Hebraic proverbs
From BillionQuotes
Here are some Hebraic proverbs, in alphabetical order, with English translations. כאן יש מספר פתגמים עבריים, על-פי סדר האלף-בית, כולל תרגומים לאנגלית.
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א
- אבן נגולה מעל לבי
- Even nagolah me'al libbi
- Translation: a stone was removed off my heart
- Meaning: I was relieved from a mental burden.
- אדם לאדם זאב
- Adam le'adam Ze'ev
- Translation: a human is a wolf to a human
- Meaning: people treat each other cruelly.
- Latin Equivalent: "Homo homini lupus est."
- אחרי מות, קדושים אמור
- Achrei mavet, k'doshim emor
- Translation: After death, say holy.
- Meaning: Say only good things about people after they die.
- Origin: The Hebrew names of the Leviticus "portions" 16-18,19-20,21-24 are "After death", "Holy" and "Say" respectively, so the table of contents spells the Hebrew phrase (which is grammatical in Hebrew).
- References: for Hebrew names of the portions, see [1] [2] [3]
- אין משיחין בשעת הסעודה פן יקדים קנה לושט
- En mesihin bisha'ath hase'oda pen yaqdim qaneh levesheth
- Meaning: don't talk during the meal lest the trachea will precede the esophagus
- אל יתהלל חוגר כמפתח
- Al yithalel hoger kimfate'ah
- Translation: he who buckles [his armor] should not boast as the one who opens it.
- Meaning: he who goes into battle should not boast as much as the one who has won it.
- Origin: The Bible - Kings 20, 11
- אל תסתכל בקנקן, אלא במה שבתוכו
- Al tistakel baqanqan, ela bemah shebetokho
- Translation: Don't look at the jar, but at what's inside it.
- Meaning: don't be fooled by external appearances - find the real value.
- אל תקנה חתול בשק
- Al Tiqneh Hatul Basaq
- Translation: Don't buy a cat in the sack.
- Meaning: Don't buy an uncertain good.
- אם אין אני לי, מי לי; וכשאני לעצמי, מה אני; ואם לא עכשיו, אימתי.(פרקי אבות, פרק א, משנה יד)
- "Im ein ani li, mi li; vekshe'ani le'atzmi, ma ani; ve'im lo achshav, eymatay?" -- Ethics of the Fathers, Chapter 1, Episode 14
- Translation: "If I am not to myself, who will be? And when I am [only] to myself, who am I? And if not now, when?"
- See also the Chabad page about this sentence
- אם ההר לא יבוא אל מוחמד, מוחמד ילך אל ההר.
- "Im ha'har lo yavo el Muhammad, Muhammad yelekh el hahar.
- Translation: "If the mountain won't come to Muhammad, Muhammad will go to the mountain."
- Meaning: if reality does not adapt itself to one's personal whims, one must adapt himself to reality.
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ב
- בדקה התשעים (בדקה ה-90)
- Badaqah Hatish'im
- Translation: in the 90th minute.
- Meaning: in the last moment; in the nick of time.
- Origin: from a Soccer game which last 90 minutes, and there can be a goal in the 90th minute.
- בין הפטיש לסדן
- Beyn hapatish lasadan
- Translation: between the hammer and the anvil
- Meaning: between two evils
- במה הועילו חכמים בתקנתם?
- Bameh ho'ilu hakhamim bethaqanatham?
- Translation: how did the wise men help with their ruling?
- ברומא התנהג כרומאי
- Be'Roma hitnaheg ke'Roma'i
- Translation: in Rome act like a Roman
- Meaning: one has to adapt oneself to his environment
- ברחל בתך הקטנה
- Be'Rahel bitkha haqtanah
- Translation: by Rachel your younger daughter
- Meaning: sincerely; don't hide anything.
- Origin: from the Bible (Genesis 29, 18).
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ד
- דמו בראשו
- Damo berosho
- Translation: his blood is in his head.
- Meaning: his problems are his own fault.
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ה
- האמת היא בעיני המתבונן
- Ha'emeth hi be'eyney hamitbonen
- Translation: truth is in the eye of the beholder.
- הבדל של שמיים וארץ
- Hevdel shel shamayim va'arets
- Translation: a difference of Sky and Earth.
- Meaning: a very significant difference.
- הפוסל במומו פוסל
- Haposel Bemumo Posel
- Translation: the one who disqualifies, disqualifies on his own fault.
- המטרה מקדשת את האמצעים
- Hamatarah meqadesheth eth ha'emtsa'im
- Translation: the cause makes the means holy. (i.e: in place).
- Meaning: the ends justify the means.
- השמיים הם הגבול
- Hashamayim hem hagvul
- Translation: the sky's the limit.
- Meaning: said on something that if performed, there will be very vast possibilities.
- התפוח לא נופל רחוק מהעץ
- Hatapuakh lo nofel rahoq meha'etz
- Translation: the apple does not fall far from the tree.
- Meaning: children resemble their parents.
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ח
- חיים ומוות ביד הלשון
- Hayim oo'maveth beyad halashon
- Translation: life and death in the hands of the tongue
- Meaning: what you say can have a large effect on your future.
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ט
- טוב להיות זנב לאריות מאשר ראש לשועלים
- Tov Lihiyoth Zanav La'arayoth Ma'asher Rosh Lashu'alim
- Translation: Better be a tail for the lions than the head of the foxes
- Meaning: It is better to be a minor member of a good group, than a prominent leader of a bad group.
- טובה ציפור אחת ביד משתיים על העץ
- Tova Tzipor Ahath Bayad Mishtayim Al Ha'etz
- Translation: "One bird in the hand is better than two on the tree".
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י
- ירד לטמיון
- Yarad letimyon
- Translation: went to the government's treasury
- Meaning: to get lost; to go down the drain.
- יש גבול לכל תעלול
- Yesh Gvul Lekhol Ta'alul
- Translation: there's a limit to every act of mischief
- Meaning: enough is enough.
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כ
- כורת את הענף שעליו הוא יושב
- Koreth eth ha'anaf she'alav hu yoshev
- Translation: He cuts the branch that he is sitting on.
- Meaning: he is hurting something that he depends on.
- כל הדרכים מובילות לרומא
- Kol hadrakhim moviloth le'Roma
- Translation: all the roads lead to Rome.
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ל
- לא דובים ולא יער
- Lo Dubim Velo Ya'ar
- Translation: No bears and no forest.
- Meaning: Never happened.
- לא היו דברים מעולם
- Lo hayu dvarim me'olam
- Translation: (these) things never happened.
- לא תמיד אתה מפספס את האוטובוס, לפעמים האוטובוס מפספס אותך
- Lo tamid atha mefasfes eth ha'otobus, lif'amim ha'otobus mefasfes otkha.
- Translation: You don't always miss the bus. Sometimes, it misses you.
- להכות בברזל בעודו חם
- Lehakoth Babarzel Be'odo Ham
- Translation: hit the iron while it's hot.
- Meaning: exploit the opportunity while it still exists.
- לחפש בנרות
- Lehapes Baneroth
- Translation: to search using candles.
- Meaning: to search thoroughly (in obscure places, etc.).
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מ
- מדברים על החמור (והחמור בא)
- Medabrim al hahamor (ve'hahamor ba)
- Translation: speaking of the donkey (and the donkey comes)
- Meaning: said when someone appears shortly after he has been discussed.
- English Equivalent: talk about the devil.
- מהר יצא עכבר
- Mehar Yatza Akhbar
- Translation: a mountain ended up as a mouse
- Meaning: something that was hyped to be very significant, turned out to be much less so.
- מה ששנוא עליך - אל תעשה לחברך
- Mah Sheshano'a Aleikha Al Ta'aseh Lehaberkha
- Translation: don't do to another what is hated by you.
- מחט בערמת שחת
- Mahat Be'aremath Shahath
- Translation: a needle in a pile of hay.
- Meaning: "a needle in a haystack", trying to find something specific in a big surrounding of no interest to the person who looks for it.
- מי שאוכל לבד - מת לבד
- <i>Mi she'okhel levad - meth levad
- Translation: he who eats by himself, dies alone.
- Corroloaries:
- מי שאוכל לבד - אוכל יותר
- Mi she'okhel levad - okhel yother
- Translation: he who eats by himself, eats more.
- Origin: the motto of the Cheetos snack in Israel
- מי שאוכל לבד, מת לבד, אבל מי שמשתף אחרים, מת מרעב
- <i>Mi she'okhel levad, meth levad, aval mi shemashatef aherim, meth mera'av
- Translation: he who eats by himself, dies alone, but he who shares his food, dies of hunger.
- מי שאוכל לבד - אוכל יותר
- מי שטרח בערב שבת, יאכל בשבת
- Mi shetarah be'erev Shabbath, yokhal beshabath
- Translation: "He who labored on Shabbath' Eve, will eat on Shabbath".
- Meaning: he who labored in preparance, will enjoy the fruit of his labor.
- מי שלא מרים עשר אגורות, לא שווה עשר אגורות
- <i>Mi shelo merim eser agoroth, lo shaveh eser agoroth
- Translation: he who doesn't pick up a dime, ins't worth a dime.
- מי שנכווה ברותחין יזהר בפושרין
- Mi Shenikhwah Berot'hin Yizaher Beposhrin
- Translation: He who got burnt in boiling water, will be careful in mildly warm water.
- מן הפח אל הפחת
- Min hapah el hapahath
- Trasnlation: from the trap to the pit.
- Meaning: from the frying pan into the fire.
- מרוב עצים לא רואים את היער
- Merov etzim lo ro'im eth ha'ya'ar
- Translation: Can't see the forest for the trees.
- Meaning: the subject is obscured by the details.
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נ
- נאה דורש - נאה מקיים
- Na'eh doresh - na'eh meqayem
- Translation: he who demands well, should fullfill his demands well.
- English equivalent: "You've got to practice what you preach".
- נכנס יין - יצא סוד
- Nikhnas Yayin - Yatza Sod
- Translation: "Wine Entered - Secret Went Out"
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ס
- סנונית אחת אינה מבשרת את בוא האביב
- Snonith ahath eyna mevasereth eth bo ha'aviv
- Translation: one swallow does not herald the coming of spring.
- Meaning: one occurrence does not indicate a general pattern.
- Origin: Aristotle's "Nicomachean Ethics".
- סערה בכוס מים
- Se'arah bekos mayim
- Translation: a storm in a glass of water.
- Meaning: a large fuss with little effect on the outside.
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ע
- עוד הזרוע נטויה
- Od Hazro'a Netuyah
- Translation: And the arm is still erect.
- Meaning: It is still going strong.
- Origin: probably from the Bible, where in a battle with the Amaleq, the Israelites were winning when Moses' arm was erect and losing when his arm was down.
- על ראש הגנב בוער הכובע
- "Al Rosh Haganav Bo'er Hakova"
- Translation: The hat burns on the head of the thief.
- Origin: reportedly from a folk tale in which a community leader found the identity of a thief by gathering the town and saying that he sees the thief's hat burning, and then observing the real thief feeling his hat with his hands.
- עם יד על הלב
- "Im Yad Al Halev"
- Translation: with a hand on the heart.
- Meaning: sincerely.
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פ
- פה קבור הכלב
- Po Qavur Hakelev
- Translation: "The dog is buried here."
- Meaning: this is the main issue.
- פוסח על שני הסעיפים
- Pose'ah al shney ha'se'ifim
- Translation: "skips on two branches"
- Meaning: "cannot decide between two options and does a little of both".
- פעם שלישית גלידה
- Pa'am shlishith glidah
- Translation: third time icecream.
- Meaning: said when two people accidentally meet twice during a short period, saying that the next time, the other person should buy some icecream to the speaker.
- See this page in the Hebrew Wikipedia about it.
- פרה פרה
- Parah Parah
- Translation: Literal: "Cow. cow" or "A cow, A cow". Meaning: "One cow at a time."
- Meaning: one should accomplish two or more things by tackling them one at a time.
- See also this resource in the MSN learn Hebrew forum
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צ
- צוחק מי שצוחק אחרון
- Tsoheq mi shetsoheq aharon
- Translation: laughs he who laughs last.
- Meaning: the winner is the one who won at the end.
- צרות באות בצרורות
- Tsaroth ba'oth bitsro'oth
- Translation: troubles come in packs.
- English equivalent: when it rains, it pours.
- Corrolaries:
- צרה צרורה
- Tsarah Tsrurah
- Translation: a packed trouble.
- צרה צרורה
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ק
- קרח מכאן ומכאן
- "Qere'ah Mikan Oomikan"
- Translation: "Bald from here and from here"
- Meaning: deprived in both senses.
- Story behind: a man who has two wives: one young and one old. The young one removes his old hair, and the old one removes his young hair, and thus he becomes "bald from here and from here".
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ר
- רוקד בשתי חתונות
- <i>Roqed Bishtey Hatunoth
- Translation: "Dancing in Two Weddings".
- Meaning: "Does two different things (or is commited to two different entities) at once."
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ש
- שעיר לעזאזל
- Se'ir La'azazel
- Meaning: scapegoat.
- Origin: from the bible. (Leviticus 16)
- Corrolaries:
- הולך לעזאזל
- Holekh La'azazel
- Translation: goes to the Azazel.
- Meaning: goes to hell, goes down the drain.
- הולך לעזאזל
