ProverbHub
Arabic · Arabic scriptProverb: Verified

«اِللِّي يَاكُلْ عَلَى دِرْسُهْ يِنْفَعْ نَفْسُهْ»

Meanings

Each meaning is reviewed on its own.

Meaning: Verified
English translation

Whoever chews with his own teeth gains the benefit.

Literal wording

Whoever eats with his own molar benefits himself.

Meaning and lesson

The proverb praises taking personal responsibility for what concerns one’s own welfare. A person gains most directly by doing the necessary work for himself rather than leaving that essential task to someone else.

Its image of a molar figuratively refers to handling one’s own necessary affairs and presents eating with one’s own teeth as self-directed effort. Where well-being depends on action, waiting for another person to act does not bring the same benefit.

When it is used

Used to advise someone to take charge of a personal need or responsibility rather than depending on another person to settle it for them. The figurative image of a molar underscores direct individual effort where that effort is needed to secure a useful result.

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