Recklessness is curbed with gentleness. الخُرْقُ بِالرِّفْقِ يُلْجَمُ.

الخُرْقُ بِالرِّفْقِ يُلْجَمُ.
Recklessness is curbed with gentleness.
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المثل العربي «الخُرْقُ بِالرِّفْقِ يُلْجَمُ» معناه أن الحماقة وسوء التصرّف يمكن كبحهما بالرفق واللين، لا بالعنف والشدة.
وأقرب مقابل له في الإنجليزية:
“You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.”
أي: تستطيع أن تحقق باللطف ما لا تحققه بالغلظة؛ فالمعاملة اللينة أنفع من المعاملة القاسية.
ومن التعبيرات الإنجليزية القريبة أيضًا:
“Gentleness overcomes force.” — الرفق يغلب القوة.
“Soft words turn away wrath.” — الكلام اللين يطفئ الغضب.
“Patience and kindness can tame the wildest beast.” — الصبر واللطف قادران على ترويض أشد المخلوقات جموحًا. وهذا تعبير توضيحي، لا مثل إنجليزي ثابت بالضرورة.
أقرب مقابل من حيث الحكمة العامة هو:
“You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.”
لكن إذا أردنا التركيز تحديدًا على معنى كبح الحماقة بالرفق، فإن “Gentleness overcomes force” أقرب إلى المقصود.
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The Arabic proverb “Khurq bil-rifq yuljamu” means that foolishness and bad behavior can be curbed with gentleness and kindness, not with violence and harshness.
A close equivalent in English is: “You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.”
That is, you can achieve with kindness what you cannot achieve with harshness; gentle treatment is more effective than harsh treatment.
Other related English expressions include:
- “Gentleness overcomes force.”
- “Soft words turn away wrath.”
- “Patience and kindness can tame the wildest beast.” This is an illustrative expression, not necessarily a fixed English proverb.
The closest equivalent in terms of general wisdom is: “You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.”
However, if we want to focus specifically on the meaning of curbing foolishness with gentleness, then “Gentleness overcomes force” is closer to the intended meaning.

Leave a way for someone to drink and someone who sheds water in the desert خل سبيل من وهي سقاؤه ومن هريق بالفلاة ماؤه

خل سبيل من وهي سقاؤه ومن هريق بالفلاة ماؤه
يضرب لمن كره صحبتك وزهد فيك. قال الشاعر:
صادق خليلك ما بدا لك نصحه
فإذا بدا لك غشه فـتـبـدل
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Leave a way for someone to drink and someone who sheds water in the desert
Hits those who hate your company and reject you. The poet said:
Be honest with your friend when he seems honest to you, but if he seems dishonest to you, change it
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لمثل العربي «خَلِّ سبيلَ مَن وَهِيَ سِقاؤُه، ومَن أُهريقَ بالفلاةِ ماؤُه» يُضرب لمن كره صحبتك، أو زهد فيك، أو انقطعت رغبته في استمرار العلاقة؛ فدعه وشأنه ولا تتشبث به.
ومعناه المجازي: من فقد ما كان يعتمد عليه أو لم يعد يرغب في صحبتك، فلا فائدة من ملاحقته أو محاولة استبقائه.
وأقرب المقابلات في الثقافة الإنجليزية هي: If you love something, set it free.
إذا أحببت شيئًا فأطلق سراحه.
قريب من حيث ترك من لا يريد البقاء، لكنه يركز على الاختبار لا على الزهد في الصحبة.
Don't force what isn't meant to be.
أفضل مقابل لا تُكره أمرًا ليس مقدرًا له أن يستمر.
يعبر عن ترك العلاقة عندما تنعدم الرغبة من أحد الطرفين.
Let bygones be bygones. دع الماضي يمضي.
أقرب إلى تجاوز الخلاف، وليس إلى ترك من زهد في صحبتك.
Never chase someone who doesn't want to stay. لا تطارد من لا يريد البقاء.
تعبير حديث شائع، وهو يطابق المعنى بدقة، وإن لم يكن مثلًا تقليديًا.
أفضل مقابل
إذا أردنا مثلًا أو حكمة متداولة، فأقربها:
Don't force what isn't meant to be.
أما إذا كان المطلوب أدق تعبير عن المعنى، فهو:
Never chase someone who doesn't want to stay.
وهذا يطابق مقصد المثل العربي: إذا رغب شخص في مفارقتك أو زهد في صحبتك، فاتركه ولا تتشبث به.
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The Arabic proverb, “Leave alone the one whose water skin has worn out, and the one whose water has been spilled in the desert,” is used to describe someone who has grown tired of your company, lost interest in you, or whose desire to continue the relationship has vanished. Leave them be and don't cling to them.
Its figurative meaning is: Whoever has lost what they relied on or no longer desires your company, there is no point in pursuing them or trying to keep them.
The closest equivalents in English are:
If you love something, set it free.
If you love something, set it free.
Similar to letting go of someone who doesn't want to stay, but it focuses on the experience rather than the rejection of the relationship.
Don't force what isn't meant to be.
A better equivalent: Don't force something that isn't meant to last.
Expresses ending a relationship when one party no longer desires it.
Let bygones be bygones.
Let the past go.
More about moving past a disagreement, not abandoning someone who has lost interest in your company. Never chase someone who doesn't want to stay.
Don't chase someone who doesn't want to stay.
This is a common modern expression that accurately conveys the meaning, even if it's not a traditional proverb.
Best equivalent:
If we want a proverb or common saying, the closest is:
Don't force what isn't meant to be.
But if we want a more precise expression of the meaning, it's:
Never chase someone who doesn't want to stay.
This corresponds to the meaning of the Arabic proverb: If someone wishes to leave you or has lost interest in your company, let them go and don't cling to them.