- English translation
Umm Amir, go ahead and sift the flour.
- Literal wording
Sift, O Umm Amir.
- Meaning and lesson
The saying conveys that concealment is no longer possible: the facts have become plain, so there is little point in denying or disguising what has happened. It can amount to a blunt acceptance that the matter is already exposed.
By extension, it may be said of someone whose good fortune or success gives them reason to act more freely and enjoy greater ease. Its apparent approval may be ironic, however, and can serve as ridicule rather than genuine praise.
- When it is used
Use it when an outcome has become obvious and further pretence seems futile, or when commenting on someone enjoying a favorable turn in their affairs. Tone is crucial: it may be approving, but irony can make it openly sarcastic or mocking.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
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