Syrian Proverbs



إذا كان صاحبك عسل لا تلحسه كله
If your friend is honey, don't lick him all




عرج الجمل من شفته
The camel limped from its split lip
A bad workman blames his tools




الجار قبل الدار
Chose the neighbour before the house
We can live without friends, but not without neighbours





أنا و أخي على ابن عمي ، أنا وابن عمي على الغريب
My brother and I against my cousin, My cousin and I against a stranger
Blood is thicker than water




الي فات مات
What is past is dead
Let bygones be bygones




يا رايح كثر ملايح
O departing one, leave behind good deeds!
A good deed is never lost





حبل الكذب قصير
The rope of a lie is short
The liar is sooner caught from the cripple





العجلة من الشيطان والتأني من الرحمن
Haste is the devil's work and patience is from God the Merciful
Patience is a virtue




فرخ البط عوام
The son of a duck is a floater
Like father, like son




علمناهم الشحادة،سبقونا على الابواب
We taught them how to beg, they raced us to the gates
to beat someone at his own game




شحاد ومشارط !
A beggar and he bargains!
Beggars cannot be choosers





القرد في عين أمه غزال!
In the eye of his mother, a monkey is a gazelle
All her geese are swans




من قلة الخيل, ركبنا على الكلاب سروج!
With the lack of horses, we saddle the dogs!
There's nothing suitable, so they come with a useless alternative




الديك الفصيح من البيضة يصيح
The eloquent cock crows from the egg
It early pricks that will be a thorn




الصبر مفتاح الفرج
Patience is the key to relief




ضربني وبكى , وسبقني واشتكى!
He hit me and cried, he raced me to complain!
It's all his fault, yet he pretends to be the victim




على قد لحافك مد رجليك
Stretch your legs according to your quilt
Cut your coat according to your cloth




عصفور باليد أحسن من عشرة على الشجرة
A bird in the hand is better than ten on the tree
A bird in the hand is worth ten in the bush




اسأل مجرب ولا تسأل حكيم
Ask one who has experience rather than a physician
Experience without learning is better than learning without experience




مثل الاطرش في الزفة
He is like a deaf man at a wedding procession
A fish out of water





مو كل مرة تسلم الجرة
It is not every time that the clay pot survives
You cannot tempt providence and always triumph




اللي ايده بالمي مو مثل اللي ايده بالنار
He who has his hand in the water is not like him who has his hand in the fire
Attitudes are formed by circumstances




خيرها بغيرها
A better one in another one
Better luck next time





كل عقدة لها حلال
Every knot has someone to undo it
Every problem has a solution




ابعد عن الشر وغني له
Keep away from trouble and sing to it
Never trouble trouble till trouble troubles you





تيتي تيتي ، متل ما رحتي ما جيتي

As you went, so you came back
So what else is new!




أصرف ما في الجيب يأتيك ما في الغيب
Spend what is in your pocket, you will get more from the unknown
Spend and God will send




بطيخ يكسر بعضه!

Let the water melons break each other!
Let them stew in their own juice




يا آخذ القرد على ماله، راح المال وبقى القرد على حاله

He married the monkey for its money, the money went and the monkey stayed a monkey
As you make your bed, so you must lie on it




يا داخل بين البصلة وقشرتها، ما ينوبك الا ريحتها

Whoever gets between the onion and its skin will get nothing but its stink
Never get between a man and his wife





مثل الحية من تحت التبن

Like a snake under the hay
Like a snake in the grass




يا مسترخص اللحم ، عند المرق تندم

If you buy cheap meat you'll be sorry when you come to the gravy
Beware of false economy




غابت السباع ولعبت الضباع
When the lions are away, the hyenas play
When the cat is away, the mice will play




طب الجرة على تمها،بتطلع البنت لأمها
Turn the pot upside down, the girl will still be like her mother
Like mother, like daughter




هين فلوسك ولا تهين نفوسك
Let your money be insulted but not yourself
Rather than ask favors, do the thing yourself




يا مآمنة بالرجال متل المي بالغربال
Having faith in men is like having faith that water will remain in a sieve
Don't trust men!





خليها بالقلب تجرح ولا تطلع لبرا وتفضح
Let it wound your heart rather than go out and cause a scandal
Keep it to yourself if you don't want others to know




اذا بدك تحيره خيره
If you want to cause him confusion, give him a choice
Make things easier by defining the right way