- English translation
Once the donkey died, the visits stopped.
- Literal wording
The she-donkey died, and the visiting was cut off.
- Meaning and lesson
The saying observes that something lasts only as long as the means that sustain it. Once the support, tool, or occasion behind an activity disappears, the activity itself ends, just as the visits ended when the animal that carried the visitor died. The Arabic rhymes ḥumāra (she-donkey) with ziyāra (visiting).
It can also carry a gently ironic edge. It may point out that a routine or relationship was held together by a practical convenience rather than deeper commitment, so removing that convenience quietly ends the whole arrangement.
- When it is used
Use it when an activity, habit, or connection stops because the one thing that enabled it is gone, such as transport, funding, or a go-between. Applied to a friendship, it can imply the bond was only ever convenient, so use it with care.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
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