Japanese Proverbs (1)

Every semester-end I have to do what we call "Ta3zeeleh" for my room. Especially, my book shelves. Because the situation of them become very unbelievable.
I thought about taking a picture to post it, but then I decided not to do that. Because it was "very hidoi"!! To describe this "hidoi"ness, I think it is better to say that cleaning and rearranging the books took 3 days every time I do that!
Well, the extreme-untidiness is not the only reason for that. Another reason is that when I arrange the books I browse every book, and sometimes I stay to read all the book before putting it in its place.

Anyway, as you can notice from the title, this post is not to talk about my bookshelf, nor my untidiness. Actually it's about some Japanese proverbs I "discovered" during the "cleaning" process.

Last year I was studying Japanese with N-sensei, in that time I asked her to teach me some Japanese proverbs. And she was giving me after each lesson a card with a proverb wrote on it. I was looking forward to read what is wrote on the card, and then pasting it on a special notebook I made, called "Nihon no Kotowaza" notebook. I was very happy to find it between tens of books, 「なつかしいなー」。。。

Learning proverbs was very useful, fun and wonderful! The useful part was learning new words from the proverb, and knowing how people were thinking. The fun part was when I was trying to find a similar-meaning Arabic proverb, and when "okashii" words come out. The wonderful part was when I noticed that there is an exactly the same meaning proverb in Arabic for some of them! The same words, the same meaning, and also the same way of use!

I like to share with you some of these proverbs, and if you know a more-meaningful Arabic proverb match with any of them please tell me^^

便りのないのは良い便り
It means when there are no news, that mean that the news are good. No bad news.
In Arabic: (I didn't find a suitable one for this!:(

安物買いの銭失い
It means: Buying cheap stuffs is loosing money
(الرخيص بروح كب) (I wonder if it is in Syrian accent?)
(الغالي سعره فيه)

雨降って地固まる
Every time the rain falls, the land become more tough.
I also remember this "kotowaza" from T-sensei's class. It was very interesting.
In Arabic: (ما تاخد صاحبك إلا بعد القتلة)

早起きは三文の得
Waking up early equals 3 pennis, means it is a little good.
In Arabic: (نم بكير فيق بكير شوف الصحة كيف بتصير)

猿も木から落ちる
Even monkeys fall from trees.
In Arabic: (لكل جواد كبوة و لكل عالم هفوة)

かわいい子には旅をさせよ
Make your cute kid travel around.
I didn't find a suitable sentence for this one also:(

備えあれば憂いなし
If there were preparations, then no need to worry.
(من جد وجد ومن سار على الدرب وصل) かな？

鉄は熱いうちに打て
Please notice here how much it is similar to the arabic one which says:
(دق الحديد وهو حامي)!!

笑う門には福来る
From the laughing family(or house) the happiness comes.
(اضحك تضحك لك الدنيا)

住めば都
The place where you live is your country.
(من عاشر القوم أربعين يوم صار منهم) かな？

急がば回れ
If you were in hurry return back.
(في العجلة الندامة وفي التأني السلامة)

目は口ほどにものを言う
The eyes talk like the mouth
(رب طرف أنطق من قول)

良薬は口に苦し
Good medicine is bitter for mouth.
(من طلب العلا سهر الليالي)

火のないところに煙は立たぬ
There is no smoke if there is no fire
(ما في دخان بدون نار)

Very interesting. isn't it?^^

つづく。。。