«اِلطُّولْ عَ النَّخْلْ وِالتُّخْنْ عَ الْجِمِّيزْ»

Physical size is a poor reason for pride. A date palm will always stand taller than any person, and a sycamore fig (Ficus sycomorus, not the maple or plane tree) will always be broader, so boasting about height or bodily bulk claims a quality trees possess in far greater measure.

The saying pushes the listener toward a better measure of worth. A person should value what sets them apart as a human being, such as character, skill, or conduct, rather than a body that nature hands out freely and that plants easily surpass.

Use it to deflate someone who takes pride in being tall, big, or physically imposing, reminding them that size proves nothing. The clipped second half alone, about bulk belonging to the sycamore fig, can also serve as a dry retort aimed at boasting about bulk.