«كُتْرِ الْهِزَارْ يِقَلِّلِ الْمَقَامْ»

The saying warns that a person who jokes too often gradually loses the dignity and regard others grant them. Humor is not condemned in itself. The point is that habitual levity makes people stop taking someone seriously, and that erodes their standing.

It also suggests that respect depends partly on restraint. Someone known mainly for banter may find their opinions dismissed, may be treated with casual disrespect, or may provoke resentment when their jokes land badly. A measured, sober manner protects one's social weight.

Fitting as a gentle warning to someone whose constant teasing or clowning risks undermining the respect they hold, especially a person in a position of authority or seniority. It can also explain, after the fact, why someone's word no longer carries weight.