«مِنْ عِتِرْ فِي حَجَرْ وِرِجِعْ إِلِيهْ يِسْتَاهِلْ مَا يِجْرَى عَلِيهْ»

The proverb holds that a first misfortune can be excused as bad luck, but repeating the same mistake after being warned by experience is a choice. Whoever ignores a lesson they have already paid for has no grounds to complain about the consequences.

In practice it works as a verdict on someone's carelessness rather than as comfort. The speaker withholds sympathy and places responsibility on the person who walked back into a known danger, while implicitly urging listeners to remember and avoid what has harmed them before. The rhyme of إِلِيهْ with عَلِيهْ gives it its punch.

Said of someone who suffers again from a hazard they already knew firsthand, such as a bad partner, a cheating trader, or a reckless habit. It assigns blame to the person, so it can sound harsh when spoken directly to someone who is hurting.