12 great Arabic proverbs, sayings and idioms – and their meanings

Arabic proverbs and sayings are a great way to learn about the culture of Arabic-speaking countries. The first thing you might notice is that many don't translate well into other languages, and some may not make sense at all! But this doesn’t mean they're not worth learning. Many people have said that “He who does not know his own language knows nothing” – so why wouldn’t we want to learn as much as we can about another?

In this blog post, I will be showing 12 different Arabic proverbs and their meanings.

1. القرد في عين أمه غزال

Translation: The monkey is a gazelle in the eyes of his mother.

Meaning: This proverb is used to describe a mother’s love for her child, no matter how ugly they are.

2. أدعي على ولدي وأكره من يقول أمين

Translation: I curse my own child but I hate whoever says “amen.”

Meaning: This is a way of describing how much you love your children, but also that they can be extremely frustrating.

3. نادي الشمع وقد أوهنت

Translation: She called for the candle and lost her sight.

Meaning: This is a warning to those who wish to find out about their future by looking into a candle flame.

4. كل تربة تعرفها كأنها سناً وماءً

Translation: Every land knows its own fame -as rivers and springs do theirs.

Meaning: This proverb is used to describe people from different backgrounds depending on their local values.

5. السماء مطرت فما الذين زقوا

Translation: The sky has rained and the ground shows the effects of it.

Meaning: This proverb is used to describe how people only care about their own home, despite what other places are suffering from.

6. خير الدنيا لمن لا تعود له الأخرى

Translation: The best thing about this world is that it's not the next one.

Meaning: This proverb is used to describe how people take life for granted and forget about what awaits them after death.

7. إذا كنت مع السوء لم تقدر على الخير

Translation: If you’re with the evil, then you cannot do good.

Meaning: This proverb is used to describe how bad company leads to a negative influence.

8. الخبل ما يكدر

Translation: The donkey is not capable of bearing the load, but bears it anyway.

Meaning: This proverb can be used to describe someone who doesn't have the ability to complete a task but still does, no matter what.

9. كل شهيد لنفسه

Translation: Every martyr has a graveyard for himself.

Meaning: This proverb is used to describe that despite someone's best efforts, they may not succeed in their endeavor, and while they may have made some sacrifices, they will still be alone at the end of their life even if they are successful.

10. إذا كنت مع السوء لم تقدر على الخير

Translation: If you’re with the evil, then you cannot do good.

Meaning: This proverb is used to describe how bad company leads to a negative influence.

11. إبراهيم يشرب الدم ولا يلبسه

Translation: Abraham drinks blood and doesn't wear it on his clothes.

Meaning: This proverb is used to describe someone who is still not satisfied despite doing their best to make amends for their mistakes and staying true

12. إن المرء يحسن لو شاء لقد استعان بالموسيقي العليا

Translation: "The man may improve if he wants, but he has enlisted the help of high music."

Meaning: This proverb is used to describe someone who could have done better if they had tried, but didn't.