«ضَمِّةِ الْقَبْرْ وَلَا ضَمِّةْ عَدُو»

The saying is a deliberate exaggeration. It invokes the solemn religious belief that the grave presses upon the dead, and the speaker claims that this grip would be easier to bear than being held close by someone who wishes them harm. Death is pictured as the lesser burden, showing how strong the revulsion is.

In practice, it rejects any show of warmth from a person whose friendliness hides ill will. The speaker prefers open hardship, even the worst kind, to an enemy's false embrace. The Arabic uses one word for both the grave's pressing and that embrace, a wordplay English cannot easily keep.

Use this saying to express strong refusal of closeness, reconciliation, or physical affection from someone believed to be secretly hostile. It suits emphatic, emotional speech. It can sound harsh or morbid, so it fits poorly in light or polite conversation.