«لَبِّسِ الْخَشَبَهْ تِبْقَى عَجَبَهْ»

Clothing and ornament can lend striking appeal to something that has none of its own. Even a bare piece of wood, the plainest of materials, draws wonder once it is dressed, so the saying credits outward finery with a large share of what people come to admire.

The image works by contrast: wood is lifeless and ordinary, while ʿajabah names something astonishing. The two key words, al-khashabah and ʿajabah, end in matching sounds, so the line closes on a rhyme that makes it easy to remember and repeat.

Fits remarks on how new clothes, decoration, or careful grooming make a person or thing look far more impressive than before, stressing how strongly attire and presentation shape appearance.