abandoned the millet so that I would not need to quarrel with the sparrows خَلَّيْتُ عَنِ الجَاوَرْسِ لِئَلاَّ أحْتاجَ إِلىَ خصُومَةِ العَصَاِفيِر

خَلَّيْتُ عَنِ الجَاوَرْسِ لِئَلاَّ أحْتاجَ إِلىَ خصُومَةِ العَصَاِفيِر.
I abandoned the millet so that I would not need to quarrel with the sparrows.
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خَلَّيْتُ عَنِ الجَاوَرْسِ لِئَلَّا أَحْتَاجَ إِلَى خُصُومَةِ العَصَافِيرِ
أي: تركتُ الشيء الذي أرغب فيه حتى لا أُضطر إلى الدخول في نزاع ومشقة مع من ينازعني عليه. فالجاورس طعام تحبه العصافير، والمعنى: تركتُ الزرع خوفًا من أن أظل في خصومة مع العصافير.
وأقرب مقابل إنجليزي:
“Let sleeping dogs lie.”
«دع الأمور الهادئة وشأنها.»
لكن الأقرب إلى فكرة ترك الشيء لتجنب النزاع:
“It’s not worth the trouble.”
«لا يستحق كل هذا العناء والمتاعب.»
وكذلك:
“Pick your battles.”
«اختر معاركك بعناية.»
والأخير هو الأقرب حكمةً إلى المثل العربي: لا تدخل في خصومة من أجل أمر لا يستحق ما سيترتب عليه من تعب ومشقة.
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I left behind the vultures so that I would not need to quarrel with the birds.
That is: I left the thing I wanted so that I would not have to enter into conflict and hardship with those who disputed with me over it. Pears are a food that birds love, and the meaning is: I left the crops for fear that I would continue to be in conflict with the birds.
The closest English equivalent is:
“Let sleeping dogs lie.”
“Leave the quiet things alone.”
But what is closest to the idea of leaving something to avoid conflict:
“It's not worth the trouble.”
“It's not worth all this trouble and trouble.”
And also:
“Pick your battles.”
“Choose your battles carefully.”
The last is the wisdom closest to the Arab proverb: Do not enter into a dispute over a matter that is not worth the effort and hardship it will entail.

Light on the heart .خَفِيفٌ عَلَى القَلْبِ.

خَفِيفٌ عَلَى القَلْبِ.
Light on the heart.
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خَفِيفٌ عَلَى القَلْبِ
أي: شخصٌ لطيفٌ محبوب، لا يثقل على النفس، وتأنس به.
وأقرب مقابل إنجليزي:
“Easy to take to.”
أي: «يسهل أن تألفه وتستريح إليه.»
ومن التعبيرات الأقرب والأشيع:
“Easy on the heart.”
«خفيف على القلب» — وهي ترجمة قريبة حرفيًا، لكنها أقل اصطلاحية.
وإذا كان المقصود شخصًا محبوبًا ومريح الصحبة، فالأفضل:
“He’s easy to get along with.”
«من السهل التعامل معه والانسجام معه.»
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Light on the heart
Meaning: A kind and likable person, someone who is easy to get along with and whose company is pleasant
The closest English equivalent is:
“Easy to take to.”
Meaning: “It is easy to get used to and feel comfortable with him.”
A closer and more common expression is:
“Easy on the heart.”
“Light on the heart”—a literal translation, but less technical.
If the intended meaning is someone who is likable and easy to be around, the best approach is:
“He’s easy to get along with.”
“It is easy to get along with him.”

Thin-lipped. خَفِيفٌ الشَّفَةِ.

خَفِيفٌ الشَّفَةِ.
Thin-lipped.
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خَفِيفُ الشَّفَةِ يُقال لمن يكثر الكلام، أو يسرع إلى النطق، ولا يضبط لسانه؛ وقد يُراد به أيضًا من لا يتأنّى في كلامه.
وأقرب تعبير إنجليزي:
“He has a loose tongue.”
أي: «لسانه منفلت» أو «لا يحفظ لسانه».
ومن التعبيرات القريبة:
“He is quick with his tongue.”
أي: «سريع اللسان، سريع الرد والكلام.»
فإذا كان المقصود في المثل كثرة الكلام وعدم ضبط اللسان، فـ “He has a loose tongue” هو الأنسب.
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The expression "light of tongue" is used to describe someone who talks too much or speaks too quickly, without controlling their tongue. It can also refer to someone who speaks carelessly.
The closest English expression is:
"He has a loose tongue."
Meaning: "His tongue is loose" or "He doesn't hold his tongue."
A similar expression is:
"He is quick with his tongue."
Meaning: "He is quick with his tongue, quick to respond and speak."
So, if the proverb refers to someone who talks too much and doesn't control their tongue, then "He has a loose tongue" is the most appropriate.

He who relies solely on his own opinion is taking a risk. خَاطَرَ مَنِ اسَتَغْنَى بَرْأْيِهِ.

خَاطَرَ مَنِ اسَتَغْنَى بَرْأْيِهِ.
He who relies solely on his own opinion is taking a risk.
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خَاطَرَ مَنِ اسْتَغْنَى بِرَأْيِهِ
أي: من اعتمد على رأيه وحده، ولم يستشر غيره، عرّض نفسه للخطأ والمخاطرة.
وأقرب مقابل إنجليزي مأثور هو:
“He who is his own counselor has a fool for a client.”
«من كان مستشار نفسه، كان أحمقَ موكِّله.»
وهذا قريب جدًا من المعنى؛ لأنه يحذّر من الاستغناء عن مشورة الآخرين والاعتماد على الرأي الشخصي وحده.
ومن الأمثال الإنجليزية الأشهر والأبسط:
“Two heads are better than one.”
«رأسان خير من رأس واحد.»
وهذا يوافق المعنى من الجهة الإيجابية: المشورة وتعدد الآراء خير من الاعتماد على رأي واحد.
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He who relies solely on his own opinion risks error and danger.
A similar English proverb is:
“He who is his own counselor has a fool for a client.”
This is very close in meaning, as it warns against disregarding the advice of others and relying solely on one's own opinion.
One of the most famous and simplest English proverbs is:
“Two heads are better than one.”
This aligns with the positive meaning: consultation and multiple opinions are better than relying on a single opinion.

Take your due from the evil debtor خُذْ مِنْ غَرِيمِ السُّوءِ أَجْرَهُ.

خُذْ مِنْ غَرِيمِ السُّوءِ أَجْرَهُ.
Take your due from the evil debtor.
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خُذْ مِنْ غَرِيمِ السُّوءِ أَجْرَهُ
أي: خذ حقك أو أجرك من الشخص المماطل أو السيئ في الوفاء؛ لأن استيفاء الحق منه قد يكون شاقًّا.
وأقرب مقابل إنجليزي في المعنى:
“A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.”
لكن هذا ليس مطابقًا تمامًا.
والأقرب من حيث الحث على أخذ الحق من شخص يُخشى مماطلته:
“Better safe than sorry.”
«الاحتياط خير من الندم.»
ويمكن التعبير عنه بصورة أكثر مباشرة:
“Get what you’re owed while you can.”
«خذ ما لك ما دمت تستطيع.»
وهذه الأخيرة أقرب ترجمة للمعنى المقصود من المثل العربي، وإن لم تكن مثلًا إنجليزيًا مأثورًا.
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Take what's rightfully yours from a bad debtor.
That is, take what's due to you from someone who is procrastinating or unreliable in their payments, because collecting what's rightfully yours from them can be difficult.
A similar English equivalent is:
“A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.”
However, this isn't a perfect match.
A more accurate way to encourage taking what's rightfully yours from someone whose procrastination is feared is:
“Better safe than sorry.”
It can also be expressed more directly as:
“Get what you’re owed while you can.”
This last one is the closest translation to the intended meaning of the Arabic proverb, even though it's not a well-known English proverb.

Take him by death until he is satisfied with fever. خُذْهُ بالمَوْتِ حَتَّى يَرْضَى بالحُمَّى.

خُذْهُ بالمَوْتِ حَتَّى يَرْضَى بالحُمَّى.
Take him by death until he is satisfied with fever.
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«خُذْهُ بالموت حتى يرضى بالحمّى» يُضرب لمن يُخيَّر بين أمرين شديدين، فيُعرض عليه الأشد حتى يقبل بالأخف؛ أي: اجعل البديل مخيفًا جدًا، فيرضى بما كان يرفضه أولًا.
ومن أقرب المقابلات الإنجليزية: Give him the choice between the devil and the deep blue sea.
= «ضعه بين خيارين كلاهما سيئ.» وهو قريب جدًا من الفكرة.
Make the alternative worse, and he’ll accept the lesser evil.
= «اجعل البديل أسوأ، فيقبل بالشر الأقل.» وهذه ترجمة تفسيرية دقيقة.
The lesser of two evils.
= «أهون الشرين.» وهي من أشهر العبارات الإنجليزية لهذا المعنى.
Between a rock and a hard place.
= «بين صخرة ومكان صعب»؛ أي في مأزق لا يكاد يملك فيه خيارًا جيدًا.
الأقرب للمثل العربي
Make him choose between the lesser of two evils.
أما إذا أردت تعبيرًا إنجليزيًا اصطلاحيًا مشهورًا:
Between a rock and a hard place.
لكن الفرق أن المثل العربي يتضمن تعمد جعل الخيار الآخر أشد سوءًا حتى يرضى بالخيار الأول، ولذلك فإن lesser of two evils أدق من حيث المعنى.
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"Take him to death so he'll accept a fever" is a proverb used to describe someone forced to choose between two extremes. The harsher option is presented to him until he accepts the lesser one; in other words, make the alternative so frightening that he'll accept what he initially rejected.
A close English equivalent is:
"Give him the choice between the devil and the deep blue sea."
This is very close to the idea.
"Make the alternative worse, and he'll accept the lesser evil."
This is an accurate interpretive translation.
"The lesser of two evils."
This is one of the most common English expressions for this meaning.
"Between a rock and a hard place."
This means he's in a predicament where he barely has a good choice.
The closest equivalent to the Arabic proverb is:
"Make him choose between the lesser of two evils."
If you want a well-known English idiom:
"Between a rock and a hard place."
However, the difference is that the Arabic proverb implies deliberately making the other option worse so that the first option becomes acceptable. Therefore, "lesser of two evils" is more accurate in meaning.