ProverbHub
Arabic · Arabic scriptProverb: Verified

«إِنْ نَامْ لَكِ الدَّهْرْ لَا تْنَامْ لُهْ»

Meanings

Each meaning is reviewed on its own.

Meaning: Verified
English translation

Even when life seems quiet, do not let down your guard.

Literal wording

If time falls asleep for you, do not fall asleep for it.

Meaning and lesson

The saying warns that a calm stretch should not be mistaken for lasting safety. Its image of sleep is figurative: when circumstances appear settled, a person should remain watchful and prepared for change rather than becoming careless.

It treats the passage of time as unpredictable: trouble may be absent for the moment without having disappeared. Its advice is therefore prudence, alertness, and sensible preparation during periods of ease.

When it is used

Use it to caution someone against complacency after a period of calm, success, or apparent security. It fits advice about staying prepared when circumstances, risks, or reversals may still emerge, rather than assuming that a temporary lull will last.

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