Arabic proverbs

I love proverbs, most of them are pure wisdom condensated in a sentence, and Portuguese culture seems to be the richest in proverbs (about 600, i think), but today i wanted to share some from a different culture because probably like me they are new to you...


A book is a garden carried in the pocket.
A book that remains shut, is but a block.
A kind word can attract even the snake from his nest.
A little and a little, collected together, becomes a great deal; the heap in the barn consists of single grains, and drop and drop makes an inundation.
A little bird wants but a little nest.
A little body doth often harbour a great soul.
A little debt makes a debtor, a great one an enemy.
A man profits more by the sight of an idiot than by the orations of the learned.
All mankind is divided into three classes: those that are immovable, those that are moveable, and those that move.
Beware of one who flatters unduly; he will also censure unjustly.
Compete, don't envy.
Death is a black camel that lies down at every door. Sooner or later you must ride the camel.
Death is a black camel which kneels at every man's gate.
Diligence is a great teacher.
Diligence is the mother of good luck.
Do not cut down the tree that gives you shade.
Fear not the man who fears God.
I am a prince and you are a prince; who will lead the donkeys?.
If begging should unfortunately be thy lot, knock at the large gates only.
If you have much, give of your wealth; if you have little, give of your heart.
If you stop every time a dog barks, your road will never end.
Judge a man by the reputation of his enemies.
Judge not of a ship as she lies on the stocks.
Know each other as if your were brothers; negotiate deals as if you were strangers to each other.
Knowledge acquired as a child is more lasting than an engraving on stone.
Knowledge is a treasure, but practice is the key to it.
No man is a good physician who has never been sick.
One coin in the money-box makes more noise than when it is full.
Salt will never be worm-eaten.
Search knowledge though it be in China.
Silence is the best answer to the stupid. The fool has his answer on the tip of his tongue.
Sinning is the best part of repentance.
Sins of omission are seldom fun.
The different sorts of madness are innumerable.
The difficult is done at once, the impossible takes a little longer.
The hasty and the tardy meet at the ferry.
The hasty angler loses the fish.
The hasty hand catches frogs for fish.
Throw a lucky man in the sea, and he will come up with a fish in his mouth.
Throw dirt enough, and some will stick.
Trust in God, but tie your camel.
Trust makes way for treachery.

P.S.- I know that some of you don't understand Portuguese, some others don't understand English, so I'm trying to translate and post bilingual messages...

P.S.- Eu sei que alguns não entendem Português, outros não entendem Inglês por isso estou a tentar traduzir e colocar todas as mensagens nas duas línguas.