

of Egypt this name is given to a sort of vermin that
stick to the beards of filthy peasants, and are also
called ‫صيبان‬
450 .
‫انف الأسد‬ ‫اعز من‬
Scarcer than the nose of the lion .
Said of a rare thing, because it is difficult to take
a lion by the nose.
451 .
‫اعلق من قراد‬
More adhesive than a tick.
Said of a person whom one cannot shake off. ulje

is a species of tike (or tick ); these creatures attach
themselves firmly to the body (especially to the belly)
of a camel, and annoy him extremely .
452 .
‫اعدل من الميزان‬
More just than a balance.
453
‫العز في نواصي الخيل‬

Honour (resides) in the manes of horses.
This is taken from the saying of Mohammed ,
‫ الاخير معقود بنواصي الخيل‬and is often quoted to show
the superior distinction which a horseman claims
above him who rides upon an ass. sole
‫ نواصي‬properly
152 ARABIO PROVERBS .
signifies the lock of hair that falls on the horse's

forehead .
454 .
‫عذر لم يتولي الحق نساجه‬

It is an excuse the texture of which is not truth's own
work .
Said of a false excuse. The construction is öbl

‫ لم يتولي نسب هذا العذر‬In the Egyptian dialect ‫يتولي‬
often means “ to do a thing by one's self,” “ by one's
own labour,” equivalent to ‫ نسج الفعل بالنفس‬or ‫ينسج‬
،، to weave. A more common term for weaving is
w and a weaver is called ,lj in Egypt.
‫حرف الغين‬
455 .
‫غابت السباع و لعبت الصباع‬

The lions withdrew , the hyænas then played.
A verse which is frequently quoted conveys the
same meaning :
‫اسد‬ ‫اذا خلا الميدان من‬
‫رقص ابن عرس و زمزم النمس‬
And when the lion has cleared the field,
The ferret dances and the Ichneumon sings.
‫ عرس‬or ‫ عن ابن عرس‬a species of small weasel or
ferret very common in Egypt ; it comes into the

houses , feeds upon meat, is of a gentle disposition
although not to be domesticated, and full of play and
gambols. currill is the Ichneumon rat, that has a
sharp shrill voice. pj pj in the Egyptian dialect,
means " to sing,” “ to recite a poem ."
456.
‫لا ربع بطي‬ 9

‫غرامة بينة‬
A clear loss rather than a profit of distant expectation.
457.
‫غلا و سوکیل‬
c!
Scarcity and bad ( corn) measuring.
Bad times and bad men .
458 .
‫غراب قال الله حق قال بقي نباش الخرا واعظ‬

A crow ' exclaimed “ God is the truth ;” “ then ," quoth
1
one, “the dirt scraper has become a preacher.”
sä? is a kind of expletive often used in Egypt,
" "
sometimes meaning “ there,” “ therefore,” “altogether,"
or " in short ;" but at other times it has not any sig
nification whatever and is quite superfluous. (See
(
No. 263.) cine " to search upon the ground,” “ to
"
dig it slightly ,” “ to scrape, or scratch it.”
X
459 .
‫غلام كفاية لا جامكية و لا جراية‬

A boy -servant of all work, withoutfood or wages.
Said in reference to the unwillingness of a person
.to
reward those who have served him well ‫كفاية‬
sufficient,” i.e., for all the work required in the
.house ‫ جامكية‬is the common term in Egypt for
.W ag
or monthly payes
‫ جراية‬in the Egyptian dialect
signifies the daily allowance of victuals given to
soldiers, labourers, servants, & c.
460.
‫غيرة القحبة زنا و غيرة الحرة بكا‬

The jealousy of the harlot (is evinced by) adultery,
that of the virtuous woman (by) weeping.
461 .
‫بين الصديق و لا مصاحبة العدو‬

Anger with our friend, rather than constant friend
ship with our enemy.
"
to be angry with," " to quarrel with.” The

‫ ““ غب‬to
‫ن‬wać
expression ‫ “ انا مغبون منه‬I am angry with him ,” is
often heard .
462
‫غدوة في الصعيد ما هي بعيد‬ .
The dinner is in Upper Egypt — it is not far off..

This is said in ridicule of the parasites (Cheb ) who
run from one end of the town to the other for the
sake of a good dinner.
463.
‫غيرة المرأة مفتاح طلاقها‬

The jealousy of a wife is the key to her divorce.
464.
‫غنا بلا نقوط شبه ميت بلا حنوط‬

Singing without remuneration is like a dead body
without perfumes.
When the singing women perform in Egypt they
collect money from all the persons present, the
landlord or host as well as the guests ; and according
to custom , one of them proclaims with a loud voice
the sum which each person puts on the plate ,
mentioning at the same time the donor's name ;
this custom excites the vanity of those who form
the company , each from a kind of emulation in
liberality wishing to have his own name mentioned
as the most generous ; this heightens the interest
and pleasure of the society , and fills the pockets of
the singers. bgë signifies the money given to the
singers by the company. buis‫ حنوط‬is a mixture of
camphor and rose -water , with which the face of a
dead person is sprinkled before the body is placed
in the coffin .
465 .
‫غريبي اقصر مني‬

My debtor is still more backward in payment than
I am myself.
This is said in excuse for our not paying a debt,
as our own debtor does not pay us. ‫ غريم‬in the

Egyptian dialect means the debtor and also the
.creditor‫ اقصر‬is here used in the samesense as ‫مقاعر‬
which means in Egypt one who is backward in
paying, or generally remiss in doing what is his
duty.
466 .
‫غدي ماخامير ولا تعشي سكاري‬

Give dinner to the drunken—but not supper to the
tipsy.
The drunken, it is supposed, will become sober in
the evening ; but the tipsy during supper will be in
‫ “ مخمور‬aa man
toxicated and continue so all night. Joostro
completely drunk .” ‫ ساکر‬or ‫ “ سكران‬one who is
>
‫رجل‬, “ a person clouded or stupified

‫ في النشوة‬de
tipsy.” öpürile
with wine," being the first stage of drunkenness.
This expression corresponds exactly to the German
“ benebelt ."
467 .
‫غضبه علي طرف مناخيره‬

His anger is on the edge of his nose.
Ever ready to burst forth. Jasilio properly
signifies nostrils, but is used constantly in Egypt
for nose, or cal- a term seldom heard there in
familiar conversation.
468 .
‫غاص غوصة و جا بروشة‬

He plunged a (deep) plunge, and came up with a
piece of dung.
‫حرف الف‬
469 .
‫فار ما وسعه شقه حطوا في قعره مرزبة‬

A mouse feared that her hinder part was not suffi
ciently wide ; they then introduced an iron pestle.
On remedies that cause an evil worse than that
for which they are applied. He is a low word for
‫ & شقدبرطيز‬c., more politely expressed by ‫است‬
The word äjro means a thick heavy iron club held
by th hands, and used by the public coffee -roasters
to pound the roasted beans in large mortars.
470.
‫و تشرب ملوخيا‬ ‫فقا‬
She has a distorted mouth and drinks Meloukhya .

She does a thing seldom done by others, although
she is less qualified for doing so than others. hü
" with a distorted mouth .” The pot-herb meloukhya
is boiled with meat till it forms a thick broth , of
which the Egyptians are very fond ; they eat it with
a spoon or dip their bread into it, but few drink the
thick broth, and the woman with a distorted mouth
has the least claim to do so, because she will

probably spill it, being scarcely able to drink mere
water without letting some fall about. The lat
the end of laäi and ligho‫ ملوخيا‬is according to the
pronunciation of the lower classes of Cairo, by
which a strong accent is laid upon the ; at the end
of feminine nouns .
471 .
‫فدان يكرم بقصبة‬

A feddán may have a kassaba bestowed in itsfavour.
A trifling thing may be sacrificed in favour of a
great one. It would have been better Arabic thus :
‫قصبة يكرم الغدان‬The feddán is an Egyptian land
measure, of which the extent differs according to
the various departments of the revenue :
“ Feddán el kamel,” or “ el Djerkasy ,” is composed
of 400 square rods or kassabas, and is computed at
24 kerats ; the kassaba being an imaginary portion
of the division which comprises 24 kerats, and used
on many occasions.
Feddán of 333} square kassabas or 20 kerats.
Feddán of 300 kassabas or 18 kerats ; this is
the feddán most used at present. The kassaba that
composes it has 31040
3,64 metres. But this kassaba, or
rod, which the surveyors now use in measuring out
the sown fields every year, according to the new
regulations of Mohammed Ali Pasha, (who has
abolished the land taxes assessed upon villages, or
districts at large, and now takes throughout the

country the miri from each feddán ), this rod, I
say, is often changed, i.e. shortened, to cheat the
peasants, and every two or three years an inch is
lopped off from it. The poor fellah is little aware of
this diminution at the moment, but he has, however,
found out that at present in 1817) the kassaba used
is only three-fourths of what it was twelve years
ago under the Mamelouks, although the feddán for
which they pay the tax still contains the same
number of rods. The manner in which the kassaba
itself is measured favours a deception of this kind.
Immemorial custom has decided that it ought to
consist of twenty -four fists (ääv ), meaning such as
are formed in seizing a stick with the hand and
keeping the thumb erect upon it, thus
No exact measure has ever been determined, and it

may be easily conceived that government does not
choose the largest hands to fix the length of the
rod. In 1816, the kassaba had about 61 Cairo
pikes. The peasants are so stupid , or so negligent,
that perhaps they seldom discover the cheat, or
think it of little moment ; besides, they respect it as

a custom of their forefathers. The shortening of
the kassaba by an inch, probably makes an increase
in the receipts of the Fiscus of from £20,000 to
£30,000 sterling per annum . This is one of the
numerous tricks and secret measures by which
government curtails the fellah’s pittance without
incurring the blame of open tyrannical extortion .
According to the latest data there are about
2,000,000 of feddán now under actual cultivation in
Egypt, (of which five -sixths are sown with grain ).
Then 2,000,000 of feddán at the rate of 3ž or
4 dollars annual tax per feddán, (as it may be now
computed ) gives a land revenue of at least 7,000,000
of dollars to the Pasha of Egypt; a sum that forms,
I believe, little more than half of his income.
As I have mentioned the subject of taxation in
Egypt, it may gratify the reader to lay before him
an accurate statement of the proportion which the
land tax bears to the field income of the cultivator
in this country. The following is an account of the
expenditure on a field near Esne, in Upper Egypt,
and the produce of it in winter 1813–1814. It
must be recollected that in the higher parts of
Egypt the Nile never inundates the ground, but
that the fields are irrigated in high-water time either
by means of wheels, or of buckets worked by men ,
who draw the water up from the river.
A society of twenty -six peasants had hired a
piece of ground comprising seventeen feddáns, of
which fourteen were destined for durra, and three
for water -melons ; it being the custom of poor

fellahs, who have not any landed property of their
own, to associate every year and hire a field .
Expenses incurred in the Cultivation of Seventeen
Feddáns.
For three months twenty of the associates were
occupied in drawing up water from the river in
buckets, which they emptied into the small channels
made to convey the water into the field . This
labour was continued incessantly during the whole
day until the durra approached to maturity. Those
who could not themselves attend, were obliged to
send in their stead labourers hired for the purpose.
Besides these twenty men, two were employed in
keeping the channels clear of mud and weeds ; two
others in partitioning the water at its issue from the
channels over the fieldl ; and one man superintended
the whole of the labourers, and excited them to
exertion. The sheikh, or head man of the company,
was alone exempt from contributing his share of
actual work .
Piasters.
The daily labour of a fellah in drawing the
bucket (which is of a more fatiguing nature
than the hardest field work in Europe ), was
then estimated in Esne at fifteen paras, of
which ten were reckoned as pay in cash, and
five paras for food , ( viz., lentils, oil or durra
cakes,) thus making the labour of each man
during the three months amount to the value of
thirty -four piasters; or for the whole 850
Y
Piasters.
After the conclusion of those three months,
when the clusters of the durra ( called then
‫ل‬Julis
‫ )( قنادي‬were nearly ripe, five or six persons were
employed in watching the crop of durra as
well as the melon field, to guard them from
nightly robbers, and from the multitude of
sparrows and other small birds, which often , in
spite of every precaution, deprive the fellah of
the whole fruit of his labours. The daily pay
of these men is estimated at twelve paras, or
sixty for them all, during two months, until
the durra harvest in February or March 90
For the construction of water -buckets and
the poles to which they are suspended, and which
facilitate the operation of drawing them up 4
Seed ( esglü ) of 14 feddáns ofdurra ,at one raf

tan per feddán, makes 3] mud for the whole, or 21
Seed for three feddáns of melon field . 1
Labour of throwing the durra seed 3
Labour of planting the melon seed . 2
Expenses of harvest, twelve persons for

four days, at fifteen paras per day . . 18
Expenses of treading out the grain and
winnowing it, which is performed on the spot
when the produce of the field is collected in a
large heap 3
Hire of the ground paid by the society to

the owner of the field, 1} mud for each feddán,
we may say . 20
TOTAL EXPENSE attending the field
labour - piasters 3 993
Produce of Seventeen Feddáns. Prasters.

The water -melons of the three feddáns,
sold in the market of Esne at from two to
three paras each . . . . . 280
Each of the associates for his own eating

from off the field about sixty paras . 40
For about three months the associates cut

every day weeds and grass from the durra and
melon field, which they divided among them
every evening ; part of the weeds and grass
they sold at the market of Esne for feeding
horses, camels, and asses in that town ; part of
them they gave to their own sheep and goats ;
and part was taken away from them forcibly
every morning, by the soldiers of the garrison.
The daily share of each associate may be com
puted at from six to seven paras, making for
the three months about fifteen piasters per
head . 390
When the grain was divided every asscciate
carried home four and-a-half tellys, or forty
mud soogy, worth at that time thirty -two
paras per mud, or thirty -two piasters for the
share of each ; in all . . 832
The dry durra stalks, which after the

harvest fall to the share of each individual,
and of which the leaves are given to the cattle
as food in the summer months, the canes of
them being used for fuel or for thatching,
were worth about four piasters; or in the whole 104
Piasters .
Each associate besides fattened at home
with the dry durra leaves a couple of sheep,
which he could sell afterwards with a profit of
about three piasters per head ; we may say six
piasters for each individual ; or in the whole . 156
TOTAL PRODUCE of the field - piasters 1802

I must here observe that the durra harvest had
been bad, because a high wind and heavy rain in
November had bent or broken the stalks of the
plant ; otherwise the produce of the field might have
been 1000 piasters in durra, instead of 832 ; the
water having been very abundant this year. How
ever, two or three years seldom elapse without some
calamity equally distressing as heavy rain ; either
innumerable flights of birds, worms in the ground,
or low water, which adds considerably to the labour
and expense of irrigation, are circumstances that
cause a great diminution in the produce : for those
misfortunes, if the crop does not entirely fail,
government never makes the smallest allowance.
Piasters.
Total produce . . . 1802
Total expense . 993)
Clear produce . .
8081
The taxes of this year were twenty -nine
piasters per each feddán of durra and melons,
which are usually sown together, making in all 493
Remained to the fellahs, taxes deducted

-piasters d } 3154
The income of a feddán (taxes deducted) was

therefore 18} piasters.
Each of the associates had for his share twelve
piasters, after having worked during the whole
winter season . As the durra fields are very seldom
(if ever) sown twice in Upper Egypt, the man had
to support himself during the rest of the year either
by joining some other society to sow summer seed,
or by hiring himself out as a labourer.
The produce of the corn field is better, although
the seed produces much less, because corn does not
require such long continued or incessant labour of
irrigation. At the same period, the produce of a
corn field near Esne, was 84 piasters per feddán ;;
the expenses may be calculated at 15 piasters, and
the taxes laid upon corn fields were then 401
piasters ; there remained a clear profit of 29 piasters.
The cor measures of Upper Egypt are the erdeb
and the tellys. The erdeb has 12 muds, or 24 kadahs,
or 48 raftans. The tellys has 16 muds. Of the mud
there are two kinds, the mud el shoone (or the
granary mud ), and the mud el soogy (or souky ), the
market mud ; 16 of the mud el shoone make 9 mud
el soogy The seed of the 14 feddáns of durra was
}
3 mud soogy. The produce yielded 40 muds for
each associate, or 1040 for the whole, which makes
297 for each mud of seed. The durra is usually
reckoned at 300 for 1 of seed. The corn produce at
Esne in middling years 25 from 1 ; in the better
ground of the neighbouring plains of Thebes, it
produces 35 for 1 .
The present system of government is to oblige

the peasants to sow the whole ground belonging to
their village, whether good or bad, whether elevated
or not, and therefore, whether irrigable or not.
The bad ground is then partitioned out amongst the
cultivators, and they must pay the taxes from it in
the same proportion as from the good . Of late all
the peasants' cattle has likewise been taxed, and
they are to pay the tithes from it, a thing never
before known in Egypt, and I believe, unknown in
any other part of the Turkish dominions. The grain
which they do not want for their own families,
they are not at liberty to sell at pleasure, but
must let government have it at a fixed price. The
erdeb of durra was then worth at Esne 5. piasters
1 Spanish dollar = 8 piasters ; 11 piaster = 40 paras..
472 .
‫فم يسبح و ید تذبے‬

A mouth that prays, a hand that kills.
On hypocrites.
473 .
‫في الزوايا خبايا‬

In the corners are hidden treasures.
Wealth is sometimes found where least expected.

‫‘“‘ زا‬
‫ زوایا‬plural of ‫وية‬.the corner of a building "" ‫خدایا‬
“ hidden treasures,” a word of frequent use.
474.
‫فر من المطر قعد تحت المزراب‬

He fled from the rain , and sat down under the
water -spout.
475 .
‫فرد كلمة تكفي العاقل‬

One single word only is sufficient for the wise.
Jj instead of bly is much used in the Syrian
dialect ; not so frequently in the Egyptian.
476.*
‫في كل راس حكية‬
In every head is some wisdom .
477.
‫في بدعته مسلة‬
In his jackass -saddle sticks a needle .
Secret vexations plague him. äss; the saddle
w
for asses used in Egypt. álme a long iron packing

needle, used likewise in sewing the saddle.
478 .
‫فريخ البط عوام‬

The young ones of the duck are swimmers.
Young minds are inflamed by example. ‫ عوم‬or
pages in the common
‫يعوم‬
swim .”
Egyptian dialect,signifies “ to
is likewise used, but not frequently.
‫يسبح‬
479 .
‫في الطبقة الوسطانية يبعبص الفوقانیین و يضرط علي التحتانیین‬

(Standing) in the middle window , he tickles the
hinder parts of those who sit in the upper
window, and insults (by offensive noises) those in
the lower window.
He behaves with vulgarity and indecency to
‫ طبقه‬among many
people above and below him.. cöub
significations means " a window ." ‫يبعبص‬
in the
Egyptian dialect, “ to tickle the hinder parts of a
person ;" it has also another sense.
480 .
‫ناكسه ياجاور‬ ‫و من‬ ‫فلان حاج قال‬

66
Such a man performed the pilgrimage. Yes,"
quoth one, “ and for his bad doings remains
resident at Mekka .”
‫ پاور‬to become a neighbour either of the
Beitullah of Mekka, or of the Mosque of Medina,
or any other celebrated mosque ; or to reside there
for some time, which is regarded as very meritorious.
Those persons, especially foreigners, who attend
lectures in a mosque, are for that reason called
wyglho Thus at Cairo the neighbours of the Azhar
)‫ماجاورين الأزهر‬.a
( farre
famed
481. *
‫فقر و چاقة ما يتفق‬

Poverty and anger do not agree.
The poor must have pliant tempers . ‫ چاقة‬in
"
Egypt means “ anger ;" it is sometimes used, but
not often, for “ folly.”
482 .
‫فوطه بحواشي و ما تحتها شي‬

A napkin with ( fine) borders and nothing under it.
Puff without reality. Presents to people of
high rank are often placed upon a board or plate,
and covered with fine embroidered towels or hand
kerchiefs )‫( فوطه‬.
483 .
‫فقرا و يمشوا مشي الامرا‬

They are paupers, and walk about with the air of
grandees.
484.
‫فرحنا بالنيل جا النيل غرقنا‬

We rejoiced at (the rising of) the Nile ; the Nile
came and we were drowned.
485 .
‫في راسه صوت لا بد ما پرعقه‬

He has a voice in his head, and will certainly give
it utterance.
A person follows his inclination or natural pro
pensities. The saying is originally applied to a jackass
that brays notwithstanding the severest beating.
486.
‫في كل يوم يزداد ابن ادم عقل جديد‬
Every day man increases in new understanding.
N
487 .
‫فرغ العرس بمرقه و لبس كل واحد خلقه‬

The wedding with its broth (i.e. the entertainments )
concluded ; and then every one put on his rags.
.
When disguise is no longer necessary or advan
tageous the natural character is resumed . At
weddings even the poorest people dress, if not in
their own , at least in fine clothes borrowed for the
occasion . Läs “ a torn cloth ," " a rag."
488 .
‫السقف قال له القط بسم الله قال أبعد انت عني‬

‫فار وقع من‬
A mouse fell from the roof. Come, take some
refreshment,” said the cat. “ Stand thou off,"
she replied.
Mistrust any offer of assistance from the enemy.
‫ بسم‬is used as an invitation to partake of food ,
‫الله‬
&c. To decline it the reply is laid " May it be
wholesome food to thee !"
‫ ابعد عني‬a common
expression implying with harshness “ keep off ,”
" stand off.” "
489 .
‫ارضة‬ ‫افسد من‬

( He is) of more corrupt doings than the moth.
äojí is the moth that feeds upon clothes, books,
furniture, &c.
490 .
‫في كفه رقي ابليس مفتاح‬

The enchantments of the devil are (only) a key in
his hand.
‫ رقي‬plural of ‫رقية‬ a charm,", " enchantment.”
The saying is addressed to a malicious sorcerer.
The dealing in charms and incantations is extremely
common throughout Egypt. There is not any
village, however small, in which they may not be
obtained from the fukyh, or village priest.
491. *
‫من الموت و في الموت وقع‬

He fled from death, andfell into it.
492. *
‫فتر أخزاه الله خير من قتل پرحمه الله‬

“ He fled , disgrace upon him!" is better than , “He
was slain, God have mercy upon him ! ”
Said in derision of cowardly soldiers. The
expression all
‫ الله‬stjål
‫ اخزاک‬or, as they likewise say in
‫ يخزيک‬all
Egypt Susy ‫ الله‬is very common .
493.
‫فوق كل طامة طامة‬

Upon every misfortune another misfortune.
One misfortune after another.
494 .
‫الفضل للمبتدي و آن احسن المقتدي‬

The merit belongs to the beginner, should even the
successor do better.
To the same purport is a phrase often used

t
‫ ‘‘ الفض‬merit
‫ل للمتقدم‬. belongsh e
to the predecesso r
This is taken from the subjoined beautiful verses,
celebrated among the Arabs, and inserted by Hariri
into the Introduction of his Makamát, assigning
thereby the merit for that species of poetry to his
predecessor Hamadáni, surnamed Bedja e Zamán.
They have been ascribed to several poets, but were
probably composed by Ibn Malek Ibn e'Rakaa, of
Damascus, who lived in the eighth century of the
Christian era.
‫فلو قبل مبكاها بكيت صبابة‬

‫بسعدي شفيت القلب قبل التندم‬
‫ولكن بكت قبلي فهيج لي البكا‬
‫بكاها فقلت الفضل للمتقدم‬
If before she herself wept, love for Sada had caused

my tears to flow ,
I should have lightened my heart before repentance
(choked it) ;
But she wept first, her tears excited mine,
The merit, I cried , belongs to the predecessor.
‫حرف القاف‬
495 .
‫و لا حرة مبهرجة‬ ‫قابة مستورة‬

A decent public woman, rather than an indecent
honest woman .
‫مستور‬ “decently covered ," "“ decent in circum

stances ;” it is applied both to the character and
condition of a person . Two or äş eo is a woman
,
who frequently lifts up a corner of her veil so that
people may catch a glimpse of her face or her fine
jewels, or else one who stretches out her legs to
display her ankle -rings, and in general behaves with
as much indecency as she can without quite exposing
her character.
äri is a generic term applied in Egypt to all
sorts of bad and public women. There is a particular
class of the latter in this country , respecting whom
some notices may prove interesting. In every town,
indeed it may be said in almost every large village,
of Egypt, individuals are found belonging to a tribe
of prostitutes called Ghazýe (äjc or in the plural
Ghowázy vjec ). They are a race distinct from all
other public women , and relate with pride that their
>
origin is Arabian , and that they are of the true

Bedouin blood . Among themselves they assume the

name of Barameke or Barmeky (älol » ), by which,
however, they are less generally known than by
that of Ghowázy.. They boast that their origin is
derived from the celebrated Barmeky (or Barmecide)
family, the viziers of Haroun er' Rasheed ; but in
what manner any descent can be traced to them ,
why they emigrated to Egypt, and how they chose
to adopt their vile profession, not one of them
knows. They usually marry among themselves, at
least the males never marry any girl but aa Barmeky ;
and few of the Barmeky females condescend to take
a husband of any other tribe. All their females,
without exception, are educated for the purpose of
prostitution . Their law is, that a girl, as soon as
she is marriageable, must yield to the embraces of a
stranger, and soon after be married to a young
man of her own tribe. Thus the husband is never
permitted to receive his bride in a state of virgin
purity ; but the Ghowázy father sells the first
favours of his daughter to a stranger, making a
bargain with the highest bidder, generally in pre
sence of the sheikh of the village, or chief of the
town, in which the parties reside. These women , and
all the females of this tribe marry,, immediately after
the nuptial ceremony, receive the visits of any man
who presents himself, while the husband performs the
duties of a menial servant in the family ; he is also
the musician who plays when his wife dances in
public, and is consequently employed in seeking for
persons who may be induced to visit his wife, with
whom he himself cohabits only by stealth ; for a

Ghazye would think herself disgraced, or at least
would be exposed to the sneers of the sisterhood , if
it were known that she admitted her husband to
any familiarity or participation in the enjoyment of
her charms. Among them , I have reason to believe,
(but am not certain ,) that the Ghazy (so the male is
called) has but one wife. The men never follow any
profession ; they are neither cultivators, nor traders,
nor artists ; the dealing in asses, of which they rear
an excellent breed, being the only branch of industry
to which they apply themselves, besides the sale of
their partners' charms. They are as much despised
as their females are distinguished and often honoured ;
the birth of a male child is considered by a Ghazye
as a great misfortune, because he is an unprofitable
article — a mere incumbrance — and the whole male
sex look up to the females for food, clothes, and
protection . The Ghowázys have in every town or
considerable village a small quarter assigned to them ,
where they live in large huts or tents, seldom in
houses ; never associating with other public women,
whom they regard as much inferior to themselves in
rank . They are generally, but not always, dancers
and singers, and as such many travellers have seen
and admired them . Like true Bedouins they are
constantly moving about, either paying visits to the
sisterhood established in neighbouring places, attend
ing the country fairs, or the camps of the troops..
They have made it a law among them , never to
refuse the embraces of any person , whatever may be
his condition , so that he pays : at country fairs,

therefore, the most fashionable Ghazye, glittering
with gold, will admit the visit of any clown or
fellah for a sum not exceeding twopence. Some of
them have accumulated considerable wealth and
keep great establishments . Half - a -dozen black
female slaves, (the profits of whose prostitution
they claim as their own property, ) two or three
dromedaries, as many horses, half- a -dozen asses, are
not unfrequently seen in one family ; while the
dress and ornaments of those females, consisting in
gold -embroidered silk gowns, and many chaius of
sequins that hang about the head, neck, and breast,
with heavy golden bracelets, are sometimes worth
from two to three hundred pounds sterling. In
features they may be distinguished from the common
Egyptians, and appear to bear traces of Arabian
origin, especially in their fine aquiline noses. Their
beauty is famous throughout Egypt ; the greater
number, however, cannot be reckoned handsome, yet
I have seen some that might have served as models
of Phryne for a painter ; their skin not being
browner than that of the inhabitants of southern
Europe. Instances are not uncommon of aa Ghazye
marrying a village sheikh, especially of the Howara
Arabs settled in Upper Egypt, who consider it an
honour to carry off so fair a prize, nor would the
Ghazye bestow herself in matrimony on any common
peasant. But these instances only occur when the
Ghazye has lost her husband, or divorced him, and
has become tired of her mode of life, in the out
set of which she can never be induced to renounce

her hereditary profession. When such an event is
to take place, the Ghazye, before she marries the
sheikh, makes a solemn vow upon the tomb of some
saint never to be unfaithful to her new husband, and
sacrifices a sheep in honour of that patron. I have
been assured on good authority that no Ghazye
married under these circumstances was ever known
to violate her vow. The number in Egypt is very
considerable I believe that they may be fairly
estimated, males and females, at from six to eight
thousand persons. Their principal settlements are
in the towns of the Delta, and in Upper Egypt at
Kenne, where they have a colony of at least three
hundred individuals. On the great festival of the
Saint el Bedowy, at Tanta in the Delta, (which is
celebrated three times every year,) an hundred
thousand persons sometimes crowd together from all
parts of Egypt, to perform a pilgrimage resembling
in many respects that of Mekka, which swallows up
the savings collected by the poorer classes of Cairo.
At one of those festivals I have seen above six
hundred Ghazye assembled in tents pitched about
the town. Some of the most wealthy Ghazye
perform the pilgrimage to Mekka themselves in
great state, and assume ever after the honourable
title of Hadjy, not changing however their mode of
life. The Ghowázys are protected by the govern
ment of Egypt, to which they pay an annual
capitation tax. In the time of the Mamelouks their
influence in the open country was very considerable,
2 A
and the protection of a Ghazye was courted by

many respectable persons. The Arnaut soldiers,
who are at present masters of Egypt, have plundered
several and killed others in fits of jealousy, so that
many have fled from the garrison towns into the
open country. They have a custom in Upper Egypt,
on the feast-day after Ramadhan, of paying visits to
all the first people of the town or village, when they
dance for a few minutes in the court -yard of the
house and receive a present at parting. Their
behaviour towards those who do not meddle with
them is much less indecent than might be imagined ;
but woe to him whose affections they captivate !
At every płace where they are numerous one of
them is regarded as head of their community, and
assumes the title of “ Emeer el Nezel ” ( J; } ),
or “ chief of the settlement ;" which, however, does
not invest her with any authority over the others.
At Cairo itself their number is but small ; they live
all together in a large khan , called Hosh Bardak,
just below the castle. In a city where among
women of every rank chastity is so scarce as at
Cairo, it could not be expected that public prostitu
tion should thrive.
The Ghowázys have established among themselves
a vocabulary of the most common nouns and phrases,
in which they are able to converse without being
understood by those who visit them .
There is another tribe of public women in Egypt
called Halebye ( male ), they are fewer in numbers
than the Ghowázys, but like them intermarry among
themselves. The men are tinkers, and horse or ass

doctors ; the women for the greater part, but I
believe not all,
, common prostitutes. They wander
over the country much like Gypsies. Of the latter,
which are called here to Ghadjar (in Syria
Korbat), very few families are found in Egypt; they
are more numerous in Syria.
496 .
‫قيمة كل انسان ما ياكسنه‬

The value of each man consists in what he does well.
It
‫ پاکسن‬is here equivalent to ‫مع الاحسن يفعل‬
is in this sense usually, but not always, applied to
handiwork . The Syrians say Just lio for ‫ما پاکسن‬
meaning " I cannot (do it),” which the Egyptians
express by ‫ما يقدر‬
497. *
‫قحبة ما کنست بیتها کنست المساجد قال دي قاكبة‬
‫تكب الثواب‬
A harlot did not sweep her own house, but cleaned
out the mosque. A certain person said, “ that
harlot loves goodly works .”
498 .
‫القحبة ما تتوب و الماء في الزير ما يروب‬

A harlot does not repent; and water in a jar does
not become sour milk.
Hj a large jar in which the water is kept for

every family's use. is applied to milk when it

‫پروب‬
turns sour. In Egypt, therefore, sour milk is called
‫رائب‬
499 .
‫قهر و زیت دا خراب بیت‬

Moonshine and oil, those are the ruin of a house.
To light the lamp while the moon shines is an
extravagant expense that will ruin the family. 3
is often used instead of ‫نور القمر‬
500.
‫قرد يارس ترمس قال انظر الحارس و المارس‬

A monkey watches (a field of) tormus. “ Look," said
one, “ at the guard and the crop .”
This alludes to a despicable person occupying a

despicable office. ‫س‬cush
‫ !المار‬in the dialect of the pea
sants frequently is used instead of ‫ " الزرع‬the sown
field .” Tormus is the lupinus , a bean of bitter taste
and but little esteemed . A person to whom a small
compliment is given , shows his contempt of the gift
by returning it and saying to the donor ‫قزقز به ترمس‬
" (buy and ) chew some tormus with it.”
Boiled tormus beans are sold in the morning at
the bázár, and principally eaten by children without
either salt or butter. The meal of this bean is used
instead of soap by the poorer classes for washing
their hands, and on this account it is very generally
cultivated in Egypt.
501 .
‫قالوا للعميان الزيت علي قالوا دا شي مستغنين عنه‬

They said to some blind men , “ oil is become dear."
They replied, “ that is a thing with which we can
>
dispense."
Lienet means here (as observed in the explanation
of Proverb 259) " not to be in want of." is used
instead of lis
502 .
‫عظیم قالوا ما لبسنا‬ ‫يوم‬ ‫القياء‬ ‫قالوا الحمير الجبانة‬

‫لا النا شعیر‬ ‫و‬ ‫برادع‬
They said to the asses of the gypsum mill, “ the day
of resurrection is a terrible day ! ” “ We have "
neither worn saddles nor eaten barley ," they
replied.
Those have most to dread punishment in the
other world who lead a life of undeserved enjoyment
in this. The idle asses kept merely for pleasure in
Cairo have fine saddles, and are fed with plenty of
barley or beans ; while the hard -working ass goes
with a bare back, and gets nothing to eat but straw.
polis " great, wonderful, terrible.” The gypsum or
plaster used at Cairo is brought from the eastern
mountain opposite to Helouan , a village on the bank
of the Nile, about five hours distant to the south of
Cairo . The whole desert is overspread in those
mountains with loose gypsum , covered with a thin
coat of sand . The gypsum is pulverised in the mills
at Cairo .
503 .
‫قال السمك البي أن لقيت احسن مني ما تاكلني‬

The fish binny said, “ if thou canst find a better fish
than myself do not eat me. " 1
|
|
The binny is reckoned the finest tasted fish of

the river Nile. This proverb is applied to fools
whose vanity is such that they pride themselves on
the circumstance which contributes to their mis .
fortune, because it distinguishes them among their
equals.
504 .
‫قرعة و تضارب علي المشط‬

He is scabby-headed and quarrels about the comb.
On a person's disputiny about a thing of which
he does not stand in need.
505 .
‫قراطيس علي قوم مغالیس‬

(Like ) assignments upon paupers.
‫ قراطيس‬or ‫ أوراق‬used instead of ‫ حجم‬or ‫تمسكات‬
>
or millo? " titles, receipts, assignments, bills,” &c.

506. *
‫قفل علي خرابة‬
A lock on a ruined place.
Said of unnecessary pains taken to preserve
what is not worth keeping.
507 .
‫الأخلاق‬ ‫قالت المغاربة لأهل مصر ليش ما تحبونا قالوا من‬

‫الردية‬
The Moggrebyns said to the people of Cairo, “ Why
do not ye love us ? ” “ On account of your ill
natured character ," they replied .
This saying is applied to a person who expresses
his surprise at not having any friends. The Moggre
byns form a colony of very wealthy merchants at
Cairo, established in the quarters of Ghoorye and
Fahamyn, who trade in the produce of their native
country. They have the reputation of being ill -bred,
surly, proud, and very obstinate, and are therefore
disliked ; although , with respect to probity, they
bear a character superior to the Moslims of any other
nation . The word of a Moggrebyn (änyéo än ) has
become a proverbial saying in trade, but nobody
ever mentions the word of a Syrian , a Hedjázi, or a
Turk.
508 .
‫قالوا یا قسيس يرد الله شماس قال دي درجة لاسفل‬

They said, “ O priest ! may God make you a lay
brother once more ! ” “That is a step down
wards," he replied.
On foolish congratulations or wishes. In saying
Se alle a compliment is intended, meaning “ God
restore thee to thy prosperous state !” Thus they
say ‫العافية‬ ‫ الله يردک‬or ‫شاب‬ ‫ الله يردک‬، God restore
thee to health ! " “ God restore thee to youth ! ”
509 .
‫قالوا ایش حال مریضكم قالوا بخبر كان يبدق علي‬

‫الارض صار يبصق علي صدره‬
66
They asked,, “ How does your patient ? ”
9
Very
well,” they replied, “ he used to spit upon the
ground, now he spits upon his breast .”
On the delusive consolations offered by medical
attendants. A patient who cannot even throw his
spittle upon the ground, must be, of course, in a
state of extreme debility.
510 .
‫قالوا للدجاجة كلي و لا تبعنزي قالت ما اقدر اخلي‬

‫عادتي‬
They said to the hen , “ Eat,, and do not scatter ((the
corn) about.”" “ I cannot leave of my habits," she
replied.
It is useless to instruct an inveterate scoundrel
in morals. jene among the Egyptians means “ to
"
throw about' "، to scatter ; ” it comes from the
word jie but differs in signification.
511 .
‫قرموط ملتوت سدر في بركة صابون‬

( Like) a karmoot rubbed with seder in a tank of soap
(water).
This is said of a person whom it is difficult to
catch or find ; one who eludes all search . broj kar
moot is a fish of the river Nile, without any scales,

and of a very smooth skin. Seder (show) signifies the
leaves of the nebek or seder tree, (rhamnus lotus ,)
which, being dried and pulverized, are used as soap
by people of the poorest class in washing their
hands, and by the richer classes in washing the dead
bodies of their friends.
‫ ملتوت‬in the Egyptian
dialect has the same sense as ‫مدهون‬
512. *
‫ يناطح‬.
‫قال ايش مراد الانعمي قال قفة قرون ان لم ينظر‬
It was asked, “ What is the wish of the blind ? ”
“ A basket full of horns,” they replied, “ if he
does not see he may like butting.”
The blind men of Cairo, especially those quar
tered in the mosques, are notorious for their very
quarrelsome temper. The multitudes of blind men
daily fed in the Mosque el Azhar have frequently
committed violent outrages in fighting one with
another.
513.
‫قالوا للدیک ایش ابصرت في نومك قال يغربلوا‬

They asked the cock, “ What hast thou seen in thy
sleep ? " “ I saw people sifting (corn ),” he
replied.
2 B
1
514. * 1
‫قال يا ابي الذي يغسل يده ياكل معنا قال ولا انت ايضا‬
“ Father,” he said , “ the person who washes his hand
is he to eat with us ? ” “ Neither he nor thou
also,” he replied.
On a person who, confident of obtaining some
advantage for himself, endeavours to thwart others
in their wishes, but finds at last that his own
prospects have vanished. In the East, before a man
begins to dine he always washes his hands, or at
least the right hand, which alone is used at meals.
515.
‫قالوا للغار خذلک رطلين سكر و وصل دي الكتاب للقط‬

‫قال الاجرة طيبة لكن فيها مشقة‬
They said to the mouse, “ Take these two pounds of
sugar and carry this letter to the cat." ،، The
s
fee is good enough,” she replied , “but (the
business) is tiresome.”
‫ كتاب‬often used in Egypt for ‫مکتوب‬.a
‘‘ letter ”
516 .
‫قالوا للحمار ليش ما تشتر قال ما ينطلي علي المحال‬

They asked the ass, “ Why do not you ruminate ?"
،، Conceit,” he said, ،، never deludesme.”
‫ ‘‘ الأشترار‬the chewing and ruminating of cows
camels ”d‫ ما ينطلي علي المحال‬verbatim , “ deceit
.an
cannot be gilt (or laid like gold leaf) over or upon

me,' “ does not make me appear to myself better
than I am .”
The expression ‫ هذا ما ينطلي علي‬is
often used, and conveys the same meaning as “ this
>
can never enter my head ,” “ I can have no idea of
it,” “ I am not to be gilt over with this .”
517 .
‫هو كکثيیرر‬ ‫قطع الغار بالزيت الحار ما‬

To cut off the mice with hemp oil, is not too much
expense.
Do not care for expense in freeing yourself from

an enemy. The hemp oil mixed with arsenic is used
as poison for mice.
518 .
‫قال يا عبد اشتريتک قال هذا لک قال تهرب قال هذا لي‬
He said, “ O slave, I have bought thee. " " That is
thy business,” he replied. “ Wilt thou run away ?”
“ That is my business," he answered.
519 .
‫قطعوها صاحت للطنبورة‬

They cut it to pieces ; it served well for (the covering
of ) the drum .
Commonly said of a broken or spoiled piece of
any thing, which can, however, be still employed in
some manner, so as not to be wholly useless.
520.
‫قالوا للديب ما لك ورا هذة الغنيمات قال ترابهم ينفع‬
‫للعوينات‬
They said to the wolf, “ For what art thou following
those poor little sheep ?” He replied, “The dust
(upon which they tread) is good for poor little
eyes."
On the hypocritical professions of tyrants. The
diminutive is often used not only because the object
in question is really smaller or inferior in quantity
or quality, but to give a kind of bonhomie to the
expression. ; and in this sense the Bedouins especially
use it on many occasions. Thus “ poor little thing ”
might be applied in a kind and compassionate
A
manner to a person by no means diminutive in
stature or wanting money. wlage is the diminutive
or ‫ تصغير‬of ‫ عيون‬the eyes. ‫ ما لك‬is a common
expression in Egypt, not implying “ what is it to
thee ? ” but, “ what is the matter with thee ? ”
" what dost thou want ?” The Syrians say in the
same sense ‫ایش بک‬
521 .
‫قالوا للبقر اذا متم ما يكفعنلويكنما قالوا ليتهم يخلوا جلودنا‬

They asked the cows, “If you die, do they not put
you into shrouds? ” They replied, “Would to "
God they may leave our skins upon us ! ”
Instead of the Egyptians more frequently
Say ‫ریت‬ ‫ ویت‬and then it would stand ‫ريتهم يخلوا‬
522 .
.
‫قال يا سيدي نکات قال يا راجل سیدک پاكله بقشره‬

“My Lord ,” he said, " ( I beg of you) the melon peels.”
Man,” quoth he, “thy Lord eats the melon
together with the melon peels.”
wli signifies a piece of melon peel. When a
person eats melons in the bázár or before the coffee
shops, he is always accosted by beggars, who ask for
the peels, which they eat, as all the peasants do
when hungry
523 .
‫قرد ضاف عفريت قالوا له ماجردة يا ابن الشيخ‬

A monkey solicited hospitality from demons. “ Young
gentleman," they replied, “ the house is quite
empty of provisions."
It is in vain to ask charity from wretches. ‫ف‬Jilo
‫ضا‬
in the Egyptian dialect is the same as übnaill
in opposition to lendis which signifies “ to grant
hospitality." wil is a title given from mere
66
politeness and equivalent to gentleman ," or
young gentleman .” justo is to be understood as
‫ ““ الدا‬the house from which every
if preceded by ‫ر‬Wi
thing has been removed ,” or “ which has remained
empty of provisions."
524 .
‫قد ضل من كانت العميان تهديه‬

Verily he loses his way whom blind men guide.
A verse is cited which expresses the same
meaning :
‫اذا كان الغراب دليل قوم‬
‫يمروا بهم علي جيف الكلاب‬
When crows are the guides of people,
They lead them to the carcases of dogs.
525 .
‫قد تبلي المليحة بالطلاق‬

Even the handsome (woman ) experiences the mis
fortune of divorce.
This is said in consolation of people's sufferings.
526. *
‫قد يتوتي السيف و هو مغمد‬

Truly, the sword inspires dread even in its scabbard .
527. *
‫قلمه لا يرعف الا بالشر‬

From his pen nothing flows but malice.
‫ يرعف‬originally means “ blood flowing out of the
Les
nose. '
The reproach conveyed in this proverb is
more applicable to Western than to Eastern writers.
Oriental authors are distinguished for great gentie

ness towards each other ; paper wars seldom rage
among them, and they render justice one to another
perhaps in a strain of excessive panegyric; and if
they correct an error, it is with coolness and mode
ration. The total want of publications resembling
our Reviews, and the fear of broaching new doctrines
or opinions, contribute probably to this spirit of
indulgence.
528 .
‫القصاب لا تهوله كثرة الغنم‬

The butcher is not startled at the multiplicity of
sheep.
A tyrant perpetrates bloody acts without com
punction. Joint " to be afraid ," or " amazed .”
529. *
‫قبل الساعاب اصابني الوكف‬

Before the clouds (appeared ) the rain came upon me.
The accident happened quite unexpectedly. The
termés, for “ rain ,” is no longer used at Cairo.
530 .
‫اقب من قول بلا فعل‬

( It is still ) worse than a promise without
performance.
Joj a word, a saying, a promise.
‫حرف الكاف‬
531 .
‫الله المسبب‬ ‫و‬ ‫كتبب‬

Be diligent, and God will send profit.
‫ “ یکبب‬to make small balls or pills ; ” this
generally implies “ to be diligently occupied, ” “ to
.work carefully " ‫ ‘‘ الله المسبب‬God is the first cause ,
the cause of causes." This is often said in trade,
and then means, “ God is the cause of thy goods
being sold , the cause of thy profits ” ) ‫( جعله اسباب‬.
The word in the Egyptian dialect, signifies
‫ » يتسبب‬be
“ trade, buying and selling in general.
.trades
” ‫ رجل متسبب‬for “ trader or merchant,” is
more commonly used than ‫تاجر‬ ‫رجل‬
532 .
‫سواي الجيزة وقعت أضراسها وقتلت ماية شب‬ ‫من‬ ‫كانها‬

As if she was one of the water -wheels of Djyze, her
back teeth fell out, and one hundred oxen were
killed by her (with the work).
This saying is used in derision of old women.
‫ سواتي‬plural of .a
‫ سافية‬water-wheel ‫ ضرس‬means the
back teeth of a person , also the teeth of a water

.wheel ‫ شب‬is the Egyptian pronunciation of ‫ساب‬
“ a young man ; the peasants also give this name
to a strong ox — hence the pun which occurs in this
place. If a water -wheel be half broken, the oxen
that draw it are soon overworked and killed by
excessive labour. The people of Djyze are the
Baotians of Egypt, they are despised for their
stupidity and slovenly negligence, and often afford
subject for ridicule.
533 .
‫و البس ما تلبس الناس‬ ‫كل ما تشتهيه نفسک‬

Eat whatever thou likest, but dress as others do.
Do whatever you like at home, but in public
behave according to received usage.
534 .
‫كلب ينبح ما يعض‬

A dog that barks does not bite.
535. *
‫کم خروف عند الشوا و كم كلب في المراح‬

How many sheep at the roaster's ? and how many
dogs in the sheepfold ?
How many good people are sacrificed while the
wicked enjoy their life in repose. Im the person
who sells roasted meat in the bázár.
20
536 .
‫كف معود بالاخذ بعيد ما يعطي‬

A hand accustomed to take is far from giving.
‫ بعيد ما يعطي‬is here put for ‫بعيد انه يعطي‬
537 .
‫كلاب الصيد وجوههم ماخربشة‬

The hunting dogs have scratched faces.
The face of a milksop does not show any marks
labour or fatigue . ‫ ماخربش‬in the Egyptian dialect
.of 97
،، scratched ."
538 .
‫كيف ما ضربت الأقرع يسيل دمه‬

In whatever manner thou strikest a scabby -headed
person (on the head ), his blood will flow .
A man is easily wounded in his weak part.
539 .
‫كان سندال فصار مطرقة‬

He was an iron block or anvil, and then become a
hammer .
The same meaning is also expressed by the

phrase
‫مضروب اليوم ضارب‬
Beaten — but to -day beater
540.
‫کسل ما يطعم عسل‬

The lazy is not fed on honey.
541 .
‫لا تاكل من خبز المناعة‬ ‫و‬ ‫كل من خبز الرعغة‬

Eat of the bread made by a woman with a bleeding
nose ; but do not eat the bread of her who con
stantly reminds thee of having given it.
66
The dirtiest bread, made by a cés, a woman
with aa bleeding nose . ” ‫ المنان‬signifies a person who
recounts his own good works, and reminds another
of the favours he has conferred on him. In the
East, there is no sort of insulting language which
hurts the feelings so much as being reminded of
favours conferred ; probably because the people are
conscious of their own ingratitude.
542 .
‫كل رأس مطاطية كتها الف بلية‬

Under every down-hanging head dwell a thousand
mischiefs.
This is said of persons who in company sit with
downcast eyes and low-bent head, brooding all the
while on evil designs. Solo in the Egyptian dia
lect signifies “ bent downwards.”
543. *
‫كل من قال نار احترق فيه‬

Whoever cries “ Fire,” has he his mouth burnt ?
Those who cry out most loudly have often the
least reason to complain.
544.
‫لا علامة مقطوعة‬ ‫کشکار دایم و‬

Coarse meal for ever, rather than fine flour at
certain times only.
This proverb is founded upon the saying of
Mohammed recorded in the Hadyth or Traditions :
‫خیر العمال أدومها وان قل‬
The best works are those which last, although they
should not be of great importance.
‫کشکارعلامة‬ is the coarse meal used by peasants.”
äolis “ ' the flour of meal.” üsybio
‫ “ مقطوعة‬cut off," " at
intervals only .”
545.
‫كل شاة معلقة من عرقوبها‬

Every sheep is suspended by its ( own) heels.
1
In aa future state, none will be made to suffer for
the crimes of others. Wojs is the sinew or tendon
(of Achilles) by which butchers hang up the slaugh
tered sheep .
546 .
‫ بخور‬I
‫كفي عني فساكي ما اريد‬
Let me only be excused from thy bad smells ; I do
not want thy perfumes.
A speech in the closet from a husband to his
wife. Leave off thy rudeness, I require no civilities.
547 .
‫كل ما ضربت له وتد علق اخلاة‬

As often as I strike аa. woted for him he hangs up
(another) barley -sack.
No sooner is one business finished than he sets
about another. Among Arab sheiks in the desert,
as well as in the villages, it is customary that when
guests arrive on horseback, each horse is attached by
a chain on his legs to an iron spike driven for that
purpose into the ground, either before the tent or in
the court-yard of the house. This spike, about eight
inches long, is called woted (,) and every horseman
carries one with him. As soon as the guest alights
from his horse the master of the tent or house takes
from him the barley -sack ( illsto) in which the horse
receives his food , (and which the horseman likewise
carries with him ,) and hangs it upon a post or nail .
From this his people take it in the evening and fill
it with barley. In this proverb the master's servant
complains, that as soon as he has driven one woted
into the ground, another horseman arrives, whose
barley -sack is hung up, and whose woted must like
wise be driven into the ground.
548.*
‫كونوا اخوة و اتحاسبوا حساب التجار‬
Be lrothers, and keep between you the accounts of
merchants.
549 .
‫کف جاه ولا ويبة مال‬

A handful of consideration rather than a woebe of
riches.
Woebe )‫ )(ويبة‬is an Egyptian corn measure, of

which six make an erdeb.
550 .
‫كان يكلف بقطع يمينة صار ياخلف بزكاة ماله‬

He was wont to swear “ by the cutting off of his right
hand !” Ile now swears “ by the giving of his
money to the poor ! ”
This is said of persons who having been poor
acquire wealth and immediately assume the language
of rich people . A low fellow without money , swears,
66
May my hand be cut off if—" ( the amputation of
the hand is a thief's punishment). The great and
rich men swear, “ I will give my whole estates or
wealth to the poor if— "
551 .
‫كل و اشرب و خلي الدنيا خرب‬

Eat and drink, and let the world go to ruin.
552 .
‫كل واحد في سوقه يبيع خروقه‬

Every one sells his rags in his own market.
Every one parades or displays his distinguishing
qualities in his own circle of acquaintances.
553 .
‫كرامة لقصرک نهد خضنا‬

For the sake of thy palace shull we demolish our hut ?
vasul is an Arab hut constructed of brushwood
or reeds. jei a stately building or palace. From
its plural melt which the peasants pronounce el
oksor, we have formed Luxor, the temple of Thebes. .
s äols (pronounced kormály) does not mean in the
usual sense “for my honour,” or “ to my honour,
but merely " for my sake.”
554 .
‫کریم ما يستغني‬
The generous is never satisfied with riches.
He wants money that he may bestow it on
others.
555.
‫كلنا بهذه العلة و الطبيب الله‬

We are all (afflicted ) with this disease ; God is the
physician.
Said in offering consolation to others.
|
556 .
‫كل الهدية و اكسر الزبدية‬

Eat the present ( sent to thee) and break the dish (in
which it was brought).
The dish will otherwise remind you of the obli
.gation ‫ زبدية‬is a small basin of earthenware glazed
on the inside ; it is usual to serve up sweetmeats in
dishes of this kind .
557 .
‫كل ممنوع حلو‬

Every thing forbidden is sweet.
558 .
‫كل انسان وهيه‬

Every man — and his own care.
.Every
person lias his share of trouble ‫ وهمية‬put
instead of ‫بهه‬
559 .
‫کن بنودي تام و إلا فلا تلعب بالتوراة‬

Be a thorough Jew , or else do not play with the Old
Testament.
Be sincerely attached to a religion however bad,

rather than laugh at this, thy religion. ‫اة‬öl,ghi
‫ التور‬the
Books of Moses, which are respected by the Moslims
as derived from heaven , but which they believe to
have suffered by the interpolations of Jews and
Christians, because the mission of Mohammed was,
as they pretend , foretold in the original text.
560. *
‫کهرة تاكل اولادها‬

Like a cat that eats her own young ones.
Said of a mother who neglects her children .
561. *
‫كلام الليل يماكوه النهار‬

The day obliterates the word (or promise) of the
night.
This verse was quoted in reply to Haroun el
Rasheed by a beautiful woman who at night had
promised that she would bestow her favours on him
the next morning ; but when day appeared she
declined the performance of her promise. It has
thus become proverbial. A similar saying is more
generally current at Cairo, expressing that “ the
promise of the night is rubbed with butter, which
melts away when the day shines ироп it.”
‫كلام الليل مدهون بزبدة يطلع عليه النهار و يسيح‬

This means, that, when passion has ceased, we
forget the promise made while it influenced us.
562 .
‫ولا ينقص‬9 ‫يزيد‬. ‫كدنب الحمار لا‬

Like the ass's tail, it never increases, and never
diminishes.
Applied to one who remains constantly in the
same condition. There is a popular notion, I know
2 D
not whether founded on fact, that the tail of an ass

never increases in length, but remains as it was
when the animal was born, except as to the growth
.of
hair ‫ دنب‬is used in Egypt for ‫ذنب‬
563 .
‫کالابرة تكسي الناس و هي عريانة‬

Like a needle that clothes people and is itself naked .
This alludes to persons under similar circum
stances ; and is taken from that fine verse
‫کست قیصرا ثوب الجمال و تبعا‬
‫وكسري و باتت وهي عارية الجسم‬
The same meaning is still more forcibly expressed
in the following verse
‫صرت كاني بالة نصبت تفي للناس وهي نحرق‬
I have become like a wick placed in a lamp,
It affords light to the people while itself is burnt.
564. *
‫کن ذكور اذا كنت كذوبا‬

Be of good memory if you become a liar.
565. *
‫كالكماة لا أصل ثابت ولا فرع نابت‬

Like the truffle, without any ( known) origin, and not
sending forth any branches..
ölas is a species of truffle found in the deserts
of Syria, (I believe not in Egypt,) which affords

nourishment to many Bedouin families. Like the
European truffles they produce no plant, nor is it
known how they are propagated. The Arabs say
that they are produced by thunder and lightning.
566 .
‫كلام لین و ظلم بین‬

Soft words, but open injustice.
567. *
‫كم من يد ضعافا الكسب خرقا في الانفاق‬

How many a hand weak in gaining is prodigal in
spending.
568 .
‫الكلب ما ينبع في داره‬

The dog does not bark in his own house.
569. *
‫كل عبد أن جاء سرق و ان شبع فسق‬

Every slave when he is hungry steals, and when he is
satiated, practises wickedness.
On the effects of poverty and wealth upon low
minded persons.
570.
‫کالعنين يفتخر بزب ابيه‬

Like the impotent , who glories in the vigour of his
father.
Applied to those who without any just personal
pretensions assume airs in consequence of the merits
of their ancestors . ‫ن‬-s
‫ عني‬igni fi
one natur es
ally im
potent. The ancient Arabs quoted on this subject
the following fine verse
‫أن الفتي ممنن يقول ها أنا ذا‬
‫ليس الغتي من يقول كان ابي‬
He is the truly noble youth, who says “ Behold, I am
the man," not he who says “ My father was.”
What is above translated vigour, is in the
original Arabic a term for which the Dictionary may
be consulted.
‫حرف الام‬
571 .
‫ليس الخبر كالعيان‬

Hearsay is not like ocular testimony.
‫ عیان‬is ocular evidence,equivalent to ‫مشاهدة العيون‬
572 .
‫لو ابصرت بختي دسته بالقدم‬

If thou wert to see my luck, thou wouldst trample it
under foot.
Said by the unlucky.
573 .
‫ليت الغجل يهضم نفسه‬

Did but the radish digest its ownself !
Could we but rid ourselves of the person whom
we have invited to be our assistant. It is commonly
believed in the East that radishes eaten at or after
meals facilitate the digestion of other food, although
they themselves remain undigested in the stomach.
574 .
‫لو فتش ابن ادم علي الخبز ما اكله‬

If a man were to inquire after (the dirty manner of
making) bread, he would not eat it.
575 .
‫من ذهب لكان بيضه من خشب‬ ‫لو يكون الفلاح‬

If the fellah were made of gold, certain parts of him
would be of wood .
Although a low person may attain an exalted
station, and however his manners may be improved ,
some remnants of his former meanness will always
be conspicuous. Here may be quoted the following

verse
‫اللوم كانت في غطا‬ ‫لقد كشف الأثرأ منك خلايقا‬

‫الفقر‬ ‫سن‬
Riches have disclosed in thy character the bad

qualities formerly concealed by thy poverty.
576 .
‫لو اوقدت لك العشرة ما رايتهم الا ظلام‬

If I had lighted for thee the ten ( fingers as candles)
thou wouldst still regard them as if they were in
darkness.
Said of one who forgets or never acknowledges

the most signal services rendered to him .
577 .
‫لو لا الكسورة ما كانت الغاخورة‬

Were it not for fractures there would be no pottery.
Misfortunes are not without some good conse
.quences‫ كسورة‬in the Egyptian dialect for ‫کسر‬
578 .
‫لو ان رزقه في است الكلب اكل‬

If his gain lay in the hinder ( orfilthiest) part of a
dog he would eat it.
On a person descending to the vilest modes of
obtaining profit.
579 .
‫توته كنت قتلته‬ ‫لو لا شالوني من‬
‫دنل‬
If they had not dragged me from under him , I

should have killed him .
Said in ridicule of a bragging fellow .
580 .
‫لو سكت فيه تكلمت است‬

Ifhis mouth were silent another part of him would
speak.
Alluding to one who talked incessantly .
581. *
a
‫لو كان في البداية خير ما فاتت الصيادين‬
If the falcon had been good for any thing, he would
not have escaped the sportsman .
On a person indebted for safety to his insigni
ficance or trifling character. In the Egyptian dialect
‫ “ الشي الغولانة فاتني‬such a thing has escaped me ;
2) “ I have not been able to lay hold of it.”
582. *
‫انظر‬ ‫لعن الله الحمام التي أبصرتني است ن لا اشتهي‬
‫وجية‬
Cursed be the bath that has shown to me the hinder
part of him whose face (even) I should not like
to see .
Accident has thrown us into the society of one

whose very aspect is disagreeable to us.
583 .
‫لحمه ما ينضاجوا في قدر‬ > ‫الاكمها‬
Her meat and his meat cannot be cooked together in
the ( same) pot .
Said of a husband and wife ill- suited to each other.
‫نضج‬‫ “ ي‬the preparing of victuals .” In this sense
also ‫يستوي‬ is used by the Egyptians.
584.
‫لو كانت تمطر كانت غيمت‬

If it were to rain , clouds would have appeared .
585. **
‫للسبع ما حازت يده‬

To the lion belongs whatever his hand has seized .
586. *
‫لولا الدموع احترقت الضلوع‬
Were it not for the tears the ribs would have been
burnt.
Tears soothe the pangs of distress..
587. *
‫ليس الغرس بجله و برقعه‬
The mare is not (to be valued) according to its
housings and its ornaments in front.
‫ جل‬the housings of a horse. The word ‫ برقع‬is
used to denote the ornaments of a horse's head and
foreparts.
588 .
‫ليس في سقر حيث لا ما و لا شاجار‬

(He is) not in hell where neither water nor trees (can
be found).
A reply to those who bewail without reason the
situation of another person. jäw is one of the upper
regions in the Mohammedan hell.
589 .
‫السما صفعة ما سقطت الا علي قفاه‬ ‫لو وقعت‬

If a blow were tofall from heaven it would not light
upon anything but his neck.
Said of the unfortunate. (Respecting a blow on
the neck among the Egyptians and Arabs, see
No. 2.)
590.
‫لو اتجرت في الاكفان لما مات أحد‬

If I were to trade in winding -sheets, no one would
die.
On a person unfortunate in commercial specula

tions.
591. *
‫ليس كل من سود وجهه قال انا حداد‬
Not every one whose face has been blackened can
say " I am a blacksmith .'
2 E
592 .
‫لسان التجربة اصدق‬

The tongue of experience has most truth.
593.*
‫لو بلغ الرزق فاه لولاه قفاه‬

If the gain were to approach his mouth, he would
turn his back to it.
Said of the negligent and indolent. Löö signifies

not only the hinder part of the neck, but also the
back.
594 .
‫لا تمدن للمعالي يدا قصرت عن المعروف‬

A hand that has been short in rendering services to
others, do not stretch it out in quest of high
places.
The selfish person is unworthy of a high station .
‫ لا تمدن‬the final ‫ن‬ strengthens the imperative, and
is called by the Arabs ‫ نون التاكيد‬By ‫ المعروف‬is
expressed “ the rendering of kind services to
others ; ” such good offices as every one feels it his
duty to perform towards his fellow creatures. The
term in this sense is very commonly used ; thus
Liger
‫ معروف‬creo
‫ عي‬Jaen
‫ " تعمل‬will you be kind enough," when
ever the services of a superior or inferior in rank are
solicited .
595. *
‫لا يقرا الا اية العذاب و کتاب الصواعق‬

He reads nothing but the sentences of torments and
the book of thunderbolts.
Said of a person who always frightens others
with disastrous or portentous news. ‫ اية العذاب‬are
those passages of the Koran which threaten the
wicked with hell-torments. Cäcignall alludes to
a work written by Ibn Hadjar ( w .) which has
for its title “ The burning Thunderbolts ” cölyall
‫الصواعق‬
‫ المحرقة‬Ibn Hadjar is an author much esteemed
among the Olemas of Cairo ; several of his works on
the Hadyth or Tradition (especially his Annotations
to Kastellany's Commentary on the Hadyth ,) serve
as guides in the lectures delivered at the Mosque el
Azhar.
596 .
‫لا يسقط من كفه الخردلة‬

Not a single grain of mustard seed falls from his
hands.
Said of the care with which a miller watches his

property. Mustard seed is extremely small..
597 .
‫لا توخر عمل اليوم لغد‬

Do not put off the work of this day till to -morrow .
“ to defer,” “ put back ,” &c.
598. *
‫لا تامن الامير اذا غشک الوزير‬

Do not trust the emír if his vizír cheat thee.
599 .
‫لا تلد الحية الآ حوية‬

The serpent brings forth nothing but 0a little serpent.
600 .
‫لا يشكر الناس‬ ‫من‬ ‫لا يشكر الله‬

Who gives not thanks to men , gives not thanks to God .
601. *
‫لا تسخر بكوسج ما لم يلتحي‬

Do not ridicule the short and thin - bearded, as long
as thou thyself art without a0 beard .
For always the Egyptians more frequently say
‫ کوسة‬In ‫ ما لم‬thema stands for ‫ ;زمان ما‬or ‫طول ما‬
602. *
‫لا يغزع البازي من صباح الكركي‬

The hawk is not frightened by the cries of the crane .
It is not size that imparts courage or strength.
‫ البازي‬is a species of buzzard common in Egypt and
.Syria ‫الكركي‬.sNo
ee.3
603 .
‫لا يجد في السما صعدا و لا في الأرض مقعدا‬

Hefinds no ascent to heaven and no seat on earth.
Said of one so perplexed and embarrassed that
he knows not where to turn.
‫حرف الميم‬
604 .
‫من دق الباب سمع الجواب‬

Who knocks at the door will hear the answer.
605 .
‫ما كل ما يعلم يقال‬

All that is known is not told .
606 .
‫مصایب قوم عند قوم فواید‬

The misfortunes of some people are advantages to
others.
607. *
‫ما الحزينة الشكلي كالنايحة بكراها‬

The afflicted mother who has lost her children is not
like the woman who weeps for hire.
For ‫ نايكة‬the Egyptians now use the word ‫ندابة‬
to express those hired " pleureuses,” or mourners.
608.
‫ما يعرف في السماء الا سهیل‬

He does not know in the heavens any thing but
Sirius.
He knows only the most conspicuous part of

heaven. A saying applied to persons little versed
in the details of business.
609 .
‫ماجنون و عطي دستور‬

A fool — and free license was allowed .
‫ دستو‬in Arabic has two significations.
The word ‫ر‬ygüwd
It means, as here, the liberty granted to a person
>
who is high in favour to do whatever he pleases, a

circumstance usually the case with Turkish go
vernors' favourites. It is also used as an exclamation
on entering the houses of strangers, and passing by
the places occupied by women, that they may be
warned to retire ; it then is equivalent to " with
>
your leave,” or “take care ; ” and in this sense it is
frequently employed.
*
610. *
‫ما كل وجه يقال له مرحبا‬

Not to every face is said “ Welcome.”
‫ مرحبا‬implies “ welcome."”
In Egypt logo In the
66
Hedjaz it means you are welcome to it,” or “ I
am ready for it," and is the usual reply given by
servants when commanded to do any thing by their
masters. In Egypt the servant says on that occa
sion poils “ I am ready.”
611 .
‫ما للجنازة حامية قال كل انسان يبكي علي حاله‬

Why is the funeral so hot ? ” One answered ,
Every person weeps for his own (unhappy)
state . "
‫ ما للجنازة‬is here used in the samemanner as

colo (see No. 520,) and signifies “what is the
matter with the funeral," &c. A burial or funeral
is said to be äola hot, or warm , when crowds of
mourners attend it, crying loudly. The women on
those occasions wave their handkerchiefs with both
hands over their heads, and following the bier, sing
the praises of the deceased, whom, whether male or
female, they celebrate chiefly for beauty or finery :
“ What a beautiful turban he had ! ” 6. What a
lovely person she was ! ” 66
What a fine veil she
wore ! "
612 .
‫ما يعرف حر الحمام الا من دخلها‬

He alone knows the heat of the bath who has
entered it .
613 .
‫ما يضيع حق و خلفه مطالب‬

No right is lost which is followed up by demands.
614 .
‫ما يبقي علي المداود الا شر البقر‬

The bad cows only remain at the mangers.
Said of those who continue as burthens on their
families or friends. The good cows are either sold
.or
employed in the field ‫ مداود‬is the plural of ‫دود‬
“ a manger."
615 .
‫ما كل من نفاخت طبخت‬

It is not every woman who blows (the fire) that
cooks also.
It may likewise mean “ not every woman who

puffs herself up or assumes airs ; ” for the word ‫خ‬zein
‫ينف‬
may be used figuratively in Arabic as in English .
616 .
‫الرقبة جمل‬ ‫ما كل معوج‬

Every thing crooked -necked is not a camel.
617 .
‫ما كل جني يدخل القنينة‬

It is not every spirit that enters the glass bottle.
We cannot persuade or compel every person to
serve our purposes. Sorcerers who pretend to con
fine hostile or familiar spirits in a glass bottle ()‫)قنينه‬
are as well known in the East as in Europe.
618 .
!
‫ما تم فولة مسوسة إلا لها كيال اعور‬
No worm-eaten bean remains without finding a
half-blind measurer.
Every bad thing finds something equally bad to
match it. The word ‫م‬mi‫ ت‬is frequently used in the
66
sense here expressed, as ocli pie “ he remained sit

ting ;” ‫‘‘ تم پشتم حتي‬he continued railing or abusing
until
619 .
‫لفظها بعتوها تخطب‬ ‫حسین‬ ‫من‬
On account of her fine talking they sent her to woo

( for a friend).
Said ironically of a woman who spoke in a mean
or vulgar manner. wes according to the Egyptian
dialect for ‫بعث‬
620 .
‫من استاكي من بنت نه ما خاب منها غلام‬

He who is bashful with his cousin, gets no boy by her.
This saying is often addressed to a friend whom
2 F
we entreat to render us some service, or to pay a

debt. If we are ashamed , or act bashfully with him ,
we obtain nothing from him . It is a general custom
in the Levant to marry the first cousin, and here
this name stands for “ wife.” Cousins thus married
continue to call each other “ cousins, ” even after the
marriage, and not “ husband and wife ; " because the
tie of first-cousinship is universally regarded as more
sacred than that of matrimony, which may be, and
is frequently, dissolved at the momentary caprice of
either party. Thus the man calls his wife in the
house si ‫ بنت‬ll‫ "‘ یا‬O daughter of my uncle ;” and
the wife says to her husband ‫ ‘‘ یا ابن عمي‬0 son of
my uncle .”
621 .
‫شبه دیوک العرب ياكل خرا و يذن الله‬

He is like the cocks of the Bedouins, eating dung and
calling to prayers gratis.
Said of one who is left, notwithstanding all his
services, to live in poverty and contempt. The cock
is likened to the muezzin, because he crows at the
time of morning prayers when the muezzin calls the
people to their devotions. ‫ يدن‬is the Egyptian
pronunciation of u . The phrase "for God's sake,"
or “ gratis,” is expressed by all The Bedouins (here
designated by the word Arab, ) have no criers or
muezzins but their cocks.
622 .
‫ما صاکت البقرة الا للقاضي‬

None got the cow but the kádhy.
The arbitrator himself seized upon the object of
.dispute ‫ صح لك‬is an expression frequently used,
meaning “thou hast luckily gotten it,” “ it was
exactly what thou shouldest have had ,” “ it fell
.appropri lot ’’ ly‫ لک‬que
to thyate ‫ ( صح‬from the verb
que)) originally signifies “ it is perfect for thee .”
623 .
‫من يكون امه الكمي و ابوه الباردة من این تجيه العافية‬

To him whose mother is the hot fever, and whose
father is the cold fever, from whence can health
come ?
Children suffer from the discordant tempers of
their parents. das in the Egyptian dialect for
‫اله‬
624 .
‫ما يخرج الزيت الا المعصار‬

No one extracts the oil but the oil-presser.
To every sort of labour its own particular work
.man ‫ المعصار‬is the person who works at the ‫معصرة‬
or oil-mill.
625 .
‫من خلف ما مات‬

He who leaves (the fame of good or great works)
after him , does not die.
626.
‫ جارية علي بجدید بسارية‬,‫مكتبة و‬

1
A covered dish and a handmaid for a farthing's

worth of sprats.
The construction is ‫ جدید‬،‫مكتبة وجارية علي بسارية‬
the inversion is for the sake of the rhyme at the end.
malo is the copper cover placed over the most choice
dishes in setting them before the guests. The
female slave is here supposed to bring one of those
dishes into the room, a great honour conferred upon
the company and upon the dish she carries, because
female slaves attend only on extraordinary occasions.
The small fishes called är glans very much resemble
sprats of from two to four inches long ; they are
found in the tanks and ponds of Egypt after the
inundation subsides. In these ponds the fish of the
Nile deposit their spawn ; and when the river sinks,
the fishermen stop up the communication between it
and the ponds until the water becomes so shallow
that they can take the young fry in immense quan
tities, by means of wicker baskets dragged along the
bottom. In order to feed the young fish , or bisarye,
they throw oil-cakes called bokma (ärë) (made of
the dregs of hemp oil) into the ponds, and this
fattens them in a short time. At present the
government has declared the whole fishery a public
concern, and lets it out to several companies. In
November and December the bisarye form one of
the principal dishes of the middling classes at Cairo,
and one pennyworth of them is sufficient to satisfy
a person. The original name of the bisaryė, as I

have heard , is ‫رضراضي‬ Of the ‫) جدید‬an ancient
copper coin of Egypt) few now remain, they being
no longer current ; ten of them were equal to one
para.. The preposition coils
‫ علي‬is put here for Joy
‫ لاجل‬and
in this sense is often used ; thus in the common
question “for what ?" or ،،what for ? ?” ‫علي اي‬
stands for ‫ لاي اجل‬or ‫لاي سبب‬
627 .
‫ما بقي يعوز من النقل الا الزعرور‬

He wants of dried fruits only the zarour.
Said of unreasonable demands. The çës is here
a superfluous particle, as already noticed. (See
.No.263
( ‫ االلننققلل‬are ( ‫ “ النقلي‬the
are dried fruits ” (and
seller of dried fruits ”). Zarour is a small fruit
resembling a cherry in size, and an apple in taste
and colour. It grows upon a low thorny shrub in
different parts of Syria, where I have seen it, espe
cially in the Valley of the Jordan . I believe that it
is not a native of Egypt, and it is rarely to be found
in the shops of those Damascus people who sell dried
fruits at Cairo.
628 .
‫ما قدر علي حجاته قام لامراته‬

He was not a match for his mother - in - law — he then
rose against his wife.
Finding the actual enemy too powerful, he
attacks the weak and innocent. In the Egyptian

dialect chals jubil lil signifies “ I am quite a match
> 66
(or an overmatch) for him . ” ‫عليه‬ ‫ ع“لي ما اامقرادتره‬I am not
a match for him . ” Instead of alcol ‫ علي‬we find
wrod ---according to the practice before mentioned of
putting the J for slemand vice versa.
629 .
‫ما كفي الميت موتته حي عصره القبر‬

Death was not sufficient for the dead , the grave
moreover must press upon him ..
It is believed by Mohammedans that the tomb
presses upon the body therein deposited either
lightly or heavily according to the sins or merits of
the deceased. This saying therefore means “ not
only was he punished for his sins by death, but the
very tomb pressed upon him .” Here is means
“ moreover," or " even ,' ‫ة على ذلک ۔‬no
‫ ضرزبيهاد‬having
‫ حتي‬-‫شتمه‬
reference to time. Thus it is said di jadi bis dreaming
“ he abused him and even (or moreover) struck
him .”
630 .
‫ما تتم الحيلة الا علي الشطار‬

Thefraud is not complete unless it be practised upon
clever and cunning persons.
It requires no ability to cheat the stupid . ‫شطار‬
> 66
is the plural of blis
‫ “ شاطر‬able ," " active, ” and also
knowing and expert in business.”
631 .
‫ما يدخل الدرهم الزغل الا علي الصيرفي الزكي‬

False coin is passed upon none but the shrewd
banker.
The over-shrewd are most easily cheated. Jády

dals " it enters upon him ; ” that is, “ it is passed
upon him .” The money-changers ( mo) in Egypt
are mostly Jews. In Syria, especially at Aleppo,
these seyrafs, or bankers, are depositories of the cash
of all the wealthy merchants. Each has in his shop
a kind of Giro -bank, where sums of money are paid
and received by his transferring them from one
account book to another. This system much facili
tates payments, and is conducted with sufficient
security.
632 .
‫مثل العتال الميشوم ما يذكر الله الا تحت الحمل‬

( He is)) like the perverse porter who calls upon God
only when he is under the load.
He never thinks of God but when he is suffering
from misfortune. The porters are accustomed to
exclaim at every step while they carry heavy bur
thens, “ O God ! O God ! ” allt ų ali ! A porter
or the carrier of a load is called in Egypt Jäs also
‫ جمال‬or ‫شيال‬
633 .
‫من نحبه من اولادك قال من يدي علي كس أمه‬

“ Which dost thou most love of thy children ?” “ That
one,” he replied , “ whose mother's conduct I most
strictly watch . ”
The father loves most that child of whose
mother's fidelity he does not entertain a doubt. It
must be recollected that in consequence of a plurality
of wives the children of different beds are often
found in one man's house. The Arabic scholar will
easily perceive that the latter part of this proverb
would not decently bear a literal translation.
634 .
‫و انت جاري تجي من مصر علي جاري‬9 ‫ما زرتني‬

Thou didst not visit me, and thou art my neighbour,
(and ) comestfrom Cairo upon my jackass.
Said of a person deficient in polite attentions
towards those who had a right to expect them from
him.
635 .
‫موت المراة تجديد العرس‬

The death of the wife is the renewal of the wedding.
Here is an allusion to the custom of taking a
new wife immediately on the death of a former.
So universally is this practised, that no blame what
ever is attached to a man or woman who remarry-
the former in the next fortnight, the latter after the

stipulated term of forty days, from the death of their
partners.
636 .
ljus
‫من صير نفسه نخالة اكلته البقر‬
M Him who makes chaff of himself, the cows will eat.
bt. I He who does not support his own dignity will
be slighted and ill-treated. No Levantine will read
this sentence without exclaiming “ El hamdoo ľ
a illahy ! " “ Thanks be to God ! that is not my
Over foible ! 2”
637 .
‫من غاب غاب نصيبه‬

He who absents himself loses his share (or his share
ho
absents itself ).
Show
That thou mayst prosper, attend to thy task.
‫نصیب‬ “ the lot bestowed by fate,” also “ a share or
tions portion ."
from 638 .
‫زین فتح باقرع استفتح‬

A barber opened (his shop )—the first person whom he
shaved was scald -headed.
ng. Said of business commenced inauspiciously. wtje

“ a barber ,” the same as öllo -after z is understood
gara ails “ he opened his shop.” In the Egyptian dialect
her
at
zeüwl
‫ استفتح‬is for zül " to begin with ; ” and the word is
generally used by shopkeepers to express the first
2 G
sale they make in the morning. Thus they say, “ I
sold it cheap to you, that I might begin ( this day's

sale) with a goodly work .”
‫انا بعته لكم رخيص حتي استفع بخير‬
639 .
‫مغلس و مرابي ما اختلفوا‬

A bankrupt and an usurer do not disagree.
They easily conclude a bargain.
640.*
‫طبخ شي ردي ياكل منه‬ vero
He who cooks a bad thing, eats of it .

The promoter or contriver of a. bad affair suffers
from it.
641. *
‫من هي عويشة في سوق الغزل‬
Who is Oweyshe in the market of the cotton-yarn ?
A person great or famous in his own immediate
neighbourhood, is lost when he enters the crowd
upon the stage of this world. ünvigs is a diminutive
of änns a woman's name. The diminutive is often
applied to the names of children who are favourites
with their parents or acquaintances. Every morning,
just after sunrise, the women of the lower classes at
Cairo take the cotton -yarn, which they have spun
at home, for sale to certain bázárs ( J;ell gw ), where
of course there are great crowds of women, and

where Oweyshe, however eminent in her own quar
ter, is not distinguished from the others. The sale
of this yarn is one of the few means by which
females can earn an honest livelihood at Cairo, and
an industrious woman may support herself by
spinning.
642 .
‫من راد ریده و من طلب بعد زیده‬

Who likes thee, like him ; and who wishes thee at a
distance, wish him at a still greater distance.
‫ه‬.lit
‫زيد‬ give him ly
eral more Here is to be
understood ‫ زيده في طلب البعد‬Of a similar meaning
is the following proverbial saying :
‫فاتک فوته ولا لك بملقاه حاجة و من باعك بدينار‬
‫بيعة ببيضة دجاجة‬
Who abandons thee, abandon him , for surely thou
hast no occasion to meet him ; and who sold thee
for a dinár, sell him for a hen's .
egg.
The Egyptians say wl, and ‫ يريد‬in the same
sense as ‫ ی‬s-,
‫پکاکب‬thu ‫ ‘‘ فلان يريدني‬such a one likes
me,” or “ is fond of me. "
643 .
‫من لا يستحي يعمل ما يشتهي‬

He who is not ashamed does whatever he likes.
644. *
‫من عاشر قوم اربعون صباح صار منهم‬

He who intimately frequents people for forty days,
has become one of their number.
‫ صباح‬is often used instead of
645 .
‫ما يصعب الحق الا علي الايق‬

Truth becomes disagreeable to the fool only.
646 .
‫وحده‬ ‫من اكل وحده غص‬

He who eats alone, coughs alone.
The egotist or selfish miser is abandoned in his
‫ل به‬
misfortunes. već to cough with the throat crammed ,

or when one has been almost suffocated by some
thing sticking in the windpipe. It is reckoned a
shame in the East to eat alone, and those who do so
are despised as misers.
647 .
‫ما هذا بيت الغرس‬
This is not the bishop's square.
This is not the proper place for a person. A
saying derived from the chess-board , where the

square is called ‫بیت‬.o r
، house ."
648 .
‫تمشط بنتها‬ ‫ماشطة‬
A hair dresser, and she combs (or dresses the hair

of ) her daughter.
This is said of good work, such as is executed by
"
skilful artists when they work “ con amore .” übilo
among the peasants signifies “ a woman who earns
her livelihood by combing and cleaning the long
thick hair of the female villagers, which she after
wards plaits,” an operation to which all the respect
able Turkish women submit at least once in every
week. This business is performed in towns at the
baths by professional women called üle
649 .
‫ما اكثر خطابي و ما اقل فراشي‬
How very great is the number of my wooers ; but

how small the quantity of my furniture.
A pretty girl, but too poor to obtain a husband .
Well comprises the whole furniture - beds, sofas,
kitchen utensils, china -ware, &c. which a wife brings
to her husband, amounting often to a greater value
than the price paid for the girl to her father. She
retains; however, the property of this furniture,
unless she demands a divorce, when the husband
may claim it on her leaving his house.
230 ARABIC PROVERBS
650
‫پکتر روحه‬ ‫حد‬ ‫ما‬
Nobody considers himself as contemptible.

In the Egyptian dialect ‫ حد‬is used for ‫أحد‬
and ‫روحة‬ commonly for ‫نفیسه‬
651 .
‫ما لا يرضيه‬ ‫تكلم في ما لا يعنيه سمع‬ ‫من‬
He who talks about that which does not concern him ,

will hear something not pleasing to him.
652. *
‫ما علي القلوب دروب‬

How many are the roads that lead not to the heart !
he is here to be understood as lo by
653 .
‫ما في الغاخورة مثله‬

Among the pottery there is none like him .
He is distinguished only among his low com
panions.
654.
‫من لا يصل للعنقود يقول عليه حامض‬

He who cannot reach to the bunch of grapes, says
of it, “ It is sour. ”
655 .
‫من تصدق بالنخال كتب له على الصراط الضراط‬

He who distributes bran in alms, for him it is
written in the Book of Destiny that he is to
receive a puff of wind upon the serát.
The serát is that narrow bridge by which the

Moslims pass over the precipice of Hell towards the
avenues of Paradise.
656 .
‫تزوج في سوق الطير كان طلاقه تمشوا بالخير‬ won
Of him who marries in the bird -market, the divorce

will be (as quick as one can say) “ good night.”
Women of the lower class and of unchaste cha
racter sell pigeons and other birds in the different
bázárs of Cairo. Here is to be understood clb us
‫ كقول تمسوا بالخير‬That a person went of in haste,
is expressed thus, ‫ قال تمسوا بالخير و راح‬، he said
' good evening,' and went away.” In the East on
quitting a company it is not usual to make long
66
adieus ; a man says merely “ good night," or good
morning,” and immediately withdraws. The pro
verb may perhaps also mean, that if the person
marries in the morning at the bird -market he will
be divorced on the evening of the same day.
657 .
‫اول الخل دردي‬ ‫من‬

From the beginning of the vinegar dregs were in it.
The affair was badly concerted from the first.
66
‫ دردي‬in the Egyptian dialect signifies dregs or

".
lees, the same as ‫عكر‬
658 .
‫مثل الدنيا ما فيه اعتقاد‬

( He is) like the world ; no confidence is to be placed
in him .
659 .
‫مثل ما تعمل الشاة في القرض يعمل القرض في جلدها‬

As the sheep does with the acacia -pulse, the acacia
pulse does with the sheep's skin.
‫ قرض‬is the fruit of the mimosa called ‫ سنط‬or ‫صنط‬
consisting of a small pulse or pod resembling that
of carobs. It contains several beans, and when fresh
is excellent food for cattle ; when dried it is used by
the tanners in Upper Egypt and all the Bedouins of
Arabia to tan sheep's skins.
660.
‫مكتوب علي ورق الخيار من سهر الليل نام النهار‬

It is written upon the cucumber leaf, “ He who
watches during the night sleeps during the day .”
He who passes the night in revelry is unfit for
business during the day. “It is written upon the

cucumber leaf,” signifies that it is written where
even the meanest people may read it, as cucumbers
are very cheap and common in Egypt. ‫ل‬ws ‫ اللي‬and
‫ النهار‬are here put for ‫ باللتل‬and ‫ بالنهار‬or ‫ في الليل‬In
this manner the Egyptians frequently dispense with
the prepositions and ‫في‬
‫بي‬
661 .
‫ما في جهنم مراوح‬

There are no fans in hell.
‫ مراوح‬the plural of ‫مروحة‬ a fan made of the
chips of date-leaves."
662 .
‫المرق‬ Como ‫من فاته اللحم فلياكل‬

He who loses an opportunity of ( eating) the meat,
let him feed on the broth.
An Arabian story relates that the bird kombar
Size of the lark species,) once invited King Solomon
to dine, and requested that all his courtiers might
accompany him. The king inquired whether there
was a sufficient supply of food for so large a com
pany ; and received in answer, that everything
necessary had been provided. The guests arrived
and seated themselves near the banks of a river ;
when dinner time approached the kombar came fly
ing with a locust in his bill. Having eaten some
2 H
of it himself, he threw the rest into the water, and

addressed this proverb to his royal guest, advising
him to satiate himself with the locust -broth . The
wise monarch smiled, he and his attendants drank
some of the water, thanked their host, and departed .
663 .
‫من كلم الزطي علي نفسه يخطي‬

He who talks with the Zotty commits a sin against
himself.
Avoid the conversation of unmannerly persons.
‫زطی‬ an Arabian tribe noted for the coarseness of
their manners. I have heard at Cairo, (but cannot
affirm as fact,) that a small tribe of Zotty is still
established in some villages of Palestine.
66 4. *
‫ما بقي بعد عبادان قرية‬

After Abbádán no village remains (or exists).
This is said in derision of the praises which
people so lavishly bestow upon their native places,
even the most miserable hamlets. Abbádán (ulolas)
was a place on the eastern bank of the Tigris,
belonging to the district of Sowád. I am ignorant
whether Abbádán exists at present or not ; nor can
I imagine why the Egyptians should have intro
duced it into one of their proverbial sayings. ägg
signifies a village in the modern dialect of Egypt.
665 .
‫ما في المعدية واحد لله‬

There is not in the ferry boat any ( gratis or) for
God's sake.
There every person must pay his fare. all is used
in the same manner as the expression “for God's
sake,” i.e. gratis.
666.
‫ما يملا عیینن ادم الا التراب‬

The dust alone can fill the eye of man .
Man continues to be ambitious or covetous until
he is deposited in the dust. Common expressions
are ‫ ) عينه مليان‬for ‫‘ (عينه ملان‬،‘ his eye is full," or
“ he possesses every object of his desire,, he is
satiated ;" ‫ ‘‘ دا ما يملا عينه‬this does not fill his eye,
or content him . This figurative sense is restored in
the proverb to the real meaning of " to fill the eye.”
،، dust of the
‫ تراب‬here signifies ‫ تراب القبر‬the
>
grave." A saying of Mohammed resembling this
proverb in sense is recorded as follows:
‫لا يملا جوف بن ادم الا التراب‬

667. *
‫من له رأس عند الرواس ما ينام الليل‬

He who has a head at the sellers of sheep's heads,
does not sleep at night.
The person whose fortune is intrusted to the
hands of strangers, cannot enjoy repose. The poor

at Cairo buy sheep's heads and for a trifle have
them boiled in the bázár by persons who are not
only cooks, but sellers of sheep's heads, and there
fore called ‫ راس‬or in the Egyptian dialect ‫رواس‬
668 .
‫من لا تاكل في فرحه كله في عزاه‬

Of that person at whose wedding thou dost not eat,
eat at the funeral.
Lose no opportunity of gaining from a stingy
person. The more natural construction of this pro
verb would be
‫الذي لا تاكله اكلا في فرحه كله في عزاه‬

The word bs means the first days of mourning
after a person's death, generally spent by his rela
tions in loud expressions of grief ; sumptuous enter
tainments being given to the mourners. Instead of
fic the Egyptians say also ‫م‬pagine
‫ يت‬which is a corruption
of
‫ما تم‬
669 .
‫تعب استراح‬ como
He who is fatigued shall repose (afterwards).

järel is the expression used in inviting a person
to sit down when he enters a room , as the Arabs say
‫اجلس‬
670 .
‫لا‬
‫قوم ساکر‬ ‫ما لي بقر و‬
I have no cows, nor do I set myself up as a
sorcerer .
I have no money left to assist thee (or to supply

the want of thy lost cow ). pogut “ I rise ” (to do or
to be), “ I suddenly begin to be.”
671 .
‫يرضي بحكم موسي رضي بحكم فرعون‬

He who is not satisfied with the government of Moses,
will be satisfied with the government of Pharaoh.
This saying has latterly been often quoted to
express that those who did not like the Mamelouks,
must now submit to the still more tyrannical go
vernment of Mohammed Aly. The construction is
according to the vulgar dialect of Cairo, it should
have been (more correctly )
‫منو لم رضي بحكم نوسي يرضي حكم فرعون‬
672.
‫الا نار الماجوس‬ ‫هو‬ ‫ما‬
It is nothing but the fire of the Magians.

Said to a person who highly values that which
finally must hurt him . The Madjous, or Idolaters,
adore the same element which burns them.
673. *
‫من لا يذق اللحم اعجبته الرية‬

He who does not taste the (best part of the) meat
likes the lungs.
The poor must be content with that which the
rich disdains. The lungs are eaten only by the
poor. Instead of ä , the Egyptians more commonly
use the term as in speaking of lungs .
674 .
‫عسي تكون الألوان‬ ‫من كان طباخه ابو جعران ما‬

Of him whose cook is a beetle, what may not be
the dishes ?
What can the work be if slovenly fools are
employed to execute it ? ubes dit is the largest
species of ämeis or scarabæus, and cited, like the
latter, as an emblem of ugliness and filth. It is the
same animal which the learned Arabians sometimes
call ‫جعل‬
675 .
‫اكل للسلطان فرخة ردها له بقرة‬ ‫من‬
He who eats a hen of the sultan will return her

to him a cow.
On the heavy fines imposed on those who em

bezzle the public money . Js! is constantly used to
imply “the taking of illegal gain.” Thus so J59
he has cheated me ;" ‫ » اكل من الفلوس‬he has eaten
( embezzled) some of the money." But it always
supposes that the eater has betrayed at the same
time the trust or confidence placed in him . There

fore it is not said of a shopkeeper who cheats his
customer by overcharges ‫ اكل منه‬but ‫ غشه‬،، he
cheated him ;” but if my servant overcharges me in
an account of my expenses , I say ‫ اكل مني‬، he has
>
cheated me. ”
676. *
‫لا يصلحه الخير لا يصلحه الشر‬ ‫من‬
Him whom goodness cannot mend, evil will not

mend.
On such incorrigible persons as cannot be

softened by kindness nor corrected by punishment.
On this subject the following verse is cited :
‫إذا كان الطباع طباع سو‬
‫فلا أدب يفيد ولا ادیب‬
677 .
‫من احب شي اكثر من ذكره‬

He who loves a thing often talks of it.
Literally “abounds in the mentioning of it.”
678 .
‫من يقدر علي رد امس و تطبين عين الشمس‬

Who is able to restore (what was) yesterday, or
to plaster over the rays of the sun ?
One is as impossible as the other. This is
generally said of any undertaking quite beyond the
.r ea
of human ch
power . ‫) تطيين‬from ) ‫ (طين‬to cover
a wall or anything with mud, plaster, &c.
679 .
‫من العجایب اعمش کحال‬

Among wonderful things is a sore-eyed person who
is an oculist .
A man should first attend to his own defects.
In Egypt those quacks are styled jisis who pretend
to cure the eyes, for which purpose they usually
employ a mixture of mineral or metallic substances,
especially antimony, and from this they derive their
name .
680.
‫ما المرو ألا بدرهميه‬

Man is only man by his money.
This vile saying is in opposition to the celebrated
answer given to the great Arab chief, or King of
Hyra, Noman Ibn Monzer, by his enemy and rival
Dhamra Ibn Dhamra, whom Noman when he came
into his presence reproached for the meanness of his
look and the smallness of his person . The noble
Bedouin replied, “Surely the worth of a man lies
in two of his smallest parts – his heart and his
tongue ! " s
‫لسانه‬ ‫انما المرو باصغریه قلبه و‬

Others affirm that this answer was given by the
Arab Mady Kerb to the King of Persia .
681 .
- ‫ب‬
‫متي اتفرزنت یا بیدق‬

When wert thou changed into a queen, 0 pawn ?
Said of low people suddenly elevated. This is
taken from the chess board, when a pawn passes to
queen ) ‫( فرز‬. The 1 of ‫ اتغرزنت‬is superfluous, and
must be ascribed merely to the vulgar pronuncia
tion. The ancient poet Abou Tamam has a similar
expression :
‫برزنتم سرعة ما اري يا بيدق‬
682. *
‫اكل مرقة السلطان احترقت شفتاه ولو بعد حين‬ ‫من‬
Of him who eats the sultán's broth, the lips will be

scalded , should it be even at a very distant
* time.
On the dangers attending those who accept

lucrative situations under Eastern rulers.. The ‫اكل‬
is here in its true sense and implies “ illegal eating,"
.or gain ." ‫ مرقة السلطان‬stands for ‫ من مرقة‬Thus
it is said ‫ “ أنا ياكل عيشه‬I ate of his bread , as if ‫من‬
preceded ‫ عیشه‬or as a host says to his guest, ‫كل اللحم‬
،، eat of the meat," for ‫كل منن اللحم‬
2I
‫حرف النون‬
683 .
‫نواية تسند الجرة‬

A small date -stone props up the water-jar.
Great princes often owe their security to the
meanest of their subjects ; or, great concerns are
supported by the most trifling circumstances. älg
is the diminutive of ‫وي‬soil‫ ن‬That the large water-jars,
which are of this form
may be kept in an upright position and well

balanced, some small stones are often put under
them .
684 .
‫ناصح الأحمق عدوه‬

The adviser of the fool is (or becomes) his enemy.
The word örl is applied in Egypt not only to
a fool, but also to an obstinate headstrong person .
ARABIC PROVERBS , 243
685 .
‫ناكوها سكتت عاتبوها تغنجت‬

They embraced her, she remained silent ; they re
proached her, then she assumed airs.
She dreads the reproach, but is not ashamed of

22
.the
deed ‫نیک‬.
‫ پ‬، enjoyt female society
o ‫تغنجت‬
from pic which signifies “ the twisting of the body
and coy motions of a woman impatient of reproach .”
The same word is often used to express similar
motions produced by coquetry or voluptuousness,
and the women of Cairo flatter themselves that their
is superior to that of all other females in the
Levant.
686 .
‫نفخة الاسطبل‬
The blowing of the stable.

This is said on two occasions ; first, when a
person resembles a horse that issues from his stable
in full vigour, snorts and breathes high, blows out
at the nostrils, and strikes the ground with his
hoofs, but soon after is found to be tired ; secondly,
it is applied to a person resembling the grooms of
the stable, who puff themselves up and give them
selves great airs, fellows noted in Egypt for their
insolence.
687 .
‫نار الحلفا سريعة الانطفا‬

The fire of reeds is of rapid extinction.
The passions of those who have no energy of
character are easily subdued.
688.*
‫مع نوح في السفينة‬ ‫نیا‬
3
He was born with Noah in the ark.
Of ancient origin, of long standing.
689. *
‫الانسان عبد الاحسان‬

Man is the slave of beneficence.
Beneficent actions and kindnesses enslave a man
to the generous.
690 .
‫تزلت منه بوادي غير ذي زرع‬

I alighted (at his house) in a barren valley.
Said of an inhospitable mansion, in allusion to a
passage of the Koran ( Chapter xiv ), wherein it is
said
‫اسکیت‬
‫ذريتي بواد غير ذي زرع‬ ‫من‬ ‫ربنا اني‬
by which valley is understood the valley of Mekka.
‫ منه‬stands here for ‫ عنده‬or ‫فيه‬ these prepositions
being in common conversation frequently misused
one for the other.
691 .
‫النصع بين الملا تقريع‬

Advice given in the midst of a crowd is loathsome.
‫ الملا‬the (place) filled with people (. ‫ تقريع‬in the

>
Egyptian dialect ،،" loathsomeness," disgust ,” & c.

This meaning is well expressed by an ancient poet,
as follows :
‫و اذا وجدت علي الصدیق شکوته سرا و في المحافل اشتر‬

If I should find my friend in the wrong, I reproach
him secretly ; but in presence of company, I
praise him .
692 .
‫الناس بزمانهم اشبه منه بابايهم‬

People resemble still more the time in which they
live, than they resemble their fathers. ( Verbatim
--Men, with their time, are more similar to it,
than to their fathers.)
This proverb means, that the general state of
society, its notions and manners, have more influence
upon man than education or the example set by his
parents. A maxim equally just as sagacious. It
might have been expressed more precisely in Arabic
thus
‫اأكثر من مشابهتهم لابائهم‬ ‫شبه الناس بزمانهم‬

693 .
‫النأي في کتي و الريع في فمي‬

9
The clarionet is in my sleeve and the breath in my

mouth ( ready for playing).
Used to express “ I am completely ready for
>
business .” Šī is a sort of clarionet very common in

the Levant.
694 .
‫نظر الشاكية الي الغريم المغلس‬

( Like) the look of the miser at his bankrupt debtor.
‫حرف اليا‬
695 .
‫هدايا الأحباب علي ورق السداب‬

The presents of our friends are (as dear to us as if
they were) upon the leaves of rue .
It is well known that presents are frequently
interchanged between friends in the East. A thing
is generally presented wrapped in a handkerchief, or
placed on the leaves of some fragrant herbs or
flowers. Wlaw is the plant rue, a favourite among
the Turks and Arabs, whose drawing-rooms often

contain it in pots. It is likewise called ‫سنداب‬
Here we must understand
‫كانها علي ورق‬
696 .
‫هارب و يهلل‬
He is running away, yet shouts loudly.
Instead of endeavouring to facilitate his escape
silence, he attracts notice by crying with a loud
voice. For ‫ يهلل‬it is more usual to say ‫يصرخ‬
697 .
‫هات اليوم موف و خذ غدا نعاج‬

Give me wool to -day, and take sheep to-morrow .
Applicable to those who give small presents
hoping to receive some more valuable in return .
This is almost universally the case where a Levan
tine makes a present to an European.
698 .
‫همته عالیه و بطنه خالیه‬

He is high -minded, but empty-bellied .
699. *
‫هو قدر الزر و يشغل السر‬
It is not larger than a button, yet it annoys us.
The merest trifles may cause vexation and pain.
jj is a silk button which fastens the gown about the

neck.us means here “ the innermost, the secret,
the mind, the secret intention .” Just Jelle " it dis
tresses and occupies our inmost thoughts, it vexes
us ;" so this expression is frequently used. Of the
same sense is ‫ يتعب السر‬We hear also ‫سره مشغول‬
do not
or ‫ " سر‬he is vexed.””
‫ه تعبان‬Bjuv ‫لا تتعب سري‬
vex me.”
700 .
‫هو طبل تحت كيسا‬
Is this a drum hidden under the clothing ?
The drum will be heard although it may be
hidden . The question means, “ Do you suppose
that so awkward an attempt to conceal this mystery
can hide it from the public ?"
701 .
‫هان المسك وانتثر حتي يستعملوه البقر‬

Musk became so common and was scattered about, so
that even the cows used it.
Said of a precious thing used by mean people ;
or of a distinguished personage connected with those
unworthy of his acquaintance.
702.
‫هو وجهک یا حزينة في الاحلي و الزينة‬
It is thy face, O woman in grief, when ornamented
and attired .
A reproof to an ugly woman angry at her face

and endeavouring to deck it with ornaments. This

saying is applied to all vain attempts at concealing
natural deformities or bad qualities. ‫ي‬so
‫ حل‬means
“the jewels or gold and silver ornaments of the
‫“ الزين‬whatever is used at a
the head or neck .” ‫ة‬amestit
woman's toilette for the purpose of personal decora
tion ;" such as the kohel for her eyes, the henna
for her fingers, the perfume for her hair, &c.
703 .
‫هي صنعة بعقاقير‬

Is this an art of drugs ?
Is it as difficult as the profession of a druggist ?
This is said to imply that it is as a matter of which
the knowledge may be easily acquired. lës in the
Egyptian dialect signifies all the different drugs,
spices, simples, &c. , which are found in druggists'
shops, and which cannot well be distinguished one
from another without much skill and patience .
704. *
‫هو سم ساعة‬
It is an hour's poison.
It is of a very destructive quality, causing almost
immediate ruin .
2 K
705 .
‫هي مونة سنة‬
Is this provision for a year ?
Said in advising a person not to squander away
a
his little stock of provisions, and to regulate his

expenses.
706. **
‫هذا الميت لا يساوي البكا‬

This dead (person ) is not worth the weeping.
707 .
‫الشك بالسوال‬ ‫دستور‬ ‫اهنک‬

Tear off the curtain of doubt by questions.
Doubt is here personified as a veil or curtain
with which virgin truth or knowledge is covered .
In its original sense as signifies to remove the
veil of a woman so that her face may be exposed.
Hence are derived the other significations, disgracing
and violating, certain consequences in the East at
tending the removal of aa woman's veil by force.
‫حرف الواو‬
708. *
‫وصل القطار للجميزه‬

The camels have reached the sycamore tree.
të is a line of cảmels walking one behind
another, each being fastened by its halter to the tail
of the one immediately before him. In the open
country of Egypt large sycamore trees are frequently
found by the side of public fountains ( ww.), under
the shade of which travellers and cattle often repose.
709. *
‫وصل السكين للعظم‬
The knife has reached the bone.
The wound is deep .
710 .
‫وقف الباب علي عقبه‬

The door has rested upon its hinges.
Everything has been placed in its proper situ
ation .
711 .
‫وقع الناس في الراس‬
The axe has fallen upon the head.
The blow was well directed.
712 .
‫ انبلت‬9‫وريقة و‬
A small leaf, and it was wetted.
A poor little creature, and overwhelmed by mis
fortune.
713 .
‫واحد حلق لحيته و الثاني ينتف شعرته قالوا كل من هو‬

‫بشهوته‬
One shaved his beard, a second plucked out his hairs ;
every one, they said, according to his own liking.
The abridged phrase ‫ كل من هو بشهوته‬is often
used in the same sense as “ de gustibus non est
disputandum .” go
es stands for us
‫کان‬- to express it
clearly we should say , ‫ كل من كان فهو بشهوته‬-Respect
ing the true meaning of özeie see No. 202. When
ever the word beard is mentioned in the same
phrase with a term expressing some object dirty or
contemptible, it always implies disrespect or ridicule
towards the owner of the beard, this appendage so
venerated among the Arabs. Indeed they carry
their scruples respecting it to such a degree that
when a person relates a story or sings a song in
which occur the words dung , hogs, dogs, or other
terms denoting what they regard as filthy or impure,

he requests any of his auditors who may at that
moment be in the act of touching his beard or
moustaches, to remove his hand,, which request
proves that no offensive allusion was meant between
the beard and the word which the speaker or singer
was going to pronounce.
714 .
‫واحد ينيك امراته وجارته أتغنجت‬

A person embraces his wife ; a female neighbour
affects to look as if she herself were in the wife's
place.
Said of a bystander who assumes the air of
enjoying that which he had merely happened to
witness. I have heard this proverb (which , as the
Arabic scholar will perceive, is not very literally
translated ,) often quoted in respectable society.
And there are many others still more indelicate, not
inserted in this collection, although frequently used
by the best-bred people, even in the presence of
virtuous and most respectable women.
715 .
‫وجه مليح و ياكل شيء قبيع‬

A fine face, but eats vile things.
Alluding to a person of good appearance who
commits base actions.
716 .
‫و قلوب غشة‬ ‫وجوه کشة‬

Sour faces and deceitful hearts.
‫ کشة‬in the Egyptian dialect, ‘‘a sour, morose,
ill -natured countenance,” than which nothing is
more disliked in the East, where a man is forgiven
for being a scoundrel, but not if he seems to despise
or dislike scoundrels.
717 .
‫وحش و يکش وو يقعد في الوش‬

Rude and morose, yet he sits in front ( of the
company).
He takes a place to which he is not entitled. I
have before remarked that the Orientals dislike
.extremely a sour or morose countenance ‫ وحش‬in
the dialect of Egypt is seldom used to express
savage or wild, but “ rude in manners and appear
ance . ” No .716 ‫ الوش‬so pronounced by
‫ يکش‬.see
many persons for It is to be understood
‫في وش المجلس‬
718 .
‫وجهه يقطع الرزق‬

His face cuts off all gain.
His face is so disagreeable that no one likes to
deal with him .
719 .
‫وداه البحر و جابه عطشان‬

He led him to the river, yet brought him back thirsty.
‫ ودي‬or ‫ يودي‬in the Egyptian dialect means to
carry, lead,, transport , bring to .” ‫ البحر‬for ‫ الي البحر‬or
‫الي بحر النيل‬
‫ا‬
i/
720.*
‫وقعت منارة اسكندرية قال الله يستمنا من غبارها‬
The Pharos of Alexandria has fallen down. ،، God
save us,” said they, " even from the very dust of it..”
The fall of a great man is to be dreaded , even in
its remote consequences or effects.
721 .
|
e
‫واحد قعد ينهي طلوع الصبح فلما طلع الصبح عمي‬
I A person sat demanding as a favour from God the
rise of morn — when morn arose, he became blind .
We have often to lament the accomplishment of
our wishes ; or when they are fulfilled we cannot
enjoy them. This proverb is derived from the
following verse
‫فلا‬
‫فكان كالمتي ان يري‬
‫ع‬
‫من الصباح فلما آن راه مي‬

The verb der does not here exactly mean " he
sat,” but is employed as a kind of auxiliary, signify
ing nothing more than ‫ان‬thus-
‫ك‬ , ‫ اقعد ساکت‬،، be
}
silent,” or “ sit silent," said to a person whether

.si standing ng
or tti ‫ “» قعد يحدثني حتي‬he did speak
to me until ” —or rather " he continued speaking to
me until” ‫ “ انا قعدت احبه زمان‬I did love him for
-
a long time,” or “ I continued loving him for a long

time.”
722.
‫اوهي من بيت العنكبوت‬
More easy to be broken than the house of the spider.
This is taken from the Koran, where we read ,
‫و أن أوهن البيوت لبيت العنكبوت‬
723.
‫واحد علق ثور وقع قال رشوا عليه ماء قال حتي يطلع‬
‫شي نرشه عليه‬
A certain person tied an ox (to the water -wheel).
The animal fell. “ Sprinkle some water upon
him ,” (said the man) . “ Let us first,” replied
one, “ get some out of the well to sprinkle upon
him .”
Said in ridicule of foolish advisers. An ox is
here supposed fastened to a wheel that draws up
from ater
.wa well ‫ علف‬is the technical term used
by peasants to express “ he tied the ox (to
( the
wheel().” ‫ حتي يطلع شي‬to be understood as ‫حتي‬
‫ماء‬ ‫يطلع شي‬
‫البير‬
‫حرف اللام الف‬
724 .
‫ تزيد المبلة طني‬y‫لا‬

Do not add more mud to the Mobella.
Do not make an evil worse, nor add fuel to the

fire. and is a tank sunk into the ground above four
feet, and from forty to fifty feet square ; it is walled
up with stones and level with the surface of the
ground : the floor is composed of unburnt mud
bricks. In this tank the Egyptian peasants deposit
their flax after it has been well dried in the sun .
They then let in water and cover the wetted flax
with heavy stones, leaving it in that condition until
a sufficient state of maceration lenders it fit for
being worked. They find it necessary to keep this
floor very clean, because the masses of clay would
spoil the flax ; hence arises the proverb. The mo
bella is also called über - and to prepare the flax in
this manner ‫يعطن‬
2 L
725. *
‫لا تقطع في کیس غیرک‬

Do not cut out of the purse of another.
Do not seize upon that which does not belong to
thee. The people of Cairo say webs meaning
“ I have unjustly or by force taken something away
from such a one. " The word än is used in the
same sense ; and they also say, ‫لا تضرب في كيس غیرک‬
726 .
‫ا عند استانک‬y‫لا عند ربک و ل‬

It is neither (to be found) with thy God nor with
thy landholder.
It is in vain to ask for the thing, no one can
give it to thee . The Egyptian peasants call the land
holders or proprietors of their fields by the name of
‫استان‬ In towns those landlords are called pisilo
But at present this class does not exist in Egypt,
as Mohammed Aly Pasha has sequestered all landed
property of individuals, and obliged them to take
from the fiscus what they formerly received as rents
from their farmers.
727.
‫لا أرافقك ول لاا أوافقك ولا أفارقک‬

I will not be thy friend, nor will I suit thee, nor
will I leave thee.
This is said of a wearisome hanger -on, who
knows that he is disliked, yet perseveringly obtrudes
his presence upon his acquaintances. Persons of

description are numerous in the Levant
.this ‫يرافق‬
"
comes from ‫ رفیق‬a companion , also a “ friend.””
The proverb is derived from an old Arabian
saying
‫البلية صديق يرافقك ولا يوافقك ولا يغارقک‬ ‫من‬
728.
‫لا بقلبك حبيت‬ ‫و‬ ‫لا بعینک رایت‬
Neither with thine eye hast thou seen, nor with thy
heart hast thou loved.
Applied to one who affects violent love for a
person whom he has never seen unveiled.
729 .
‫الاجي شي ياحسب انه له‬ ‫لا‬

‫تعير‬
Lend not to the fool anything, else he may fancy

that it belongs to himself.
730 .
‫رجب ثوابه ولا خلاه لاصحابه‬ ‫لا‬
He gained no merit (by spending it liberally) nor did

he leave it to the right owners.
He unjustly took (the money) from another,
without rendering it profitable to himself or any
one else . ‫ رح ثوابه‬y here is to be understood
‫‘‘ لا ربع الثواب في التصدق‬he gained not the merit
of having expended it in alms.”
731 .
‫لا يغرك رخصه ترمي نصه‬

Do not let its cheapness delude thee ; thou wilt ( if
thou purchase it) throw away half of it.
According to the Egyptian pronunciation voi
is used for cisi although other words of the same
form are correctly pronounced , such as ‫ وصف‬- ‫خصف‬
‫ & قصف‬.c
732 .
‫لا تزال الحاجة الميشومة عند صاحبها حتي پاي من يشتريها‬

The bad stuff remains with its owner until
(some fool) comes to buy it.
‫ حاجة‬often means " a thing, some article of
merchandise, some stuff, ” &c. ; it is frequently
synonymous with ‫شي‬thus-, ‫حط الحاجة في الصندوق‬
put the thing into the chest. ” (See Nos. 34 and
378.)
733. *
‫الا بعد عداوة‬ ‫لا صلح‬
There is no peace until after enmity.
734 .
‫لا تعيط في وجه الرزق يهرب‬

Do not cry out in the face of gain else it flies
00009 .
This is quoted as advice to dealers, that they
should behave civilly towards customers and not

reject good offers harshly ; otherwise the goods may
remain upon their hands.
735. *
‫لا مليح ولا نفاق ولا طيب اخلاق‬

Neither handsome, nor liberal, nor good -natured .
Said of a repulsive character. ‫ نغا‬one who
‫ق‬zlej
expends money liberally.
736. *
‫لا تعامل بطال ولا صاحب چار‬

Have no dealings with the indolent, and none with
the owner of the jackass.
The lazy will do nothing for thee ; and the
owner of the jackass will purchase food for his beast
with the profits which he ought to divide with thee.
،،
‫ معاملة‬signifies ( trade, commercial or pecuniary
concerns. ” ‫ لا تعامله‬is equivalent to ‫بینک‬ ‫لا تجعل‬
‫و بینه معامات‬
737.
‫لا تقدم نحس تتعب في تاخيره‬

Do not push forward a worthless fellow , else thou
wilt be tired in putting him back again,
738 .
‫لا تضرب الديب ولا تجوع الغنم‬

Do not beat the wolf, and do not cause hunger to
the sheep
Be kind and mild towards friends and enemies.
This is the only maxim recommending universal
charity that I have been able to discover among
those current at Cairo.
739.
‫لا فاطمة في المعلمة‬ ‫لا علي في الكتاب‬

(I have) neither an Aly in the reading school, nor a
Fatme in the working school.
I am not encumbered with children and there
fore ready for any vocation .. The school ‫ کتاب‬is
generally held in a mosque where little children
learn to read the Korán. After four or five years
After
they are sent to attend lectures in the mosque, 1
where the Korán is explained, and their language 1
and religion systematically taught, but little else.
ünleo is the school where women instruct young girls
in sewing and spinning . Among a thousand females
at Cairo scarcely one can be found who knows how
to read, and perhaps not more than twenty who
know how to pray or possess the least notion of
their religion. Even among the highest classes the
education of the mind is totally neglected.
740 .
‫لا تعطي المنجم في هذا فلوس‬

Do not give any money to the ustrologer for this.
The expectations which the fortune -teller has
excited in thy mind are ridiculous, and he is not
‫ منجم‬an astrologer.
entitled to any remuneration .. ppio
Sheikhs and olemas are found in every town of
Egypt, who deceive the credulous by their pretended
skill in fortune-telling.
741. *
‫لا للضيف‬ ‫و‬ ‫لا للسيف‬
( A person good) neither for the sword nor for the

guest.
Cowardly and stingy.
‫حرف اليا‬
742. *
‫يحتمل الدوا لمنفعته‬
We must bear the medicine on account of its
usefulness.
743.
‫يركب بلاش و يغامز امراة الريس‬

He gets his passage for nothing, and winks to the
wife of the captain ( of the ship ).
He owes obligations to the captain , yet en
deavours to seduce his wife. Shere is to be
understood ‫ يركب المركب‬The word ‫ يغامز‬signifies
“ to wink at,” or
or“ make mutual signals of intelli
coming
gence with another person.” muy
‫ ریس‬in the Egyptian
dialect for ‫ریس‬
744 .
‫يوجد في الاسقاط ما لا يوجد في الأسفاط‬

Among things thrown away is found (perhaps) that
which is not found in the casket.
ben a box in which jewels and golden ornaments
are kept.
745 .
‫يمرق من الزرد‬
He slips out through the coat of mail.
He is so full of wily tricks that he would con
trive to slip away through the wire- work of a coat
of mail. The word jy is seldom used in Egypt,
but frequently in Syria, and in the Black country
on the Nile, and in Hedjáz, where to express " be
gone,” (or the vulgar English “get out,”) jrol is
used ; for which in Egypt the word al is common.
746 .
‫يعوم في شبر ماء‬

He swims in a span (depth) of water.
He is full of resources and knows how to avail
himself of the smallest means.
747.
‫يحتاج الذهب للخال‬
The gold wants bran.
The great want the assistance of the mean. Gold
is cleaned with bran .
748 .
‫يا مطعمين اهل برا و اهل جوا يشتهوه اقعدوا جنب‬

‫الطريق و كلوه‬
0 you who feed the people without while those within
are (left) longing for it, sit down out of the way
to eat it .
This is said in advice to those who make an
ostentatious display of hospitality towards strangers,
but leave their own family to starve.ls in the
Egyptian dialect " inside,” “ within .” ‫ق‬cabell
‫ الطري‬bis
“ by the side of the road where travellers pass,” viz .,
out of their way . Eat with your own people.
It is very usual in the Levant to eat before the
gate of the house where travellers pass, and every
stranger of respectable appearance is invariably re
quested to sit down and partake of the repast .
2 M
Even the poorest man while he is eating invites any

one passing by to share his humble meal. It must
be acknowledged that with respect to food, the
Egyptians, and in general the Orientals of every
class, are generous towards strangers as well as
towards the poor. I have reason to believe that
very few at Cairo suffer from hunger, at least they
may be certain of getting food in some part of the
town before sunset ; and those who feel for their
fellow creatures must be gratified on reflecting when
they retire to sleep, that in this great capital there
are few , if any,, individuals who pass the night
without thanking God for an evening meal, although
poor-houses, hospitals, parish -rates, and public chari
table institutions, are here unknown. This consider
ation counterbalances a number of disadvantages,
and tends to reconcile us with the character of the
inhabitants and their political condition. Beggars
can easily obtain work if they like to be employed ,
and they neither suffer from the inclemency of
seasons nor from want of lodgings ; all the lower
classes being from their infancy accustomed to go
half-naked and to sleep upon the bare ground under
the canopy of heaven.
But on the other hand, this facility of procuring
food is a main cause of inactivity and indolence
among the Egyptians, which would be carried still
farther did not the extortions of government oblige
them to work, merely that they might pay the land
taxes. It is not the southern sun, as Montesquieu
imagines, but the luxuriance of southern soil, and
the abundance of provisions, that relax the exer

tions of the inhabitants and cause apathy. Where
a man is almost certain of finding sufficient food ,
however coarse or simple, he is easily tempted to
indulge in laziness. By the fertility of Egypt,
Mesopotamia, and India, which yield their produce
almost spontaneously, the people are lulled into in
dolence ; while in neighbouring countries, of aa tem
perature equally warm, as among the mountains of
Yemen and Syria, where hard labour is necessary to
ensure a good harvest, we find a race as superior
in industry to the former, as the inhabitants of
Northern Europe are to those of Spain or Italy.
749 .
‫يستقصي علي البشنين و من زرعه‬

He inquires about the Beshneen and the person who
sowed it.
Everybody at Cairo knows the plant beshneen ,

and that it is not sown , but grows wild .
‫ ‘ ‘ يستقصي‬to
inquire,” is a verb of very common use. The beshneen
is undoubtedly the lotus of the ancient Egyptians ;
at least its flower resembles exactly the lotus as it
is represented on the walls of the Egyptian temples.
The flower consists of four green- coloured outer
leaves, and four of a violet or rose colour placed in
the interstices of the others ; these inclose the inner
part, which consists of aa double set of smaller white
leaves one behind another, in the midst of which
stands the yellow seed-vessel, about one inch and a
half high. The whole flower when half opened is

one of the most beautiful plants in Egypt, which
is probably the reason why the natives call these
plants “ the brides of the Nile” ‫ل‬cheil ‫ عرايس‬It
‫ الني‬curls
rests upon a stalk which is about three feet five
inches long, covered externally with a green skin,
under which lies a second skin of a fine violet colour,
spotted with white. The children play with this
stalk, the inside of which is fibrous, and use it as
a pipe-tube by placing some lighted tobacco at the
place where the seed-vessel stood, the smoke of this
they draw through the stalk. In their hands it
closely resembles the plant which is held by the
Theban priests in the pictures that decorate their
temples.
They likewise eat the yellow seed-vessel, of which

the taste is not disagreeable, though rather insipid .
The flower generally stands on the stalk from one
foot to two feet above the surface of the water.
When the flower opens completely the leaves form a
horizontal disk, with the isolated seed-vessel in the
midst, which bends down the stalk by its weight
and swims upon the surface of the water for several
days, until it is ingulphed. This plant grows at
Cairo in the tank called Birket el Rotoli, near one of
the northern suburbs, where I happened to reside.

It is not found in Upper Egypt, I believe, but
abounds in the Delta, and attains maturity at the
· time when the Nile reaches its full height. I saw
it in great abundance, and in full flower, covering
the whole inundated plain on the twelfth of October,
1815, near the ruins of Tmey, about twelve miles
south-east from Mansoura, on the Damietta branch .
66
It dies when the water retires,” ( -41 ‫(يموت لما‬
said my boatman to me.
It is therefore a fit emblem of life in all its
vigour and luxuriance while it blossoms during the
inundation, which is the certain cause and forerunner
of plenty in Egypt. It is an emblem of death also,
when quite open, as the flood then retires. Or it
may be understood differently, (and I believe the
Egyptians did understand it in both senses,) as in
dicating while in blossom that everything is covered
with water, and nature, as it were, asleep ; and in
dicating when in a state of decay that nature is
restored to life, for soon after that period seeds are
sown by the husbandmen — thus, inundation is life
in one sense, and death in the other.
750.
‫پاكل و پنین‬
He eats and sighs.
Said of those who, in good health and prosperous
circumstances, complain of sickness or murmur at
66
fortune. ‫ ينين‬is used by the Egyptians for ‫ ' پائن‬to
sigh, or exclaim Ah ! Ah ! ”
751 .
‫يفت علي الدخان‬

He resembles the bread on (seeing only) the smoke. ·
He is preparing for some expected good ‫ن‬fortune
‫ “ يغ‬to
without any certainty of its occurring. Ces
break bread into small pieces,” (over which the broth
is poured to make soup) . The man , therefore, is
said to resemble the bread in a plate when the
smoke rises from the kitchen, supposing that broth
is on the fire and expecting that it will be brought
to him.
I happened one day in the Sinai mountains to
alight at an Arab tent. Ayd, my old Bedouin guide,
as soon as he had sipped his coffee, went out in
search of two large stones ; these he brought back
to the tent, sat down, and placed them by his side.
When I asked why he had done so, it appeared that
his object was to use them in breaking the bones, for
the sake of the marrow , of a sheep that was (as he
expected ) to be slaughtered in honour of us ; yet he
had never received the slightest intimation that such
a circumstance was intended : all present began to
laugh, but Ayd had not indulged a vain speculation,
for soon after a copious repast of meat was placed
before us .
752 .
‫يتعلم الحجامة في روس اليتامي‬

He learns cupping on the heads of orphans.
Cupping is generally applied in the East to the
hind part of the head, just above the neck. Thus in

some hospitals of Europe the young surgeons learn
their art by practising upon the bodies of poor
patients who come to be cured gratis.
753 .
‫يتعلم البيطرة في جمير الكراد‬

He is instructed in the blacksmith's or farrier's art
(or horse-doctor's) by practising upon the asses of
the Kurds.
This is in opposition to the proverb immediately

preceding. I know not that asses are particularly
esteemed by the Kurds, but this saying means that
it is silly to undertake the shoeing or curing of those
animals which are reckoned valuable by their owners
without an adequate knowledge of the art.
754 .
‫لا هو لك لا تكسبه من مرگ‬ ‫يوم‬
A day that is not thine own, do not reckon it as

of thy life.
66 >
co “ thine," * thy own." That day which thou
dost not enjoy in perfect freedom ; which thou canst
not pass according to thine own will.
755 .
‫يمشي علي الحيط و يقول بالله اسلام‬

He walks upon the highest part of the wall and says,
“For safety we trust to God ! ”
He demands or expects safety yet does an act
which exposes him to danger. If security be thy
object do not voluntarily run into the way of danger.
756 .
‫ينزل رجل غراب يطلع خف جمل‬

He descends (like) the foot of a crow , and ascends
(like) the hoof of a camel.
Said of an ill -bred person affecting refined man
ners. In eating with the assistance of one's fingers
only out of the dish round which many guests are
seated, it is necessary to observe several rules of
good-breeding established among Arab gentlemen .
One rule is, to take up small morsels at a time, and
therefore to keep the fingers thrust into the dish as
close together as circumstances will allow. This
proverb is quoted in derision of an ill-bred person,
whose hand, when it descends into the dish, appears
very small to the company (as small as a crow's foot),
but when withdrawn from the dish and ascending
towards his mouth, incloses so large a piece within
its grasp that it resembles the hoof of a camel.
757 .
‫يكذب علي الموتي و يكابر الأحيا‬

He tells lies of the dead and belies the living.
‫) يكابر‬from which is formed ‫ (مكابرة‬means in the
Egyptian dialect, to affirm boldly and falsely in a
person's face that he has done or said something of
which he is innocent or ignorant ; thus, Ki “ dost
thou belie me ? " or rather “ dost thou state of me
that which is a falsehood ? "
758 .
‫يقنع من المعاصي بالتهم‬

He contents himself with (incurring) the suspicion
of doing evil actions.
This is said of a person who does not actually.
commit bad actions, but constantly exposes himself
to suspicion by conversing with abandoned women ,
associating with drunkards, men of infamous charac
ters, &c. folell means actions contrary to divine
and human laws.
759 .
‫عليقه‬ ‫براي بین الدب‬
He causes enmity between the bear and his fodder.
He is such a mischief-maker that he sets at
variance those who are most intimately united .
( to throw ," is often used in the sense above
‫پراي‬
2 N
mentioned ; as ‫فولن رمي بيننا‬ “such a person has

.c mischiefau se
or enrnity between us” ‫ فولان‬d
‫رماني عند‬
by calumny or false accusation he has caused such
an one to become my enemy." The meddling
mischief-maker bears at Cairo the appellation of plavi
760.
‫ياكل ما كان ويضيق المكان‬

Ile eats whatever is there and contracts (or makes
narrow ) the place of others.
Said of a low-mannered person assuming the
privileges of high rank . This proverb supposes a
vulgar ill-bred man, voracious at an entertainment,
(while the great Arabs never are so, ) and pretending
nevertheless to the privilege of a distinguished
personage in occupying with his body as much room
as possible , and thereby causing other guests to be
.c ro
in their wd
straightene d places ed ‫ياكل ما كان‬
stands for ‫ ياكل كل ما كان حاضر‬It is usual to say
ists canas y “ do not sit too close to me,” or “ let me
have more room. '
761. *
‫يكي زمان يترحموا علي فرعون‬
A time will come when they will solicit God's mercy
for Pharaoh .
Times are so bad that even Pharaoh is regretted.
The Egyptians often mention this sovereign, and the

Turks call the inhabitants of Egypt by the oppro
brious name of ‫ن‬wesy
‫ل فرعو‬los
‫ اه‬or the people of Pharaoh,
meaning “ impious.” It is said of a man who has
proved stubborn, malicious, or impious, use he has
become like Pharaoh.
Spiro itfartan
762 .
‫يكد علي عياله و یمن علي جيرانه‬

He is niggardly towards his family, but beneficent
towards strangers.
is in the Egyptian dialect signifies “ to curtail

the dues of people," principally with respect to
food . ee
) No
‫ يقلل علي الطعم‬.S .748(
763 .
‫ياخرج من الشوک ورد‬

A rose issues from thorns.
A good son from worthless parents.
764 .
‫یاخري في ثيابه و يقعد في الصدر متكي‬

He defiles his clothes, and sits reclined in front of
the company.
Of the same signification as No. 760.

The sitting rooms in Egypt are generally on

such a plan as the following outlines represent :
1 suo
vi?
2
Entering the door we find a pavement b, upon which

the servants stand attending the company ; here the
pipes and water- pots are placed. The greater portion
of the room is elevated in its floor, about one foot
above the pavement, and occupies the space marked
a, on which in summer fine mats, and in winter
carpets are spread. On the three sides along the
walls sofas are placed even with the floor, and
having numerous cushions. The sofas and divan in
front of the step, or at the bottom of the room, is
called “ el sader," or the “ breast.” The sofas on
both sides are called “ djonb ,” or the “ side.” The
place of honour is this sader, and especially the
corner marked +, which is on the right of a person
advancing towards the sader, wherein the great
man of the company invariably takes his seat,
reclining upon the cushions,while the rest, according
to their rank, are ranged along the sides, and sit
upon their hams, without reclining upon the cushions
behind them ; that is, if they wish to pay a compli
ment to the great man of the company. He there

fore who takes his seat and reclines upon the sader,
either is or affects to be a man of importance.
765 .
‫یا مشغول بهم الناس هتک لمين خليته‬

O thou who troublest thyself about the cares of others,
to whom hast thou left thine own cares ?
word in the Cairo pronunciation for
‫لهن‬
766 .
‫يشتهي الحرب و يكره اللقا‬
He longs for war, but dislikes the battle.
lä the meeting (of the enemy) or battle.
767. *
‫يا سايلي عن طعامي الاخبز راس الأمور‬
O thou who askest me about my food, (know that)
bread is the chief of all things.
Another verse of similar meaning is quoted
‫القنبر قال للقيقي ما احلا التين علي الريق‬
‫قال له تاءدب یا قنبر ما بعد العيش ماخبر‬
These lines are pronounced at Cairo as follows
El kõmbar kall lil kyky
Ma ahlattyn arrýky
Kalloo tāddeb ya kõmbar
Ma bād el aysh mokhabbar.
The kombar said to the kyky, “ How sweet is a

fig for breakfast !"
“ Learn better manners, 0 kombar,” he replied,
“after bread nothing deserves notice.”
The kombar and kyky are birds about as large as
sparrows, and numerous in the vicinity of Cairo.
‫ علي الريق‬means that state of the stomach in the
morning when nothing has been swallowed except
spittle, when the person is still “ upon his spittle,"
i.e. with an empty stomach . @ sks will means
“ ' a fig upon the empty stomach ,” "or “ a fig for
breakfast.” The Egyptians say ‫» يفق الريق‬66 to
breakfast,” or “ to eat a morsel immediately rising
from bed ;" which the Syrians express by jill pusty
“ to break the phlegm , or the bile, (by eating) or to
breakfast." jidl
‫ الصفرة‬dus to “ I have not yet break
fasted . ” The word 'sho has here the sense which I
have assigned to it in the above translation of the
proverb ; I believe it stands for mšč - as neither
Msho nor što literally explained , convey in this
place any true sense.
68.
‫يوم النصر ما فيه تعب‬

On the day of victory no fatigue is felt.
769.*
‫ينصاع نصح القط للغار و الشيطان للانسان‬
He gives advice such as the cat gives to the mouse, or
the devil to man .
Alluding to insidious advice.

770.
‫يبني قصرا و يهدم مصرا‬

He builds a palace and ruins a city.
This proverb is often quoted in allusion to
Mohammed Aly Pasha's passion for building palaces
and villas.
‫صر‬
not only means Egypt or Cairo, but
is also a name applied to all cities of considerable
size. Thus we read in the Mohammedan law that
the Friday prayer should be performed only in a
city ( uso ), in opposition to the open country, of
which the inhabitants, as well as all travellers, are
not required to make the particular prayer of noon
on Fridays. The commentators explain this term
‫صر‬ as relating to any town or city governed by an
emir or chief, and under the jurisdiction of aa kadhy,
or some head of aa tribunal of justice.
771 .
‫يقدم رجل و يوخر اخري‬

He advances one leg and draws back the other.
He wants decision and is unstable in all his
actions.
772.
‫يلجم الغار في بيته‬

The mouse is bridled in his house.
Said of a miser in whose house even the mouse

has been bridled, lest it should be able to eat any
thing.
773 .
‫یا والي لا تجور الولاية لا تدوم‬

O governor do not tyrannize -- the dominion does not
last for ever .
774 .
‫يسبح تسبيع الغار سبحان من خلقني للفساد‬

He prays upon his rosary the prayer of the mouse,
“ O most holy, who hast created me for vile doings.”
Said of base hypocrites who are constantly seen
with rosaries in their hands. The word ‫ سبحان‬is
repeated during prayer thirty -three times in passing
so many beads through the fingers, and expresses
that God is free from all defects or faults, and most
pure and holy.
775.
‫يلطم وجهي و يقول ليش هذا يبكي‬

He strikes my face, and says " Why does this man
Cg2‫رو‬
On the unjust ruler, who expresses surprise at

. t
complaints of hish
subjects . e
‫ ليش‬for ‫لاي شي‬
776.
‫يقول للسارق اسرق ولصاحب المنزل احفظ متاعك‬

He says to the thief, “ Steal ; ” and to the house
owner,, “ Take care of thy goods.”
Applied to double -dealers.
777.
‫يفتي علي الابرة وو يبلع المدرة‬

He pronounces judgment upon a needle, and (at the
same time) swallows a large pole.
He is rigid in judging the affairs of others, but
commits flagrant peculation himself. Ek is used
like jsi to signify that a person devours property
not his own nor confided to his care. ‫ة‬öjdo
‫ مدر‬signifies
in Egypt the long pole with which sailors push on
the vessels in shallow water.
2 o
778 .
‫یمینک ما تدري عن شمالک‬

Thy right hand knows nothing of thy left hand .
Mohammed has taken this principle from the
Scripture. One of his sayings is recorded which
concludes with the following words
‫رجل تصدق بصدقة فلم تعلم شماله ما انفقت يمينه‬
A man distributes alms, and his left hand does not
know what his right hand dispenses.
779 .
‫يدلل العبد و يضربه‬

He spoils the slave and then beats him .
Said of those who spoil their inferiors or their
children, and then punish them for what their own
folly has caused. is in the Egyptian dialect “ to
spoil ( a child ) by too much indulgence ;" for Nay we
often hear ‫يدلع‬
780.
‫ياكل و يتنقور‬
He eats and (at the same time) mocks ( at what
he eats) .
Instead of thanking, he ridicules the host. igång
is a low word of the Egyptian dialect synonymous
with ‫يتمسخر‬
781 .
‫يوم في العافية كثير‬

One day in (perfect) health is much .
‫ العافية‬is the most common salutation which one
receives on the road from peasants ; they pronounce
it ، Hozodfge. The reply is ‫الله يعافیک‬
782.
‫يري الشاهد ما لا يري الغایب‬

The eye-witness observes what the absent does not see .
THE END.
HARRISON AND SONS, PRINTERS IN ORDINARY TO HER MAJESTY, ST. MARTIN'S LANE .
::

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THE MANNERS AND CUSTOMS

FROM THEIR PROVERBIAL SAYINGS CURRENT AT CAIRO ;

TRANSLATED AND EXPLAINED

JOHN LEWIS BURCKHARDT,

Many of the proverbial sayings translated in this

has explained it, or at least noticed the meaning

Proverbs which have generally been supposed of

writers. His long residence at Cairo rendered the of

vulgar idiom of its inhabitants familiar to him ; and om

the Orientalist, and that his explanations will be th

cases, have been deceived by erroneous or defective of

To Burckhardt's short Preface aa few lines must here be added.

of a page) immediately after No. 516 follows No. 577. These

‫الف دقدق ولا سلام علیک‬

‫الف قفا ولا قفاي‬

sidered a much greater affront than a slap on the

but in Egypt is generally used for the “ fist.

‫اذا كان القمر معك لا تبالي بالنجوم‬

‫اذا كان معک نحس لا تسيبه يجيك انحس منه‬

The general meaning is, that we should bear

is often quoted with respect to servants, whose

common acceptation signifies “to leave a thing, to

‫اذا كانت العمايم تشتكي الغسة ایش یکون حال الألبسة‬

‫اذا كان زوجي راضي ایش فضول القاضي‬

‫اذا نسيت الحمد تصلي بايش‬

‫اذا كرهک جارک غير باب دارک‬

The intimacy with neighbours is much greater in

‫اذا حلق جارك بل انت‬

of thy neighbour. Ju to wet, meaning here to wet

‫اذا اراد ربنا هلاک نملة انبت لها اجنحة‬

‫اذا رايت اعور عبر اقلب حجر‬

The people of Cairo turn up a stone or break a

bizi ‫اذا رايت حيط مایل هرول من‬

‫اذا كثرت الالوان اعرف انها من بيوت الجيران‬

‫اذا كترت النواتية غرقت الركب‬

‫اذا حبت حية اطوق بها‬

‫اذا انكسر الجمل حمل حمل حمار‬

‫اذا بليت بالشحاتة دق الأبواب الكبار‬

‫اذا كان البصل يهلل له فالسكر ايش نقول له‬

‫أنا سوى حصاد شرشر منجلک‬

vince people that thou deservest the reputation that

‫حضر المأ بطل التيمم‬ ‫أنا‬

Affluence renders unnecessary what is practised

‫انا حضرت الملايكة غابت الشياطين‬

‫أنا هب الهوي دخل دخل الشقوق‬

‫اذا كان في ايدک دهن امساكه فن اقرب الناس اليک‬

‫ اید‬is used at Cairo for w — and pronounced

‫اذا رايته يسبه اعلم انه يحبه‬

‫اذا جا المأ طوفان اجعل ابنك تحت رجليک‬

‫اللص العيار ما يسرق من حارته شي‬

‫اخر الليل تسمع العياط‬

‫اخر الطب الكي‬

‫العرس عرس ابونا و الناس يضاربونا‬

‫الحبلة الشتهته و المرضعة اكلته‬

‫الطحان ياخد كف بكف و ربنا ياخد بغل ببغل‬

‫الحجامة بالغاس ولا الحاجة لناس‬

‫الريس يکبک امسح يدك في القلع‬