Almotamar Net -
Compiled by NAJLA ABU-TALEB

Sana�a is a �must�, however long the journey takes
La budd min Sana�a wa lau taal al-safr

From a pound of talk, an ounce of understanding
Min ratl hakya tafham wiqya

A foreigner should be well-behaved
Ya gharib kun adib

Look to your near neighbour rather than to your distant brother
Jaarak al-qarib wa la akhuk al-ba�id

Work like an ant and you�ll eat sugar
Kun namla wa takul sukr

Who dies today is safe from tomorrow's sin
Man maat al-yaum salim min dhanb bukra

My fist is in his mouth, his fist is in my eye (i.e. �six of one, half a dozen of the other�)
Yaddi fi fumuh wa yadduh fi �aini

A friend in time of need is a friend indeed
La sadiq illa fi waqt al-dhiq

A monkey in its mother�s eye is like a gazelle (i.e. love is blind)
Qird fi �ain ummuh ghazaal

If speech is of silver, silence is golden
Lau kan al-kalaam min fidha fa al-samt min dhahab

A bird in hand is worth ten in a tree
'Asfoor fil yadd wa la �ashra fi al-shajarah

Out of sight, out of mind
Ma ghaab �an al-nadhr ghaab �an al-khaatir

If you have honey, don�t lick the pot clean
Idha sahibak �asl la talhusuh kulluh

A white piastre for a black day
Al-qirsh al-abyad li al-yaum al-aswad

You play with a snake and call it a worm
Tal�ab bi hanash wa taquluh dudah
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source: British-Yemeni Society