Iraqi Proverbs

Sayings of Iraqi origin

Whoever writes a book should be ready to accept criticism.

Their fire eats their wood.

Tell me who your friends are, and I'll tell you who you are.

When a camel falls to the ground, the knives are many.

He who is watching the club does not understand the one who is beaten with it.

You will discover your true friends in moments of crisis.

Trust in Allah, but keep a tight leash on your camel.

A book is like a garden carried in the pocket.

When stomachs are operating eyes become blind.

The tree is diseased by its own worms.

Go beat your head on the wall.

He is not the owner yet he makes noise on the roof.

The Republic of Iraq

Iraq is a country in Western Asia. The country is bordered by Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, Kuwait to the southeast, Saudi Arabia to the south, Jordan to the southwest, and Syria to the west. The southern part of Iraq is within the Arabian Peninsula. The largest ethnic groups in Iraq are Arabs and Kurds. Other ethnic groups include Assyrians, Turkmen, Shabakis, Yazidis, Armenians, Mandeans, Circassians, and Kawliya. Around 95% of the country's 36 million citizens are Shia or Sunni Muslims, with Christianity, Yarsan, Yezidism, and Mandeanism also present.
Baghdad is the capital of the Republic of Iraq. The population of Baghdad, as of 2011, is approximately 7,216,040, making it the largest city in Iraq.

Iraqi  Flag with map of Iraq


Arabic is the majority language; Kurdish is spoken by approximately 10–15% of the population. (Source)

More Iraqi Proverbs & Sayings

During an exam, a person is either honored or disgraced.

You either touch him gentle or break his skull.

We brought you to help but you become like a pharaoh.

An eye cannot become above an eyebrow.

When the mother dies, the house dies.

All authors should prepare to encounter criticism.

One hand builds and the other destroys.

One night of anarchy does more harm than a hundred years of tyranny.

He wants to put eyeliner on an eye but he blinds it.

Sometimes you need to sacrifice your beard in order to save your head.

An army of sheep led by a lion would defeat an army of lions led by a sheep.

As long as there are dates in the palm trees I will not quit drinking.

You want a rabbit, take a rabbit....you want a deer, take a rabbit.

There are three plagues in the world: the rat, the locust and the Kurd.

You do not exit the bathroom the same as you entered.

The wet man never fears the rain.

The chicken dies and her eyes look upon rubbish.

He can steal eyeliner from the eye.

He who can't manage his wheat himself will eat his barely.

The provision for tomorrow belongs to tomorrow.

The absent has reason with him.

The poor are the silent of the land.

One who is drowning will even grab onto a snake.

Stealing leads to poverty.

Someone who does not know how to dance says the ground is sloping.

A beautiful bride needs no dowry.

He killed the snake with a friend's hand.

Accusation always follows the cat.

Two thirds of a boy is his uncle.

Extending ones leg over the blanket.

You can have a lord, you can have a king, but the man to fear is the tax collector.

When a ship increases its sailors it will sink.

If you conduct yourself properly, then fear no one.

Walk a month instead of crossing a river.

Go drink from the river.

The day will wipe out all the promises of the night.

Life is like a cucumber you get one in your hand and ten in your ass.

"Mawtini" is the National Anthem of Iraq


Iraqi National Anthem ( English Lyrics):
My homeland, my homeland
Glory and beauty, sublimity and splendor
Are in your hills, are in your hills
Life and deliverance, pleasure and hope
Are in your air, are in your air
Will I see you, will I see you?
Safely comforted and victoriously honored
Safely comforted and victoriously honored
Will I see you in your eminence?
Reaching to the stars, reaching to the stars
My homeland, my homeland

My homeland, my homeland
The youth will not tire, 'till your independence
Or they die, or they die
We will drink from death, and will not be to our enemies
Like slaves, like slaves
We do not want, we do not want
An eternal humiliation, nor a miserable life
An eternal humiliation, nor a miserable life
We do not want, but we will bring back
Our storied glory, our storied glory
My homeland, my homeland

My homeland, my homeland
The sword and the pen, not the talk nor the quarrel
Are our symbols, are our symbols
Our glory and our covenant, and a faithful duty
Moves us, moves us
Our glory, our glory
Is an honorable cause, and a waving flag
Is an honorable cause, and a waving flag
O, behold you, in your eminence
Victorious over your enemies, victorious over your enemies
My homeland, my homeland