Egyptian Proverbs (125)

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The house of the unjust oppressor is destroyed,
though it should happen in distant times.

Who seeks for wealth without previous wealth
is like him who carries water in a sieve.

The eyewitness observes what the absent does not see.

Blessed be the man who knows his power
and abstains from doing evil to others.

The jealousy of the harlot is evidenced by adultery,
that of the virtuous woman by weeping.

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The tears of the adultress are ever ready.

There is no peace until after enmity.

The first condition of friendship is to agree with each other.

Poverty and anger do not agree.

Upon every misfortune another misfortune.

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The misfortunes of some people are advantages to others.

The remedy against bad times is to have patience with them.

Money is sweet balm.

The merit belongs to the beginner,
should even the successor do better.

Man is the slave of beneficence.

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Silence is the best answer to the stupid.

The best food is that which fills the belly.

Anger without power is a ready blow.

The wind blows as the sailors do not wish.

A borrowed cloak does not keep one warm.

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The serpent brings forth nothing but a little serpent.

Eat whatever you like, but dress as others do.

The dream of the cat is all about the mice.

The clever and active valet wants no one to set him right.

The value of each man consists in what he does well.

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He who cooks a bad thing, eats of it.

He who eats alone, coughs alone.

A fly is nothing; yet it creates loathsomeness.

The cat that is always crying catches nothing.

Evil is of old date.

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Singing without remuneration
is like a dead body without perfumes.

The market of debauch is always open.

Drunkenness departed and reflection came.

The devil does not destroy his own house.

The crown of a good disposition is humility.

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In every head is some wisdom.

The tongue of experience has most truth.

No one extracts the oil but the oil presser.

The beetle is a beauty in the eyes of its mother.

Custom is a fifth nature.

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No right is lost which is followed up by demands.

Every thing forbidden is sweet.

The image of friendship is truth.

The enmity of the wise, rather than the friendship of the fool.

With gentleness the fracture is repaired.

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Govern the rabble by opposing them.

The little among certain people are great among other people.

The mother of the coward does not grieve for him.

Even the handsome woman experiences the misfortune of divorce.

One day in perfect health is much.

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The guest of the hospitable treats hospitably.

Strike the innocent that the guilty may confess.

The best generosity is quick.

The jealousy of a wife is the key to her divorce.

Eat and drink, and let the world go to ruin.

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He who is not ashamed does whatever he likes.

A blow from our lover is as sweet as the eating of raisins.

He who loves a thing often talks of it.

The embrace at meeting is better than that at parting.

The ox that ploughs is not to be muzzled.

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At the narrow passage there is no brother and no friend.

False ambition serves the neck.

The tongue is the neck's enemy.

The lazy person has no legs.

There are no fans in hell.

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The lazy person has no legs.

In a town where you know nobody,
do whatever you like.

Wise men do not quarrel with each other.

The lazy are not fed on honey.

A well is not to be filled with dew.

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When the eye does not see, the heart does not does not grieve.

Lending nurses enmity.

Your beloved is the object that you love, were it even a monkey.

The fire of reeds is of rapid extinction.

We must bear the medicine on account of its usefulness.

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The one-eyed person is a beauty in the country of the blind.

Sometimes love has been implanted by one glance alone.

Man is only man by his money.

The corn passes from hand to hand, but comes at last to the mill.

Who possesses little has the first right to it.

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The devil knows his Lord, but still practices evil.

When the angels present themselves, the devils abscond.

A blow that is profitable does not hurt the neck.

The camel has his projects, and the camel driver has his projects.

The day obliterates the promise of the night.

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Anger with our friend, rather than constant friendship with our enemy.

A rose issues from thorns.

Lending is ruinous to lenders and borrowers.

The captain of the ship means one way, the sailor another.

If the sailors become too numerous, the ship sinks.

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Everyone sells his rags in his own market.

A tree that affords you shade, do not order it to be cut down.

The liar is short-lived.

A single grain makes the balance heavier.

A single spark can burn the whole quarter.

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A harlot does not repent; and water in a jar does not become sour milk.

A thousand cranes in the air are not worth one sparrow in the fist.

The butcher is not startled at the multiplicity of sheep.

Take the thief before he takes you.

The sultan teaches and is not to be taught.

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Tear off the curtain of doubt by questions.

The efforts of the poor are their tears.

Hearsay is not like ocular testimony.

All that is known is not told.

The fool has his answer on the edge of his tongue.

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The eye of the sun cannot be hidden.

The hawk is not frightened by the cries of the crane.

Take the book by its title; or, take the letter by its address.

Obedience to the tongue causes repentance.

Who gives not thanks to men, gives not thanks to God.

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Custom is the twin of the innate character.

A tyrannical sultan is better than constant anarchy.

The ultimate remedy is a cautery.

On the day of victory no fatigue is felt.

The village saint is a clever impostor.

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If you see a wall inclining, run from under it.

Who wants a thing is blind to its faults.

A well from which you drink, throw not a stone into it.

If the wind blows, it enters at every crevice.

When the stomach is concerned, wisdom withdraws.

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Ignorance that supports me is better than wisdom
which I must support.

The husband of the harlot is a base wretch by his own testimony.

He who introduces himself between the onion and the peel,
does not go forth without its strong smell.

The thief who understands his business does not steal
from his own quarter of the town.

The mare is not to be valued according to its housing
and its ornaments in front.

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The barking of a dog does not disturb the man on a camel. ~ Egyptian Proverb [18646]

By India, Bihar, Patna, South Asi [Public domain],
via Wikimedia Commons

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16, POTD, Proverb of the Day,

A thing of beauty is never perfect. ~ Egyptian Proverb [15296]

Photo by Jan Tik (Flickr) [CC-BY-2.0],
via Wikimedia Commons

Alternate version:
A beautiful thing is never perfect.
Beauty is not perfect.

To see more Illustrated Proverbs click here.

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When the angels present themselves, the devils abscond. ~ Egyptian Proverb [19373]

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The beetle is a beauty in the eyes of its mother. ~ Egyptian Proverb [18869]

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Learn politeness from the impolite. ~ Egyptian Proverb [17598]

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False ambition serves the neck. ~ Egyptian Proverb [16525]

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Do not rejoice over what has not yet happened. ~ Egyptian Proverb [16198]

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A man's ruin lies in his tongue. ~ Egyptian Proverb [15115]

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