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Syrian Proverbs
If your friend is honey, don't lick him all
The camel limped from its split lip A bad workman blames his tools
Chose the neighbour before the house We can live without friends, but not without neighbours
My brother and I against my cousin, My cousin and I against a stranger Blood is thicker than water
What is past is dead Let bygones be bygones
O departing one, leave behind good deeds! A good deed is never lost
The rope of a lie is short The liar is sooner caught from the cripple
Haste is the devil's work and patience is from God the Merciful Patience is a virtue
The son of a duck is a floater Like father, like son
We taught them how to beg, they raced us to the gates to beat someone at his own game
A beggar and he bargains! Beggars cannot be choosers
In the eye of his mother, a monkey is a gazelle All her geese are swans
With the lack of horses, we saddle the dogs! There's nothing suitable, so they come with a useless alternative
The eloquent cock crows from the egg It early pricks that will be a thorn
Patience is the key to relief
He hit me and cried, he raced me to complain! It's all his fault, yet he pretends to be the victim
Stretch your legs according to your quilt Cut your coat according to your cloth
A bird in the hand is better than ten on the tree A bird in the hand is worth ten in the bush
Ask one who has experience rather than a physician Experience without learning is better than learning without experience
He is like a deaf man at a wedding procession A fish out of water
It is not every time that the clay pot survives You cannot tempt providence and always triumph
He who has his hand in the water is not like him who has his hand in the fire Attitudes are formed by circumstances
God sends almonds to those without teeth! Good things sometimes come to those who do not deserve them
A better one in another one Better luck next time
Every knot has someone to undo it Every problem has a solution
Keep away from trouble and sing to it Never trouble trouble till trouble troubles you
As you went, so you came back So what else is new!
Spend what is in your pocket, you will get more from the unknown Spend and God will send
Let the water melons break each other! Let them stew in their own juice
He married the monkey for its money, the money went and the monkey stayed a monkey As you make your bed, so you must lie on it
Whoever gets between the onion and its skin will get nothing but its stink Never get between a man and his wife
Like a snake under the hay Like a snake in the grass
If you buy cheap meat you'll be sorry when you come to the gravy Beware of false economy
When the lions are away, the hyenas play When the cat is away, the mice will play
Turn the pot upside down, the girl will still be like her mother Like mother, like daughter
When we decided to trade coffins, people decided not to die!
Let your money be insulted but not yourself Rather than ask favors, do the thing yourself
Having faith in men is like having faith that water will remain in a sieve Don't trust men!
Let it wound your heart rather than go out and cause a scandal Keep it to yourself if you don't want others to know
If you want to cause him confusion, give him a choice Make things easier by defining the right way
Reference:
Primose Arnander and Ashkhain Skipwith: "The Son of a Duck is a Floater" and "Apricots Tomorrow" Siham Tergeman: "Daughter of Damascus". English version by Andrea Rugh.
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