Have patience. All things are difficult before they become easy.
The rose and the thorn, and sorrow and gladness are linked together.
When the belly is empty, the body becomes spirit; and when it is full, the spirit becomes body.
A man is insensible to the relish of prosperity 'til he has tasted adversity.
When Karim and his group heard about Saddam coming, they wanted to kill him, but fate had other ideas.
Whenever you argue with another wiser than yourself in order that others may admire your wisdom, they will discover your ignorance.
An enemy to whom you show kindness becomes your friend, excepting lust, the indulgence of which increases its enmity.
People are crying up the rich and variegated plumage of the peacock, and he is himself blushing at the sight of his ugly feet.
A man is insensible to the relish of prosperity until he has tasted adversity.
A little and a little, collected together, becomes a great deal; the heap in the barn consists of single grains, and drop and drop make the inundation.
The beloved of the Almighty are: the rich who have the humility of the poor, and the poor who have the magnanimity of the rich.
I fear God and next to God I mostly fear them that fear him not.
Whatever makes an impression on the heart seems lovely in the eye.
The best loved by God are those that are rich, yet have the humility of the poor, and those that are poor and have the magnanimity of the rich.
Oman overall has great animal and plant biodiversity because it has mountains, desert, coastal areas and rich coral reefs.
Most of the birds of the Old World can be found here, as Oman is on a strategic route for migrating birds
He who is a slave to his stomach seldom worships God.
The bad fortune of the good turns their faces up to heaven; the good fortune of the bad bows their heads down to the earth.
They are very bad neighbors, ... They turned our lives into nightmares. They occupied the land, leveled our farms, demolished our houses, killed our beloved and spared no effort to attack us.
Capacity without education is deplorable, and education without capacity is thrown away.
Poverty snatches the reins out of the hand of piety.
Be sure, either that thou art stronger than thine enemy, or that thou hast a swifter pair of heels.
Whoever has his foe at his mercy, and does not kill him, is his own enemy
The covetous map explores the whole world in pursuit of a subsistence, and fate is close at his heels.
I have often found a small stream at its fountain-head, that, when followed up, carried away the camel with his load.
Court the society of a superior, and make much of the opportunity; for in the company of an equal thy good fortune must decline.
It is safer to be silent than to reveal one's secret to any one, and telling him not to mention it.
To tell a falsehood is like the cut of a saber: for though the wound may heal, the scar of it will remain.
No person learned the art of archery from me, who did not in the end make me his target.
To use the hands in making quicklime into mortar is better than to cross them on the breast in attendance on a prince.
Be generous, and pleasant-tempered, and forgiving; even as God scatter favors over thee, do thou scatter over the people.
When thou seest thine enemy in trouble, curl not thy whiskers in contempt; for in every bone there is marrow, and within every jacket there is a man.
All human beings are limbs of the same body. God created them from the same essence. If one part of the body suffers pain, then the whole body is affected. If you are indifferent to this pain, you cannot be called a human being.
It is better to break off a thousand friendships, than to endure the sight of a single enemy.
Whosoever formeth an intimacy with the enemies of his friends, does so to injure the latter. O wise man! wash your hands of that friend who associates with your enemies.
Fear not the proud and the haughty; fear rather him who fears God.
Forgiveness is commendable, but apply not ointment to the wound of an oppressor.
No one ever sowed the grain of generosity who gathered not up the harvest of the desire of his heart.
But for the cravings of the belly not a bird would have fallen into the snare; nay, nay, the fowler would not have spread his net. The belly is chains to the hands and fetters to the feet. He who is a slave to his belly seldom worships God.
The true disciple should aim to live for the gospel, rather than to die for it.
A friend whom you have been gaining during your whole life, you ought not to be displeased with in a moment. A stone is many years becoming a ruby - take care that you do not destroy it in an instant against another stone.
A traveler without knowledge is a bird without wings.
When a mean wretch cannot vie with another in virtue, out of his wickedness he begins to slander. The abject envious wretch will slander the virtuous man when absent, but when brought face to face his loquacious tongue becomes dumb.
Now that another is suffering pain at thy hand, trust not that thy heart shall be exempt from affliction.
There is a difference between him who claspeth his mistress in his arms, and him whose eyes are fixed on the door expecting her.
Better hold the hand for coin, though small, Than lose, for one half a dang, it all.
Reveal not every secret you have to a friend, for how can you tell but that friend may hereafter become and enemy. And bring not all mischief you are able to upon an enemy, for he may one day become your friend.
Liberty is of more value than any gifts; and to receive gifts is to lose it. Be assured that men most commonly seek to oblige thee only that they may engage thee to serve them.
Tell no one the secret that you want to keep, although he may be worthy of confidence; for no one will be so careful of your secret as yourself.
A man of virtue, judgment, and prudence speaks not until there is silence.
Obedience is not truly performed by the body of him whose heart is dissatisfied. The shell without a kernel is not fit for store.
If thou art wise, incline to truth; for truth, not the semblance, remains in its place.
Of journeying the benefits are many: the freshness it bringeth to the heart, the seeing and hearing of marvelous things, the delight of beholding new cities, the meeting of unknown friends, and the learning of high manners.
That knave preserves the pearl in his purse who considers all people purse-cuts.
He will deal harshly by a stranger who has not been himself often a traveller or stranger.
Oh God, I say not hear my prayers! I say: Blot with forgiving pen my sins away!
So long as money can answer, it were wrong in any business to put the life in danger.
No reliance can be placed on the friendship of kings, nor vain hope put in the melodious voice of boys; for that passes away like a vision, and this vanishes like a dream.
None can be so true to your secret as yourself.
A peace-mingling falsehood is preferable to a mischief-stirring truth.
A little beauty is preferable to much wealth.
The rose and thorn, the treasure and dragon, joy and sorrow, all mingle into one.
If a piece of worthless stone can bruise a cup of gold, its worth is not increased, nor that of the gold diminished.
Be not so severe as to cause shyness, nor so clement as to encourage boldness.
The stranger has no friend, unless it be a stranger.
Use a sweet tongue, courtesy, and gentleness, and thou mayest manage to guide an elephant by a hair.
All is going well so far. There are some remarks here and there and there are some complaints here and there but we expect to resolve those questions or complaints Sunday and the next day.
Do to me, O Allah, what is worthy of Thee; And not what is worthy of me.
If thou covetest riches, ask not but for contentment, which is an immense treasure.
Every person thinks his own intellect perfect, and his own child handsome.
When the ruler is obedient to God, God is his protector and friend.
If wisdom was to cease throughout the world, no one would suspect himself of ignorance.
The sea does not contain all the pearls, the earth does not enclose all the treasures, and the flint-stone does not inclose all the diamonds, since the head of man encloses wisdom.
Independence is of more value than any gifts; and to receive gifts is to lose it.
Whenever thy hand can reach it, tear out the foe's brain, for such an opportunity washes anger from the mind.
Keep belly lightly loaded, if mind would wisdom see;For bodies crammed to bursting, make empty souls to be.
The world is not a courtroom There is no judge no jury no plaintiff. This is a caravan filled with eccentric beings telling wondrous stories about God.
A grateful dog is better than an ungrateful man.
I have never seen a man lost who was on a straight path.
Great God, have pity on the wicked, for thou didst everything for the good, when thou madest them good!
Who eat their corn while yet 'tis green At the true harvest can but glean.
In the faculty of speech man excels the brute; but if thou utterest what is improper, the brute is they superior.
If thou tellest the sorrows of thy heart, let it be to him in whose countenance thou mayst be assured of prompt consolation.
Much contention and strife will arise in that house where the wife shall get up dissatisfied with her husband.
Riches are intended for the comfort of life, and not life for the purpose of hoarding riches.
The whelp of a wolf must prove a wolf at last, notwithstanding he may be brought up by a man.
The rich man is everywhere expected and at home.
A tree, freshly rooted, may be pulled up by one man on his own. Give it time, and it will not be moved, even with a crane
That which is not allotted the hand cannot reach; what is allotted you will find wherever you may be.
Though someday we may become as eloquent as Sahban, but we might also miss the essence of the Forgiving One.
Shut the door of that house of pleasure which you hear resounding with the loud voice of a woman.
Whoever interrupts the conversation of others to make a display of his fund of knowledge, makes notorious his own stock of ignorance.
Religion is only in the service of the people; it is not in the rosary and the prayer-carpet.
Astride a horse I am not, nor camel-like carry a load, Subjects I have none, nor follow any sultan's code; I worry not for what exists, nor fret for what is lost, I breathe with extreme ease, and live at very little cost.
An enemy to whom you show kindness becomes your friend.
Inflict not on an enemy every injury in your power, for he may afterwards become your friend.
To pardon the oppressor is to deal harshly with the oppressed.
He who learns the rules of wisdom, without conforming to them in his life, is like a man who labored in his fields, but did not sow
He who, when he hath the power, doeth not good, when he loses the means will suffer distress. There is not a more unfortunate wretch than the oppressor; for in the day of adversity nobody is his friend.
The sons of Adam are formed from dust; if not humble as the dust, they fall short of being men.
