Great Throughts Treasury

"As the place is, so conduct yourself in it (as the place stands so stand in it)."

"As the pancakes are piled, so they should be eaten."

"As you are placed when caught by prayer-time, just so pray."

"At your niche, either make your presence known or stay away (be active or better be absent)."

"Bad counsel may cause you to fall into an abyss."

"BannaThe cloth of the man who skirts about a clearing will not be torn by a tree (i.e. a cautious person will avoid troubles)."

"Beggars and ailing people are disliked equally."

"Catch hold of a brisket or at least a leg (because even a bad thing is better than nothing)."

"Childhood is a grudge, which will be forgotten in time. Said to a child who is eager to become adult."

"Both excessive needliness, too much begging and chronic ill-health can create undo resentment in other."

"Dead-water is moved by running water."

"Cut off the cow?s horn while (the knife is still hot)."

"Death and justice affect all men equally."

"Death is good in a man whom you do not know and in a herdsman (who is likely to be far away)."

"Do no reject me until you know me well (i.e. one should not be judged by appearances). This goes back to a tale about an ugly but brave young man who was unsuccessfully wooing a girl. She preferred a handsome but as it turned out cowardly man."

"Do not trust (do not talk to) he who gossips with you about others and with others about it."

"Do not walk into a snake pit with your eyes open."

"Do not speak (do not serve for) a mouth that is present (i.e. one should not speak on behalf of a person who is present)."

"Do not be legs where you are a head (i.e. do not behave as a subordinate man)."

"Dogs understand each other by their barking, and men by their words."

"Don?t expect to ambush an expert ambusher! (Don?t try to cheat someone with the trick that?s already known)"

"Either be a mountain or lean on one."

"Each bird flies only with birds (bird) of its own kind."

"Don?t ask for help from a man who sees you need it (who sees you sitting, because he would already have helped you if he had wanted to)."

"Don't set out on a journey using someone else's donkey."

"Either refuse (to do something) at once or put up with it later."

"Enmity is never small (i.e. each enemy can bring trouble)"

"Even the brave are scared by a lion three times: first by its tracks, again by its roar, and one last time face to face."

"Either be visible or be absent (.i.e. either do a job well or do not set about it at all)."

"Every camel was once upon time two years old."

"Either propose something yourself or agree to what is proposed by others."

"Every rowdy will meet a man who can master him."

"Every prayer should be offered at its proper time."

"Eyes in love do not dare to stare at each other (lovers? eyes are bashful)."

"For a muddle-headed pupil everything should be written in capital letters (it is difficult to ram something into a numbskull)."

"Everybody brings to the well a young (beautiful) she-goat (so as to give the best impression)."

"For he does not work (even) tea is not prohibited (impure)."

"Frequent guests and much begging are disliked equally."

"Gains are shameless (i.e. in striving for gains a man loses all sense of shame)."

"Give your stick to hold only to a man from whom you can take it away again."

"Get to know me, before you reject me (don?t hate and stereotype something or someone before you get to know)"

"God does not have mercy (on people), but is merciful (he inflicts many ordeals, but gives people all they need)."

"For an honest man even a saab holds water. (The saab is an openwork wicker frame for holding a water-jar.)"

"He fasted a hundred days but broke his fast with carrion."

"Haste can give birth to a bit of money (a small benefit), patience to a bag of it."

"He drove the cattle from plague to glanders (i.e. went from one trouble to another)."

"He is with you but not with you (i.e. he only pretends to be your friend)."

"He who brought the jinnee (the trouble) must take it away."

"He is a fool who marries an old woman without teeth."

"He to whom you gave birth did not give birth to you (i.e. your child does not treat you in the same way as you treat him)."