ProverbHub
Arabic · Arabic scriptProverb: Verified

«حِبِّنِي وِخُدْلَكْ زَعْبُوطْ هِيَّ الْمَحَبَّهْ بِالنَّبُّوتْ؟!»

Meanings

Each meaning is reviewed on its own.

Meaning: Verified
English translation

"Love me, and here's a robe for you!" Is love something to be won with a club?!

Literal wording

Love me and take yourself a woolen robe; is love, then, by the cudgel?!

Meaning and lesson

The saying ridicules efforts to obtain love by outside means. It sets an offered gift, a woolen robe, next to the image of a heavy stick, and asks whether love could ever be gained that way. The answer, left unspoken, is clearly no.

The point is that affection cannot be bought with presents, and it cannot be forced out of someone through intimidation or compulsion. Whether the approach is a reward or a threat, love does not arrive on command.

When it is used

Fits as a retort when someone tries to secure another person's affection by handing out gifts or by applying threats and pressure. The closing question is rhetorical and plainly expects the answer no.

Register
colloquial
Cite or copy proverb