The best wealth is that which benefits you. خير مالك ما نفعك

خير مالك ما نفعك
قال أبو عبيد: العامة تذهب بهذا المثل إلى أن خير المال ما أنفقه صاحبه في حياته ولم يخلفه بعده. وكان أبو عبيدة يتأوله في المال يضيع للرجل فيكسب به عقلاً يتأدب به في حفظ ماله فيما يستقبل. كما قالوا: لم يضع من مالك ما وعظك.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The best wealth is that which benefits you.
Abu Ubaid said: The common people understand this proverb to mean that the best wealth is that which its owner spends during his lifetime and does not leave behind. Abu Ubaidah, however, interpreted it as referring to wealth that a person loses, thereby gaining wisdom and learning to manage his wealth in the future. As they also say: "Your wealth is not truly wasted if it teaches you a lesson."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
المثل العربي «خيرُ مالِكَ ما نفعَكَ» معناه: قيمة المال ليست في كثرته، بل في مقدار ما يعود عليك منه بالنفع. وقد فُسِّر بطريقتين قديمًا: خير المال ما انتفعت به في حياتك، لا ما تركته دون فائدة.
حتى المال الذي ضاع ثم علّمك حسن التدبير لم يذهب سدى، لأن العبرة بالنفع الذي عاد عليك من التجربة.
وأقرب المقابلات في الإنجليزية هي: Wealth is of no use unless it is used. 

أفضل مقابل لا فائدة من الثروة ما لم تُستعمل.
Money is only as good as the good it can do. قيمة المال فيما يحققه من خير ونفع.
Use it or lose it. استعمله وإلا فقدت فائدته.
قريب من حيث إن الشيء لا قيمة له إن لم يُنتفع به، لكنه أعم من المال.
It's not what you have, but how you use it that matters. ليس المهم ما تملك، بل كيف تستخدمه.
يوافق المعنى وإن لم يكن مثلًا تقليديًا.
إذا أُخذ بتفسير أبي عبيدة
فأقرب تعبير هو: Experience is the best teacher. التجربة خير معلم.
لأن خسارة المال قد تكون نافعة إذا أكسبت صاحبها خبرة تمنع خسائر أكبر مستقبلًا.
أفضل مقابل
إذا أُريد المعنى الأشهر للمثل، فأقرب مقابل هو:
Wealth is of no use unless it is used.
لأنه ينقل الفكرة الأساسية: أن خير المال ليس ما يُملك، وإنما ما يُنتفع به.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Arabic proverb "The best of your wealth is that which benefits you" means: the value of money is not in its quantity, but in the amount of benefit it brings you. It was interpreted in two ways in the past:
The best wealth is that which you benefit from in your life, not that which you leave without use.
Even money that is lost but teaches you good management skills is not lost in vain, because the lesson is in the benefit you gain from the experience.
The closest equivalents in English are:
Wealth is of no use unless it is used.  

Best equivalent: Wealth is useless unless it is used.
Money is only as good as the good it can do.
The value of money lies in the good and benefit it brings.
Use it or lose it.
Use it, or you will lose its benefit.
Similar in that something has no value if it is not used, but it is broader than just money.
It's not what you have, but how you use it that matters.
It's not what you own that matters, but how you use it.
This agrees with the meaning, even though it is not a traditional proverb. If we take Abu Ubaidah's interpretation,
then the closest expression is:
Experience is the best teacher.
Because losing money can be beneficial if it gives one experience that prevents greater losses in the future.
Best equivalent
If we want the more common meaning of the proverb, the closest equivalent is:
Wealth is of no use unless it is used.
Because it conveys the basic idea: that the best wealth is not what is owned, but what is used.

The best knowledge is that which you can readily access خير الفقه ما حاضرت به

خير الفقه ما حاضرت به
أي، أنفع علمك ما حضرك في وقت الحاجة إليه.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The best knowledge is that which you can readily access. That is, the most beneficial knowledge is that which you can access when needed.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
المثل العربي «خير الفقه ما حاضرت به» معناه: خير العلم والفقه هو ما يكون حاضرًا في الذهن عند الحاجة إليه، فينتفع به صاحبه عمليًا، لا ما يُحفظ ثم يُنسى.
ولا يوجد مثل إنجليزي مطابق، لكن توجد أمثال وتعبيرات تؤدي المعنى بدرجات متفاوتة: Knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice. 

 أفضل مقابل
لا قيمة للمعرفة ما لم تُطبَّق.
وهو أشهر ما يوافق روح المثل، إذ يؤكد أن العلم النافع هو ما يُستخدم عند الحاجة.
Knowledge is power only when it is applied.
المعرفة قوة فقط عندما تُطبَّق.
يركز على أن قيمة العلم في استعماله.
Knowing is not enough; we must apply.
المعرفة وحدها لا تكفي؛ لا بد من التطبيق.
مقولة مشهورة تُنسب إلى Johann Wolfgang von Goethe، وهي قريبة جدًا من معنى المثل.
What is learned in the cradle lasts to the grave.
ما يُتعلَّم في الصغر يبقى إلى الكبر.
يتحدث عن ثبات العلم، لكنه ليس قريبًا من معنى حضور العلم وقت الحاجة.
أفضل مقابل
Knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice.
لأنه يعبر عن الفكرة الأساسية للمثل: أن خير العلم ليس مجرد امتلاكه، بل أن يكون حاضرًا ونافعًا عند الحاجة إليه. وإن كان المثل العربي يركز على حضور العلم في الذهن وقت الحاجة، بينما يركز الإنجليزي على تطبيق العلم عمليًا، فهما يلتقيان في أن قيمة العلم تظهر عند الانتفاع به.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Arabic proverb "The best understanding is that which is readily available" means: The best knowledge and understanding is that which is readily accessible when needed, allowing its possessor to benefit practically, not that which is memorized and then forgotten.
There is no exact English proverb, but there are proverbs and expressions that convey the meaning to varying degrees:
Knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice. ✅ Best equivalent: Knowledge has no value unless it is applied.
This is the most well-known expression that aligns with the spirit of the proverb, as it emphasizes that useful knowledge is that which is used when needed.
Knowledge is power only when it is applied.
Knowledge is power only when it is applied.
It emphasizes that the value of knowledge lies in its application.
Knowing is not enough; we must apply.
A famous saying attributed to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, which is very close in meaning to the proverb.
What is learned in the cradle lasts to the grave.
What is learned in childhood remains with us into adulthood. It speaks of the stability of knowledge, but it doesn't quite capture the meaning of having knowledge readily available when needed.
A better equivalent:
Knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice.
This expresses the core idea of ​​the proverb: that the value of knowledge lies not merely in possessing it, but in having it readily available and useful when needed. While the Arabic proverb focuses on having knowledge in mind when needed, and the English proverb emphasizes its practical application, they both converge on the idea that the value of knowledge is revealed when it is put to use.

His intellect betrayed him. دَلَّ عَلَيْهِ إِرْبُهُ.

دَلَّ عَلَيْهِ إِرْبُهُ. 
قال أبو عمرو: يقال للرجل الدميم تقتحمه العين ولا يُؤْبَنُ بشيء من النجدة والفضل: دل عليه إربه، أي عَقْله.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Abu Amr said: It is said of an ugly man, one who is not easily recognizable and who possesses no virtue or merit: His intellect betrayed him.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
التعبير العربي «دَلَّ عَلَيْهِ إِرْبُهُ» يُقال للرجل الذي لا يلفت النظر بمظهره أو هيئته، لكن فضله وعقله وشجاعته تكشف عن قيمته الحقيقية.
ليس له مقابل حرفي في الإنجليزية، لكن من أقرب الأمثال والتعابير: Don't judge a book by its cover.
«لا تحكم على الكتاب من غلافه.»
أي لا تقوِّم الناس من مظهرهم، فقد تكون قيمتهم الحقيقية في عقولهم وفضائلهم.
ومن التعابير الأقرب إلى المعنى الخاص: His worth is known by his character, not his looks.
تُعرف قيمته بأخلاقه وصفاته، لا بمظهره.
Wisdom and merit speak for themselves.
الحكمة والفضل يدلان على صاحبهما.
Appearances can be deceiving.
المظاهر قد تكون خادعة.
وأقرب مثل إنجليزي شائع يؤدي المعنى العام هو:
Don't judge a book by its cover 

----------------------------------------
The Arabic expression “دَلَّ عَلَيْهِ إِرْبُهُ” is used to describe a man whose appearance or demeanor doesn't immediately attract attention, but whose virtue, intellect, and courage reveal his true worth.
While there is no direct English equivalent, some of the closest proverbs and expressions include:
“Don't judge a book by its cover.”
“Do not judge a book by its cover.”
This means don't judge people by their appearance; their true value may lie in their intellect and virtues.
Other expressions that closely convey this specific meaning include:
“His worth is known by his character, not his looks.”
“Wisdom and merit speak for themselves.”
“Appearances can be deceiving.”
The closest common English proverb that conveys this general meaning is:
“Don't judge a book by its cover.”