- English translation
One said, "God damn whoever abuses others!" The other answered, "God damn whoever gives others reason to abuse him!"
- Literal wording
He said: May God curse the one who insults people. He said: May God curse the one who makes people need to insult him.
- Meaning and lesson
The saying is staged as a short exchange. One voice condemns anyone who heaps abuse on others; a second voice answers with nearly the same words but turns the curse toward the person whose behavior pushed others into abusing him. The repeated frame makes the reversal sharp.
The lesson is that blame for harsh words does not rest only with the speaker. Someone who keeps acting in ways that invite reproach has brought the insults on himself, and complaining about them misses his own part. Avoid giving others cause, and you avoid being reviled.
- When it is used
Fits a moment when someone complains about being cursed or criticized while ignoring what they did to earn it. Saying it shifts attention from the angry words to the provocation behind them. It can sound pointed, so it works best among people comfortable with blunt retorts.
- Register
- Colloquial Arabic
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
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