- English translation
The needy at your own door come before the needy who drift through.
- Literal wording
The poor one of the courtyard is better than the poor one of the wanderers.
- Meaning and lesson
The saying sets two needy people side by side: one who lives in your own courtyard or quarter, and one who roams from place to place. It ranks the first above the second, holding that help and generosity should begin with the poor who are closest to you.
The principle is that kindness owes its first debt to kin, neighbors and familiar faces before it reaches distant strangers. The Arabic pairs sāḥa and sawwāḥa, two words built on a shared sound, so the contrast between staying near and wandering far rings out in the rhyme.
- When it is used
Suitable when weighing where to direct charity, favors or help, to argue that needy relatives, neighbors or members of one's own circle deserve priority over unknown people passing through. It can also gently justify a choice already made in favor of someone close.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
Report an issue with this meaning: The needy at your own door come before the needy who drift through.