«شُوفْ حَالُهْ قَبْلِ انْ تِسَالُهْ»

Before putting a question to someone about how they are, take in what is plainly visible about them. Their situation, once noticed, frequently supplies the answer on its own, so the question may turn out to be needless.

The emphasis falls on order: noticing should come first and asking second. In the original, the two halves of the line end in matching sounds, a chime that does not carry over into English.

Said when someone asks how a person is faring and the answer is already obvious from their visible state, most typically when a visitor inquires about a patient whose illness has grown severe. It can suggest the question is unnecessary.