Explore Arabic traditional proverbsReviewed 2026-09-27
Sense: Verified- English translation
A tray piled with bread may escape being raided, yet even a house crowded with soldiers cannot be counted on to escape death.
- Literal wording
Trust a wicker tray full of bread, but do not trust a house full of soldiers.
- Meaning and lesson
Death can come suddenly, and even a large group has no assurance of surviving it.
- When it is used
Said to caution against assuming that strength in numbers offers protection from death.
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- Colloquial proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
Report an issue with this meaning: A tray piled with bread may escape being raided, yet even a house crowded with soldiers cannot be counted on to escape death.