الدم عمرو ما بيصير مي
Literal: Blood can never turn into water.
Used to describe blood relations and how tight they should be.
دق الحديد و هوي حامي
Literal: Hit the iron while it's still hot..
Don't waste time, do things while you've got the chance within your hands.
العين ما بتعلى على الحاجب
Literal: The eye can't go any higher than the brow.
A word of respect: It's a matter of fact that the brows are higher up the face than the eyes, therefore, he who says this proverb is one who feels less important than the person he's talking to.
إلي بيتهن من قزاز ما بيرمو الناس بحجار
Literal: He who has a house of glass throws no people with stones.
Used to describe one who has enough faults to worry about, but instead goes out gossipping about other people's faults.
اسأل مجرب ولا تسأل حكيم
Literal: Ask an experienced, and don't ask a philosopher.
Experienced people can know more than those who've read (studied) the topic.
خلي قرشك الأبيض بيومك الأسود
Literal: Keep your white penny for your black day..
Don't waste your money on things you don't need or are not too necessary when you can save your money for a better reason later when you need it.
عصفور بالإيد ولا عشرة على الشجرة
Literal: A bird in the hand is better than ten on the tree.
A chance of acheiving more than one desired goal at one time is always pleasant.
ضلك معك العيار لباب الدار
Literal: Stay with the measurer until he reaches the door.
Used to describe one's patience with others, when at the time being one thinks they don't make any sense, they might do at the end.
بوس الكلب من تمو لتاخد غرصك منو
Literal: Kiss the dog on his mouth until you get what you need out of him.
In other words, be nice to those you don't like if you have a business to finish with them.
إبعد عن الشر و غنيلو
Literal: Stay away from the evil and sing to it.
Do not to get involved in the evil.
لا تقول للمغني غني الا تا يغني لحالو
Literal: Don't ask the singer to sing until he wishes to sing by himself.
In other words, don't nag for something - the person concerned will do whatever you're nagging for when they feel like doing it.
أضرب عصفورين بحجر
Literal: Hit two birds with one stone.
لسانك حصانك إن صنتو صانك و إن خنتو خانك
Literal: Your tounge is your horse, if you take care of it it'll take care of you, and if you offend it will offend you.
In simpler words, watch what you say - your words are always a reflection of you.
ضب إيدك منيح لما تدمي ولا تقيح
Literal: Keep your hand tight, you won't bleed and you won't weep.
Organise your money spending and you won't have to feel sorry for yourself it in the future.
على قد حالك مد اجريك
Literal: Stretch your legs as long as your quilt can cover.
Don't burden yourself with things you cannot afford - spend your money on things you can.
الاسكافي حافي و الحايك عريان
Literal: The shoemender is bare-footed and the weaver is naked.
باب النجار مخلع
Literal: The Carpenter's door is broken.
The above two proverbs describe how people can solve any problem other than thier own.
جبت يا عبد المعين تعين لقيتك بدك مين يعينك
Literal: I've called you Abd El Mo'een to help, I found you in need for help.
Note: Abd el Mo'een is an Arabic name which literally translates to: Slave of Helper.
أجت الحزينة لتفرح مالقتلهاش مطرح
Literal: The sad has come for joy, she found no place to take her.
The above two proverbs are used to describe a person's despair in need for help he cannot get.
العين بصيرة و الايد قصيرة
Literal: The eye can see, the hand cannot reach.
Used to describe a poor person's desire for things he cannot afford.
سبع صنايع و البخت ضايع
Literal: Seven trades and luck is lost.
A jack of all trades is master of none" - similarly, he who does all seven trades has no luck.
التم المتعوس على خايب الرجا
Literal: The unlucky and the hopeless have come together.
طنجرة و لقت غطاها
Literal: The pan found its lid.
The above two proverbs are used to describe two people of the same type (two of a kind).
إلي على راسو بطحة بيحسس عليها
Literal: He who has a flask on his head can keep touching it.
إلي عندو حنا يحني دان حمارو
Literal: He who has Henna can use it for his donkey's ear.
The above two proverbs are used in a sarcastic sense of describing people's pride: "IF he's got something to be proud of then he can be so (away from us)"
اقلب الجرة على تمها بتتطلع البنت لأمها
Literal: Turn the jar onto its mouth, the girl will resemble her mom.
Like father like son (Like mother like daughter).
طول طول النخلة و عقلو عقل سخلة
Literal: He's as tall as a palm tree and his brains as small as a sheep's.
Used to describe those who give a very serious impression by their looks/outfits/height/etc.. but who actually are nothing but idiots.
قلبي على ابني زي النار وقلب ابني عليه حجر
Literal: My heart goes out for my son like fire, and my son's heart goes out for me like stone.
Describes how deep mothers (parents) feel about their sons, and how, in return, sons don't show many signs of love.
يا ارض اشتدي ما عليكي قدي
Literal: Ground be stronger, none walks on you like myself.
Used to describe haughty arrogant people who think human race has never had a better being than themselves
