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Arabic · Arabic scriptProverb: Verified

«يُغُورِ الشَّهْدْ مِنْ وِشِّ الْقِرْدْ»

Meanings

Each meaning is reviewed on its own.

Meaning: Verified
English translation

Keep your honey if it comes from a monkey's face.

Literal wording

May the honeycomb be gone, away from the face of the monkey.

Meaning and lesson

The saying describes refusing something sweet and desirable because of where it comes from. The honey stands for any real benefit, and the monkey's face stands for a giver whose appearance or behavior is repellent. Distaste for the giver outweighs the value of the gift.

It reflects an old judgment that ugliness of form or manners spoils whatever a person offers; the monkey image is an insult, not a view to endorse. A speaker may use it to justify their own refusal, or to comment on someone who rejects an advantage because they cannot stand its source.

When it is used

Use it when someone turns down a good offer or favor because the giver is disliked or seen as ill-natured. It is a curt, scornful dismissal of the source, harsh and demeaning if aimed at a real person; never use it to mock someone's physical appearance.

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