«اِلْهِي الْكَلْبْ بِعَضْمَهْ»

The proverb recommends handling a threatening or meddlesome person by offering something trifling that absorbs their attention. It presents a small concession as a practical way to prevent further trouble from someone regarded as base or easily satisfied.

Its force lies in the scornful judgment that the other person can be diverted by something of little worth. The advice is strategic rather than conciliatory: it seeks to neutralize an annoyance, not to show esteem or pursue an equal settlement. Comparing a person to a dog is demeaning.

The expression applies when a minor offering or diversion is thought sufficient to occupy a troublesome person and keep them from causing harm. Its comparison of the target to a dog makes the wording markedly contemptuous and unsuitable for respectful reference.