- English translation
Money is a salve that gives the lowly some standing: yesterday he was plain Bakr, and now they call him the honorable Hajj Bakkar.
- Literal wording
Dirhams are ointments; they give the lowly one a measure of worth, and after he had been Bakr, they named him al-Hajj Bakkar.
- Meaning and lesson
Wealth, here represented by dirhams, acts like a soothing ointment on a person's social standing. It hides humble origins and raises someone once overlooked to a place of respect. Money leaves the person unchanged but transforms how others treat and address him.
The names make the point vivid: a man known simply as Bakr becomes al-Hajj Bakkar, a grander name with a title of prestige that people grant out of regard for his wealth. The picture mocks how eagerly people heap honors on someone once he grows rich.
- When it is used
Say it wryly when someone of modest standing suddenly earns respect, titles, or flattering names simply because they have money. The jab falls as much on the flatterers as on the newly rich.
- Register
- Colloquial Arabic
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
Report an issue with this meaning: Money is a salve that gives the lowly some standing: yesterday he was plain Bakr, and now they call him the honorable Hajj Bakkar.