khonfesa shafet weladha 3al Hait 'alet da 3okD mesalsel>

Literal translation: A beetle saw her children on the wall, she said they look
like a string of pearls
Meaning: To the biased eye, the ugliest can look beautiful.
Usage: To criticize people with clearly biased opinions.
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Literal translation: The mother of a monkey sees him as beautiful and graceful
as a deer
Meaning: To the biased eye, the ugliest can look beautiful.
Usage: To criticize people with clearly biased opinions.
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Literal translation: Dress-up the beatle, it becomes the Lady of the Ladies
Hidden meaning : Make up (cosmetics) can make the ugly quite pretty.
Applicability: Don't be fooled by appearances..
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Literal translation: If you "marry" a monkey for his wealth, the money goes and
the monkey remains as is ..
Hidden meaning: Don't get attracted by money.
Applicability: Said to a girl who wants to marry anyone for only being wealthy.
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Literal translation: The trumpet player dies, and his finger is still playing
Hidden meaning: Habits stick to the person all his life
Applicability: Criticizing somebody for his bad habits
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Literal translation: The {belly} dancer dies, and her waist is still moving
Hidden meaning: Habits stick to the person all his life
Applicability: Criticizing somebody for his bad habits
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Literal translation: I came to you to help me, but I found that YOU need help.
Hidden meaning:If you seek help from someone, he might indeed be in need of
help..
Applicability: Ironic remark, if you seek someone's help about somethng he does
not know..
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Literal translation: Trusting men is trusting the water in a sieve
Hidden meaning: A feminist proverb that makes the analogy of trusting men to
water being kept in a sieve
Applicability: To wives betrayed or cheated by their husbands (mainly)
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Literal translation: What's written on the forehead (i.e., one's destiny) is
to be seen by the eye
Hidden meaning: One will inevitably meet one's destiny
Applicability: Obvious
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Literal translation: The bullet that doesn't hit makes a noise
Hidden meaning: Accusations that don't stand still hurt
Applicability: To comment on damage caused by a scandal (for example).
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Literal translation: Goha (a Comic Arabic Character) has a right in his
bull's meat.
Hidden meaning: One better take care of his/her own business
Applicability: To emphasize one's responsibilities.
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Literal translation: Oh you getting in between the onion and its peel, you
want get anything other than its bad smell.
Hidden meaning: Mind your own business
Applicability: To advise somebody you gets involved in a dispute when he/she
shouldn't.
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Literal translation: Humming in one's ear is more (effective) than magic
Hidden meaning: Incessant meaningless complaints do eventually work!
Applicability: Advice to avoid listening to somebody who keeps on
pushing a foolish argument
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<'eash te3mel el-mashTa fi el-wish el-3eker>

Literal translation: What can a beautician do for a stern face?!
Hidden meaning: Ugliness can't be hidden
Applicability: Commenting on somebody who is over dressed/made-up, ... etc.
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<'ad el-zer we ta3eb el-ser>

Literal translation: As small as a button but a big trouble maker
Hidden meaning: Don't be fooled by appearances
Applicability: To criticize trouble makers who do so in hiding
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Literal translation: A sad woman has no chance for happiness even if she tries
to be so.
Hidden meaning: Some people are doomed to be unhappy
Applicability: When hopes/expectations are not realized.
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Literal translation: We let him in, he brought his donkey along.
Hidden meaning: Sometimes one has to be careful with abusers, otherwise they
will take advantage of you..
Applicability: When somebody doesn't stop at the limits set for him/her
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Literal translation: A cook tastes his own cooking, even if it's poison.
Hidden meaning: One gets the results of one's own actions
Applicability: To comment on somebody who suffers from his/her wrong acts
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Literal translation: The knowledgeable can taste up to 7 spoonfuls!
Hidden meaning: None
Applicability: Praising somebody who knows a lot.
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<3aKluh fi rasuh ye3raf KHalasuh>

Literal translation: He has his own brain, he can solve his own problems.
Hidden meaning: Don't get into others' own business
Applicability: To advise somebody not to intervene in somebody else's business
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Literal translation: Education is what you know, not what's in the book.
Hidden meaning: Thinking is far more important than collecting material
Applicability: Criticizing those who don't use their minds
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Literal translation: Having brains make a person look good.
Hidden meaning: Wisdom is beautiful; foolishness is ugly!
Applicability: To praise a wise man/woman
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Literal translation: He who loves you sallows stones from you, while your enemy
waits for your mistakes.
Hidden meaning: None
Applicability: To comment on the weird acts of friends/enemies
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Literal translation: Borrowing is bad, and paying back is a loss.
Hidden meaning: None
Applicability: Advice given to discourage borrowing
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Literal translation: In trying to put make-up around the eye, he blinded it.
Hidden meaning: Instead of fixing it, he messed it up even more!
Applicability: When somebody, trying to fix a situation, causes more harm
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Literal translation: The eye will never be higher than the eyebrow.
Hidden meaning: One's stature doesn't change
Applicability: To acknowledge one's stature on the social scale
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Literal translation: The eye can see but the hand is too short.
Hidden meaning: The will is present but the actions are missing
Applicability: When under life's pressures one cannot do the obvious!
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Literal translation: Go far, you'll be loved more.
Hidden meaning: The far-away friend is loved more
Applicability: Comment on somebody's love for a far-away friend
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<'a3ma we beygur mekasaH>

Literal translation: A blind pulling a cripple.
Hidden meaning: None
Applicability: To criticize people whose claim to know it all when they are
missing the basics.
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Literal translation: Whoever leaves his home, loses his prestige.
Hidden meaning: One's prestige is among people who know him/her
Applicability: To comment on people degraded by somebody who doesn't know them
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almashriq.hiof.no/egypt