User:Shlomif/Hebraic Proverbs

This page is for Hebrew proverbs, in alphabetical order, with English translations. כאן יש מספר פתגמים עבריים, על-פי סדר האלף-בית, כולל תרגומים לאנגלית.

See also the "discussion" page for the errata and todo list.

א

אבן נגולה מעל לבי
- Even nagolah me'al libbi
- Translation: a stone was removed off my heart.
- Meaning: I was relieved from a mental burden.
אדם לאדם זאב
- Adam le'adam Ze'ev
- Translation: a human is a wolf to a human
- Meaning: people treat each other cruelly.
- Latin Equivalent: "Homo homini lupus est."
- English equivalent: It's a dog-eat-dog world.
אותה גברת בשינוי אדרת
- Otah Gevereth Beshinuy Adereth
- Translation: the same madame with another coat.
- Meaning: the same thing with a small difference.
אחרי מות, קדושים אמור
- Achrey mot, q'doshim emor
- Translation: After death, say holy.
- Meaning: Say only good things about people after they die.
- Origin: The Hebrew names of the Leviticus "portions" 16-18,19-20,21-24 are "After death", "Holy" and "Say" respectively, so the table of contents spells the Hebrew phrase (which is grammatical in Hebrew).
- References: for Hebrew names of the portions, see [1] [2] [3]
איך נפלו גיבורים
- Ekh Naflu Giborim
- Translation: how the mighty have fallen.
- Meaning: how the competent (or otherwise those that were heavily anticipated to succeed) have failed.
- Origin: the Bible - 2 Samuel 1 19
אין ארוחת חינם
- Eyn Aruhath Hinam
- Translation: there isn't a free meal.
- Meaning: someone has to pay for a man to support himself.
- English Equivalent: there ain't no such thing as a free lunch.
אין הנחתום מעיד על עיסתו
- Eyn Hanah'tom Meid Al Eesato
- Translation: The baker shouldn't comment on his dough.
- Meaning: A person who makes something should not speak its praises.
- English equivalent: He that tooteth his own horn, the same shall not be tooted. Hezekiah 4:44 (not a real Scripture, only an inference that this saying is true and ancient/respectable)
- English equivalent: Don't blow your own horn.
אין חיה כזאת
- Eyn Hayah Kazoth
- Translation: there's no such animal.
- Meaning: it [= the topic of the conversation] does not exist or is impossible.
אין משיחין בשעת הסעודה פן יקדים קנה לושט
- En mesihin bisha'ath hase'oda pen yaqdim qaneh levesheth
- Meaning: don't talk during the meal lest the trachea will precede the esophagus
אין עשן בלי אש
- Eyn Ashan Bli Esh
- Translation: There is no smoke without fire.
- Meaning: a side-effect has a cause.
- English equivalent: "No smoke without fire", or "Where there's smoke, there's fire".
אליה וקוץ בה
- Aliyah Veqotz Bah
- Translation: a fat tail (of the sheep) with a thorn in it.
- Meaning: a mixed blessing.
- English equivalent: there's a fly in the ointment.
אל יתהלל חוגר כמפתח
- Al yithalel hoger kimfate'ah
- Translation: he who buckles [his armor] should not boast as the one who opens it.
- Meaning: he who goes into battle should not boast as much as the one who has won it.
- Origin: The Bible - Kings 20, 11
אל תסתכל בקנקן, אלא במה שבתוכו
- Al tistakel baqanqan, ela bemah shebetokho
- Translation: Don't look at the jar, but at what's inside it.
- Meaning: don't be fooled by external appearances - find the real value.
- English equivalent: Don't judge a book by its cover.
אל תקנה חתול בשק
- Al Tiqneh Hatul Basaq
- Translation: Don't buy a cat in the sack.
- Meaning: Don't buy an uncertain good.
- English equivalent: Don't buy a pig in a poke.
אל תתן לחתול לשמור על השמנת
- Al Titen La'hatol Lishmor Al Hashameneth
- Translation: Don't let the cat guard the cream
- Meaning: Don't give something to someone who is likely to take it for himself.
- English equivalent: Don't let the fox guard the hen-house.
אם אין אני לי, מי לי; וכשאני לעצמי, מה אני; ואם לא עכשיו, אימתי.(פרקי אבות, פרק א, משנה יד)
- "Im ein ani li, mi li; uchshe'ani le'atzmi, ma ani; ve'im lo achshav, eymatay?" -- Ethics of the Fathers, Chapter 1, Episode 14
- Translation: "If I am not for myself, who is for me? And when I am [only] for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?"
- See also the Chabad page about this sentence
אם בארזים נפלה שלהבת, מה יגידו אזובי הקיר?
- "Im Ba'arazim Naflah Shalheveth, Mah Yagidu Ezovey Haqir?"
- Translation: "If a flame has caught the firs, what will the moss on the wall say?"
- Meaning: if the leadership has become corrupt, what can one expect of lesser folks?
- Origin: from the Biblical Talmud.
- See also this page about the phrase from safa-ivrit.org.
אם ההר לא יבוא אל מוחמד, מוחמד ילך אל ההר.
- "Im ha'har lo yavo el Muhammad, Muhammad yelekh el hahar.
- Translation: "If the mountain won't come to Muhammad, Muhammad will go to the mountain."
- Meaning: if reality does not adapt itself to one's personal whims, one must adapt himself to reality.
אמר את המילה האחרונה
- Amar eth hamilah ha'ahrona
- Translation: (he) said the last word
- Meaning: He had the last laugh, his was the final word

ב

בדקה התשעים (בדקה ה-90)
- Badaqah Hatish'im
- Translation: in the 90th minute.
- Meaning: in the last moment; in the nick of time.
- Origin: from Soccer games which last 90 minutes, and there can be a goal in the 90th minute.
בור ששתית ממנו מים אל תזרוק בו אבן
- Bor she'shatitah mimenu mayim al tizrok bo even.
- Translation: don't throw a stone into a well you drank from.
- Meaning: a person must show his gratitude to all, even to an animal or an object.
בין הפטיש לסדן
- Beyn hapatish lasadan
- Translation: between the hammer and the anvil
- Meaning: between two evils
- English Equivalent: Between a rock and a hard place
בכל רמ"ח איבריו
- Bekhol Ramah Eivarav
- Translation: in all 248 of his bones.
- Meaning: (said of a person) fully, completely.
- Origin: from the Halakha, after the 248 "Do commands" in the Bible, which Hazal believed to be the number of bones in the human body.
במה הועילו חכמים בתקנתם?
- Bameh ho'ilu hakhamim bethaqanatham?
- Translation: how did the wise men help with their ruling?
ברומא התנהג כרומאי
- Be'Roma hitnaheg ke'Roma'i
- Translation: in Rome act like a Roman
- Meaning: one has to adapt oneself to his environment
ברחל בתך הקטנה
- Be'Rahel bitkha haqtanah
- Translation: by Rachel your younger daughter
- Meaning: spell out every detail
- Origin: from the Bible (Genesis 29, 18).
בשר תותחים
- Besar totahim
- Translation: cannon fodder
- Meaning: a live wall.

ג

גדול המצווה ועושה - משאינו מצווה ועושה
- Gadol Ha'Metsoo've ve'oh'se mi'mee she'ay'no me'tsoo've ve'oh'se
- Transtaltion: Greater is he who is obligated to do it, than he who volunteers to do it.
- Meaning: Its harder for a person to do his job, than a volunteer. Moreover the volunteer can walk away at any time, whereas the obligated one, cannot.
- Origin: Talmud in the name of Chananiah ben Teradyon

ד

דומים כמו שתי טיפות מים
- Domim Kmo Shthey Tiputh Mayim
- Translation: similar like two drops of water.
דמו בראשו
- Damo berosho
- Translation: his blood is in his head.
- Meaning: his problems are his own fault.

ה

הזורעים בדמעה - ברינה יקצרו.
- Hazor'im bedim'a - berina yiqtsoro
- Translation: they who seed with tears - will reap with song.
- Meaning: those who worked hard, will reap the fruits of their labour.
היהפוך כושי עורו ונמר חברבורותיו?
- Hayahafokh kushi oro venamer hhavarborotav
- Translation: can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?
- Meaning: certain things cannot be changed, because it is against their nature.
- Origin: Jeremiah 13/23 from the Hebrew Bible
היופי הוא בעיני המתבונן
- Hayofi hoo be'eyney hamitbonen
- Translation: beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
הבדל של שמיים וארץ
- Hevdel shel shamayim va'arets
- Translation: a difference of Sky and Earth.
- Meaning: a very significant difference.
הפוסל במומו פוסל
- Haposel Bemumo Posel
- Translation: the one who disqualifies, disqualifies based on his own fault.
- English Equivalent: Pot calling the kettle black
המטרה מקדשת את האמצעים
- Hamatarah meqadesheth eth ha'emtsa'im
- Translation: the cause makes the means holy. (i.e: in place).
- Meaning: the ends justify the means.
הניח כספו על קרן הצבי
- Henia'ch kaspo al keren ha'tsvi
- Translation: placed his money on the gazzele's horns
- Meaning: risked his money
הסנדלר הולך יחף
- Hasandlar holekh yahef
- Translation: the cobbler walks barefoot.
- Meaning: a professional does not apply his profession upon himself.
- English equivalent: the shoe-maker has no shoes.
השמיים הם הגבול
- Hashamayim hem hagvul
- Translation: the sky's the limit.
- Meaning: said on something that if performed, there will be very vast possibilities.
התפוח לא נופל רחוק מהעץ
- Hatapuakh lo nofel rahoq meha'etz
- Translation: the apple does not fall far from the tree.
- Meaning: children resemble their parents.
- English Equivalent: Chip off the old block

ו

ובא לציון גואל
- Uba Letziyon Go'el
- Translation: and a savior came for Zion.
- Meaning: and the salvation/solution for a problem will come (and everyone will be happy).

ח

חיים ומוות ביד הלשון
- Hayim oo'maveth beyad halashon
- Translation: life and death in the hands of the tongue
- Meaning: what you say can have a large effect on your future.
חיפש את האתונות ומצא את המלוכה
- Hipess eth ha'atonoth oomatsa eth hamelukha
- Translation: looked for the female donkeys and found the kingship.
- Meaning: looked for something minor and found something much greater.
- Origin: from the Bible, in regards to the story about Saul that was anointed as a king after looking for his father's donkeys.

ט

טוב להיות זנב לאריות מאשר ראש לשועלים
- Tov Lihiyoth Zanav La'arayoth Ma'asher Rosh Lashu'alim
- Translation: Better be a tail for the lions than the head of the foxes
- Meaning: It is better to be a minor member of a good group, than a prominent leader of a bad group.
טובה ציפור אחת ביד משתיים על העץ
- Tova Tzipor Ahath Bayad Mishtayim Al Ha'etz
- Translation: "One bird in the hand is better than two on the tree".
טלית שכולה תכלת
- Tallith Shekulah Tkheleth
- Translation: a Tallit which is entirely azure.
- Meaning: someone who is a purely benevolent person. Usually said negatively: "he isn't a Tallit which is entirely azure".

י

ירד לטמיון
- Yarad letimyon
- Translation: went to the government's treasury
- Meaning: to get lost; to go down the drain.

יש גבול לכל תעלול
- Yesh Gvul Lekhol Ta'alul
- Translation: there's a limit to every act of mischief
- Meaning: enough is enough.

כ

כורת את הענף שעליו הוא יושב
- Koreth eth ha'anaf she'alav hu yoshev
- Translation: He cuts the branch that he is sitting on.
- Meaning: he is hurting something that he depends on.
כי בתחבולות תעשה לך מלחמה
- Ki betah'boloth ta'aseh lekha milhama
- Translation: because with tricks you should do a war
- Origin: The Bible - Pslams 24, 6
כל הדרכים מובילות לרומא
- Kol hadrakhim moviloth le'Roma
- Translation: all the roads lead to Rome.
כל שני וחמישי
- Kol Sheni va'Hamishi
- Translation: every Monday and Thursday
- Meaning: often and continuously (every few days).
- Origin: from the days of the Torah reading, besides Saturday, which in turn originated from Market days in Judea during the Second Temple.
כמו כוסות רוח למת
- Kmo Kosoth Ru'akh Lameth
- Translation: like fire cups for the dead.
- Meaning: like something useless.

ל

לא דובים ולא יער
- Lo Dubim Velo Ya'ar
- Translation: No bears and no forest.
- Meaning: Never happened.
לא היו דברים מעולם
- Lo hayu dvarim me'olam
- Translation: (these) things never happened.
לא תמיד אתה מפספס את האוטובוס, לפעמים האוטובוס מפספס אותך
- Lo tamid atha mefasfes eth ha'otobus, lif'amim ha'otobus mefasfes otkha.
- Translation: You don't always miss the bus. Sometimes, it misses you.
להכות בברזל בעודו חם
- Lehakoth Babarzel Be'odo Ham
- Translation: hit the iron while it's hot.
- Meaning: exploit the opportunity while it still exists.
לחפש בנרות
- Lehapes Baneroth
- Translation: to search using candles.
- Meaning: to search thoroughly (in obscure places, etc.).
למען יראו וייראו
- Lema'an Yir'u Va'yira'u
- Translation: so (people) will see and fear.

מ

מדברים על החמור (והחמור בא)
- Medabrim al hahamor (ve'hahamor ba)
- Translation: speaking of the donkey (and the donkey comes)
- Meaning: said when someone appears shortly after he has been discussed.
- English Equivalent: Speak of the devil
מהר יצא עכבר
- Mehar Yatza Akhbar
- Translation: a mountain ended up as a mouse
- Meaning: something that was hyped to be very significant, turned out to be much less so.
- English Equivalent: Made a mountain of a mole hill
מה ששנוא עליך - אל תעשה לחברך
- Mah Sheshano'a Aleikha Al Ta'aseh Lehaberkha
- Translation: don't do to another what is hated by you.
מחט בערמת שחת
- Mahat Be'aremath Shahath
- Translation: a needle in a pile of hay.
- Meaning: "a needle in a haystack", trying to find something specific in a big surrounding of no interest to the person who looks for it.
מי שאוכל לבד - מת לבד
- Mi she'okhel levad - meth levad
- Translation: he who eats by himself, dies by himself.
- Corollaries:
  - מי שאוכל לבד - אוכל יותר
    - Mi she'okhel levad - okhel yother
    - Translation: he who eats by himself, eats more.
    - Origin: the motto of the Cheetos snack in Israel
  - מי שאוכל לבד, מת לבד, אבל מי שמשתף אחרים, מת מרעב
    - Mi she'okhel levad, meth levad, aval mi shemashatef aherim, meth mera'av
    - Translation: he who eats by himself, dies alone, but he who shares his food, dies of hunger.
      - (Therefore he who eats alone will die with his stomach full)
מי שטרח בערב שבת, יאכל בשבת
- Mi shetarah be'erev Shabbath, yokhal beshabath
- Translation: "He who labored on Shabbath' Eve, will eat on Shabbath".
- Meaning: he who labored in preparance, will enjoy the fruit of his labor.
מי שלא מרים עשר אגורות, לא שווה עשר אגורות
- Mi shelo merim eser agoroth, lo shaveh eser agoroth
- Translation: he who doesn't pick up a dime, isn't worth a dime.
מי שנכווה ברותחין יזהר בפושרין
- Mi Shenikhwah Berot'hin Yizaher Beposhrin
- Translation: He who got burnt in boiling water, will be careful in mildly warm water.
מכל טוב הארץ
- Mikol Tuv Ha'arets
- Translation: from all the good things of the land.
- Meaning: "from all the riches of the land" - a lot of good things.
מן הפח אל הפחת
- Min hapah el hapahath
- Translation: from the trap to the pit.
- Meaning: from the frying pan into the fire.
- English Equivalent: From bad to worse
מרבה נכסים - מרבה דאגות
- Marbeh Nekhasim - Marbeh De'agoth
- Translation: (he who) proliferates possessions - proliferates worries
- English Equivealent: more money - more problems.
מרוב עצים לא רואים את היער
- Merov etzim lo ro'im eth ha'ya'ar
- Translation: Can't see the forest for the trees.
- Meaning: the subject is obscured by the details.

נ

נאה דורש - נאה מקיים
- Na'eh doresh - na'eh meqayem
- Translation: he who demands well, should fullfill his demands well.
- English equivalent: "You've got to practice what you preach".
נהרוג טורקי - ננוח
- Na'harog Turqi - na'nuahh
- Translation: let's kill one Turk, then rest.
- English equivalent: "One job at a time".
נכנס יין - יצא סוד
- Nikhnas Yayin - Yatza Sod
- Translation: "Wine Entered - Secret Went Out".
- Note: in Gematria the values of "wine" and "secret" are the same - 70.
נפל האסימון
- Nafal Ha'asimon
- Translation: the token has fallen down.
- Meaning: something was finally understood.

ס

סנונית אחת אינה מבשרת את בוא האביב
- Snonith ahath eyna mevasereth eth bo ha'aviv
- Translation: one swallow does not herald the coming of spring.
- Meaning: one occurrence does not indicate a general pattern.
- Origin: Aristotle's "Nicomachean Ethics".

סערה בכוס מים
- Se'arah bekos mayim
- Translation: a storm in a glass of water.
- Meaning: a large fuss with little effect on the outside.
- English equivalent: "Tempest in a teacup/teapot".

ע

עבר זמנו - בטל קורבנו
- Avar Zmano - Battel Qorbano
- Translation: Its time passed - its sacrifice is cancelled
- Meaning: it's no longer relevant to take the necessary measure, because it's long past when it would have helped.
עוד הזרוע נטויה
- Od Hazro'a Netuyah
- Translation: And the arm is still erect.
- Meaning: It is still going strong.
- Origin: probably from the Bible, where in a battle with the Amaleq, the Israelites were winning when Moses' arm was erect and losing when his arm was down.
על ראש הגנב בוער הכובע
- "Al Rosh Haganav Bo'er Hakova"
- Translation: The hat burns on the head of the thief.
- Origin: reportedly from a folk tale in which a community leader found the identity of a thief by gathering the town and saying that he sees the thief's hat burning, and then observing the real thief feeling his hat with his hands.
עם האוכל בא התאבון
- "Im Ha'okhel Ba' Hate'avon"
- Translation: "the appetite comes with the food."
- Meaning: once you start something, you feel like doing it.
עם יד על הלב
- "Im Yad Al Halev"
- Translation: with a hand on the heart.
- Meaning: sincerely.
עם קצת רצון ועם קצת יכולת גם פיל יזיין תרנגולת
- "Im Qtzath Ratson Ve'im Qtzath Yehuleth Gam Pill Yezayen Tarnegoleth"
- Translation: With some will and some ability, even a elephant will f*ck a chicken
- Meaning: If you want something, you can achieve it

פ

פה קבור הכלב
- Po Qavur Hakelev
- Translation: "The dog is buried here."
- Meaning: this is the main issue.
פוסח על שני הסעיפים
- Pose'ah al shney ha'se'ifim
- Translation: "skips on two branches"
- Meaning: "cannot decide between two options and does a little of both".
- Origin: Bible, prophet Eliyahu's quote - "Ad matay tifsehu al shtey ha'se'ifim".
פעם שלישית גלידה
- Pa'am shlishith glidah
- Translation: third time icecream.
- Meaning: said when two people accidentally meet twice during a short period, saying that the next time, the other person should buy some icecream to the speaker.
- English Equivalent: Third time's the charm.
- See this page in the Hebrew Wikipedia about it.
פרה פרה
- Parah Parah
- Translation: Literal: "Cow. cow" or "A cow, A cow". Meaning: "One cow at a time."
- Meaning: one should accomplish two or more things by tackling them one at a time.
- See also this resource in the MSN learn Hebrew forum

צ

צדק - צדק תרדוף
- Tsedeq Tsedeq Tirdof
- Translation: Justice, Justice you shall pursue.
- Origin: from the Torah - Deuteronomy 16, 20
צוחק מי שצוחק אחרון
- Tsoheq mi shetsoheq aharon
- Translation: laughs he who laughs last.
- Meaning: the winner is the one who won at the end.
צרות באות בצרורות
- Tsaroth ba'oth bitsro'oth
- Translation: troubles come in packs.
- English equivalent: when it rains, it pours.
- Corollaries:
  - צרה צרורה
    - Tsarah Tsrurah
    - Translation: a packed trouble.
צרת רבים - חצי נחמה
- Tsarath rabim - hatzi nehamath
- Translation: The trouble of many - half of the consolation.
- Meaning: It is better to share your troubles with people.
צרת רבים - נחמת טיפשים
- Tsarath rabim - nehamath tipshim
- Translation: The trouble of many - the consolation of fools.

ק

קרח מכאן ומכאן
- "Qere'ah Mikan Oomikan"
- Translation: "Bald from here and from here"
- Meaning: deprived in both senses.
- Story behind: a man who has two wives: one young and one old. The young one removes his old hair, and the old one removes his young hair, and thus he becomes "bald from here and from here".

ר

רומא לא נבנתה ביום אחד
- Roma Lo Nivnetha Beyom Ehad
- Translation: "Rome wasn't built in a day."

רוקד בשתי חתונות
- Roqed Bishtey Hatunoth
- Translation: "Dancing in Two Weddings".
- Meaning: "Does two different things (or is committed to two different entities) at once."

רחוק מהעין - רחוק מהלב
- Rahoq Meha'ayin - Rahoq Mehalev
- Translation: "Far from the eye - far from the heart".
- English equivalent: "out of sight - out of mind"

ש

שושנה בין החוחים
- Shoshanah Beyn Hahhohhim
- Translation: a lily (or incorrectly a rose) between the thorns
- Meaning: an excpetionally good woman within a bad society.
שניים רבים - השלישי זוכה
- Shnayim Ravim Hashlishi Zokheh
- Translation: two are fighting - the third wins.
שעיר לעזאזל
- Se'ir La'azazel
- Meaning: scapegoat.
- Origin: from the bible. (Leviticus 16)
- English Equivalent: Scape goat.
- Corollaries:
  - הולך לעזאזל
    - Holekh La'azazel
    - Translation: goes to the Azazel.
    - Meaning: goes to hell, goes down the drain.

ת

תפסת מרובה - לא תפסת
- Tafasta Merubeh - Lo Tafasta
- Translation: (tried to) caught a lot - didn't catch.
- Meaning: if one tries to achieve too many goals at once, he'll achieve none or few of them.

א ב ג ד ה ו ז ח ט י כ ל מ נ ס ע פ צ ק ר ש ת