Catch the little one before the small one eats it. أَدْرِكِي القُوِيمَّةَ لاَ تَأْكُلْها الهُوِيمَّةُ.

أَدْرِكِي القُوِيمَّةَ لاَ تَأْكُلْها الهُوِيمَّةُ.
القُوِيمَّة: تصغير قَامَّة، ويعني بها الصبي، لأنه يقمُّ كلَّ ما أدرك يَجْعَلهُ في فيه، فربما أتى على بعض الهوامّ كالعقرب وغيرها، والقمُّ والاقتمام: الأكل، وأنَّث القامَّة أراد الصبية، وصَغَّرها، وخصها لضعفها وضَعْفِ عقلها، والْهُوَيمَّة: تصغير هَامَّةٍ، وهي ما هَمَّ ودب.
يضرب في حفظ الصبي وغيره، والمراد به إدراك الرجل الجاهل لا يقع في هلكة.
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"Catch the little one before the small one eats it."
"Quwaymah" is the diminutive of "qamah," meaning a young boy, because he puts everything he can reach into his mouth, perhaps even small creatures like scorpions. "Qamm" and "iqtimam" both mean to eat. The feminine form of "qamah" refers to the young girl, and the diminutive is used specifically because of her weakness and lack of understanding. "Huwaymah" is the diminutive of "hammah," meaning a small creature that crawls or creeps.
This proverb is used to warn against harming a child or other creature, and it also means to warn an ignorant person against falling into danger.
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المثل العربي «أَدْرِكِي القُوَيْمَّةَ لا تَأْكُلْها الهُوَيْمَّةُ» يُضرب في المسارعة إلى حماية الصغير أو الجاهل قبل أن يقع في الهلكة أو يؤذيه ما لا يدرك خطره.
وأقرب المقابلات الإنجليزية هي:
"Look before you leap."
«انظر قبل أن تقفز.»
أي احذر العواقب قبل الوقوع في الخطر.
ومن حيث معنى الوقاية والحماية المبكرة، فأقرب الأمثال:
"A stitch in time saves nine."
«غرزة في وقتها توفر تسعًا.»
أي أن معالجة الأمر مبكرًا تمنع ضررًا أكبر لاحقًا.
ومن التعابير المشابهة:
"Keep him out of harm's way."
«أبعده عن مواطن الخطر.»
"Watch over him lest he come to harm."
«راقبه لئلا يصيبه سوء.»
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."
«درهم وقاية خير من قنطار علاج.»
فإذا أريد مثل إنجليزي مأثور يؤدي المعنى العام للمثل العربي — وهو تدارك الجاهل أو الضعيف قبل أن يهلك نفسه — فإن أنسب مقابل هو:
"A stitch in time saves nine."
لأنه يركز على التدخل في الوقت المناسب قبل استفحال الضرر، وهو لبّ المعنى المقصود في المثل العربي.
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The Arabic proverb “Adrik al-quwaymah lest the small one eat it” is used to emphasize the importance of quickly protecting a child or someone unaware of the danger before they fall into harm's way or are harmed by something they don't understand.
The closest English equivalent is:
“Look before you leap.”
“Look before you leap.”
Meaning, be wary of the consequences before you get into danger.
Regarding the meaning of prevention and early protection, the closest proverb is:
“A stitch in time saves nine.”
“A stitch in time saves nine.”
Meaning, addressing the issue early prevents greater harm later
Similar expressions include:
“Keep him out of harm's way.”
“Keep him away from danger.”
“Watch over him lest he come to harm.”
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."
If we were to find an English proverb that conveys the general meaning of the Arabic proverb—namely, to intervene on behalf of the ignorant or the weak before they harm themselves—the most fitting equivalent would be:
"A stitch in time saves nine."
This is because it emphasizes timely intervention before the damage worsens, which is the core meaning of the Arabic proverb.