Thursday, June 4, 2026

The wolf of the wine ذِئْبُ الخَمَرِ

الخَمَر‏:‏ ما واراك من شجر أو حجر أو جرف وادٍ، وإنما يضاف إلى الخمر للزومه إياه، ومثله‏:‏ ذئب غَضاً، وقنفذ برقة، وتيس حلب، وهو نبت تعتادهُ الظباء، ويقال‏:‏ تيس الربل، وضب السحا، وشيطان الحَمَاطة، وأرنب الخلة‏.‏

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The proverb "a wolf in the thicket" is used to describesomeone who hides and lurks, waiting for an opportunity to pounce or cause harm, just as a wolf stays in thickets (i.e., dense vegetation or a concealed place) to ambush its prey.
The closest English proverbs and expressions that convey this meaning are:
A wolf in hiding.

Lurking in the shadows.

 lurking predator.
till waters run deep (in some contexts).
 wolf in sheep's clothing.
f the literal meaning of the Arabic proverb is intended, i.e., to lurk and lie in wait from a hidden place, then the best equivalent is:
"Lurking in the shadows like a wolf waiting for its prey." He lurks in the shadows like a wolf waiting for its prey
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For wine: that which conceals you from trees, stones, or the bank of a valley. It is added to wine because of its association with it. Similar to it are: a fresh wolf, a hedgehog of Barqa, and a goat of Aleppo, which is a plant that gazelles frequent. It is also said: the goat of the desert, the lizard of the Saha, the devil of the Hamata, and the rabbit of the Khillah.

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