Explore Arabic traditional proverbsReviewed 2026-10-13
Meaning: Verified- English translation
A kind word for the old ferryman.
- Literal wording
The old ferryman is shown mercy.
- Meaning and lesson
The saying points to a familiar contrast: when someone draws many complaints, the person who follows may make the earlier one seem deserving of mercy.
It shifts judgment from the individual being criticized to the comparison created by a successor whose faults invite even stronger complaint.
- When it is used
It is used when a replacement or later person proves so troublesome that people speak more sympathetically about the person they had complained about before.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
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