- English translation
"Crow, give me a date." "Sorry, these go only to those fate assigns them to." "Well, the one fate assigned to me is the one you're holding."
- Literal wording
O crow, hand over a date. It said: These are allotted shares. He said: My share is right there between your hands.
- Meaning and lesson
In this short exchange, someone asks a crow for one of its dates. The crow refuses, saying such portions (qisam) go only to whoever they are allotted to. The asker retorts that his own allotted portion (qismati) is the very date in front of the crow, turning the crow's own word against it.
Applied to people, the saying is directed at someone who puts forward an excuse that cannot be accepted. Quoting it signals that the reason given for not doing what was asked does not hold up.
- When it is used
Say it in response to someone whose stated reason for declining a request strikes you as unacceptable. The crow's reply and the asker's retort together show that the excuse offered does not stand.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
Report an issue with this meaning: "Crow, give me a date." "Sorry, these go only to those fate assigns them to." "Well, the one fate assigned to me is the one you're holding."