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Mira Dandan

Fi Matal Bi 2oul…A Beginner’s Guide To Lebanese Proverbs And Sayings (Part I)

Lebanese sayings and proverbs are basically our parent’s favorite way of telling us we’re doing something wrong. And while some are very wise and true, others are…questionable. Here are a few along with their awkward translations!

Note: Please feel free to send in any corrections, we’d love to update this post! And look for part II this week.

1. Tobb el jara 3a temma, btotla3 el bent la emma

Literal translation: tip the pitcher on its mouth, the daughter becomes like her mother. Like mother, like daughter – it’s almost as if they’re related!

2. Jarak el areeb, a7la men khayyak el b3id

Literal translation: your close neighbour is better than your distant brother. True…if you haven’t seen the movie Bad Neighbors.

3. El 2erd bi 3ayn emmo ghazel

Literal translation: a monkey in the eye of his mother is a deer. Hang on – is she calling me a monkey, or deer? Is being a monkey even an insult? Is my mother visually impaired or has she been lying about my beauty all along? Well, I suppose another saying is “el 7ob bye3me” (love blinds), although I don’t think that’s supposed to apply to mother and child relationships.

4. Law el mara bta3ref 2imet el jarjir, kenet zara3eto ta7t el srir.

Literal translation: if a woman knew the value of rocket leaves, she would have grown them under her bed. Legend has it that rocket makes for better “bedtime”. Thank me later, fellas.

5. El dene douleb, youm elak, youm 3lek

Literal translation: the world is a wheel, a day with you, a day against you. “What goes around, comes around” – karma, whatever. Just be nice!

6. Eza habibak 3asal, ma teklo kello

Literal translation: if your sweetheart is made of honey, don’t eat them all.

Is this where all the 3asal-orientated Lebanese-dude-with-too-much-gel-in-his-hair pick up lines come from?

7. O23od a3waj bas 7ki jeles

Literal translation: sit wonky but talk straight. This is rather self-explanatory – do whatever you like, but don’t bullshit.

8. 3aynak la to2sha3, albak la youja3

Literal translation: if your eye doesn’t see, your heart won’t hurt. AKA block your ex off of social media.

9. Khedo l banet men sdour l 3amet, w raj3ouon lal khelet

Literal translation: take the girls from the chest of their paternal aunts, and return them to their maternal aunts. Meaning: they may look like their paternal aunts, but they will end up like the maternal one! I’m sensing some maternal-bias in these proverbs (sorry, dads!).

10. 3end el dee2, bta3ref el sadi2

Literal translation: during hard times, you’ll know who your friends are. Hashtag, #deep, but indeed very true.