Darija · culture35 Moroccan Darija Proverbs & Their Meanings
212 Daily· Updated June 22, 2026
Moroccan wisdom in its purest form — proverbs (amthal) passed down generations, each with translation and meaning.
lli bgha l3sel ysber l9ris
اللي بغا العسل يصبر للقريص
“He who wants honey must endure the bee stings.”
Good things require patience and enduring hardship to reach them.
lli fat mat
اللي فات مات
“What has passed is dead.”
Don't dwell on the past; let go of what's already gone.
sber muftah l faraj
الصبر مفتاح الفرج
“Patience is the key to relief.”
Staying patient eventually opens the way out of hardship.
yed wahda ma tsfe9
يد وحدة ما تصفّق
“One hand cannot clap.”
Cooperation is needed; nothing big is achieved alone.
lli ma3andou flous klamou mayswa
اللي ما عندوش الفلوس كلامو ما يسوى
“He who has no money, his words are worth nothing.”
Society listens to the wealthy; the poor are ignored.
3qel qbel ma tdwi
عقل قبل ما تدوي
“Think before you speak.”
Weigh your words carefully before saying them.
ktert l9ird hia li dir li ydir
كثرة القرود هي اللي دير اللي يدير
“Too many monkeys make a mess.”
Too many people meddling ruins the work.
lli khaf slem
اللي خاف سلم
“He who is cautious stays safe.”
Being careful and fearful of danger keeps you out of trouble.
jar 9bel dar
الجار قبل الدار
“The neighbor before the house.”
Choose a good neighbor before choosing the house itself.
d-dra3 ma yt3awej 3la l3yn
الذراع ما يتعوّج على العين
“The arm doesn't bend against the eye.”
Family blood stays loyal; relatives don't truly turn on each other.
lli 3ajbou 3jbou w lli ma 3ajbou ykhelli
اللي عجبو عجبو واللي ما عجبوش يخلّي
“He who likes it likes it, and he who doesn't can leave it.”
Said when you won't change to please others; take it or leave it.
3ndou flous gher l9ottan
عندو الفلوس غير القطّان
“His money is just cotton (light/worthless).”
Mocking someone whose money brings no real value or who spends foolishly.
3la 9ad lfrachek medd rejlik
على قدّ فراشك مدّ رجليك
“Stretch your legs only as far as your blanket reaches.”
Live within your means; don't spend beyond what you have.
li ma yssme3 klam bouh w mmou yssme3 klam 3dwou
اللي ما يسمعش كلام بوه ومّه يسمع كلام عدوه
“He who won't hear his parents' words will hear his enemy's words.”
Ignoring family advice forces you to learn from your enemies the hard way.
l3jla men chitan
العجلة من الشيطان
“Haste is from the devil.”
Rushing leads to mistakes; take your time.
li sbe9 lddba7
اللي سبق الدبح
“He who comes first gets slaughtered first.”
Sometimes being first or hasty puts you at risk; jokingly about going first.
klb lhrach ma ymout f l3rs
كلب الحراش ما يموتش في العرس
“The scavenger dog won't die at a wedding feast.”
A resourceful person never goes hungry where there's plenty.
ila kan sa7bek 3sel ma tl79ouch kamel
إلا كان صاحبك عسل ما تلحسوش كامل
“If your friend is honey, don't lick him all up.”
Don't take advantage of a kind person's generosity.
darb b3da kan dwa
الضرب بعدا كان دوا
“Even a beating can be a cure.”
Tough discipline can sometimes set someone straight.
li 3yan yji ydir l3yan
اللي عيّان يجي يدير العيّان
“The tired one comes to make others tired.”
A helpless or clumsy person ends up burdening everyone else.
chedd lmektoub ma yhrebch
شدّ المكتوب ما يهربش
“Hold onto what's written; fate won't run away.”
What is destined for you will reach you; no need to rush or worry.
l9ahwa bla atay bhal lmra bla 7ya
القهوة بلا أتاي بحال المرا بلا حيا
“Coffee without tea is like a woman without modesty.”
Said playfully about things that just don't go together.
li bgha yghreb ghreb l 9rib
اللي بغا يغرّب غرّب القريب
“He who wants to drive away, drives away the one closest.”
We often hurt those nearest to us; closeness brings friction.
sber 3la jarek ysib l79ek
اصبر على جارك يصيب حقّك
“Be patient with your neighbor and you'll get your due.”
Patience with those around you eventually pays off.
l9ll men l7bib jmil
القليل من الحبيب جميل
“A little from a loved one is beautiful.”
Even a small gift or gesture from someone you love is precious.
li ma yeftih ramdan ma yeftih cha3ban
اللي ما يفطيهش رمضان ما يفطيهش شعبان
“What Ramadan won't satisfy, Sha'ban won't either.”
If the main effort didn't work, a smaller one won't fix it.
khouk khouk la yghorrek sa7bek
خوك خوك لا يغرّك صاحبك
“Your brother is your brother; don't be fooled by a friend.”
In hard times, blood family is more dependable than friends.
l7it 9sir w sm li 3lih
الحيط قصير وسم اللي عليه
“The wall is low, so everyone climbs over it.”
A weak or kind person gets taken advantage of by everyone.
li chaf 3rs ddib ma ynssah
اللي شاف عرس الديب ما ينساه
“He who saw the wolf's wedding never forgets it.”
A frightening or unforgettable experience stays with you forever.
7ll fmmek tban snanek
حلّ فمّك تبان سنانك
“Open your mouth and your teeth show.”
Once you speak, your true nature and intentions are revealed.
li khdem l3id ja3
اللي خدم العيد جاع
“He who worked for the feast went hungry.”
Sometimes the one who does all the labor gets none of the reward.
ma kayn 7ssen men l3afya f lbrd
ما كاين أحسن من العافية في البرد
“Nothing is better than a fire in the cold.”
The right help at the right time is invaluable.
li ma 3andou lkbir ychri lih
اللي ما عندوش الكبير يشري ليه
“He who has no elder should buy one.”
Elders' wisdom and guidance are priceless; value your elders.
d 3awd lik nta w n3awd lik ana
عاود ليك أنت ونعاود ليك أنا
“You tell me your story and I'll tell you mine.”
Said about endless complaining where everyone trades grievances.
li ja3 ywelli sbe3
اللي جاع يولي سبع
“He who goes hungry turns into a lion.”
Necessity and hardship make a person fierce and resourceful.
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