«لِف سَنَهْ وَلَا تْخَطِّي قَنَهْ»

The saying puts safety ahead of speed. It is better to spend a whole year taking the long road over dry land than to save time by crossing water, even a channel narrow enough to step over. A small hazard is treated as worth a great deal of extra effort to avoid.

More broadly, it is a counsel of caution. A familiar, secure path is worth its added length and tedium, while a tempting shortcut may hide danger. The two halves rhyme in Arabic, sana against qana, which sets the long year directly against the narrow channel.

Use it to advise someone to choose a slow, roundabout but safe course over a quick shortcut that carries some risk, however small that risk appears. It suits warnings against hasty or reckless choices, such as an impatient plan or a risky shortcut in work or travel.