قلّ ما يمر على إنسان، يوم، أو حدث، أو موقف، إلا ويحضر المثل، للاستشهاد به، أو ليسلّي المُبتلى نفسه، وفي ذلك تأصيل للموروث الحِكَمِي، النابع من عمق الوجدان البشري، الممهور بختوم الشقاء والمعاناة، والنابت من رحم الألم، ومحطات طول الانتظار، وسرادق الفرح والترح، فلكل مشكلة، أو منظر، أو وجع ما يناسبه من حصيلة تجارب الشعوب، والأمم.
ويمكننا تقييم ثقافة وسلوكيات مجتمع ما، من أمثاله، فالمجتمع المسالم على سبيل المثال، يتبنى المثل (اللي ما يبلع الريق ما له رفيق)، والعدواني يأخذ بمثل (أصغر منك كُلْهُ)، واللصوصي (إذا عشقت اعشق قمر وإذا سرقت اسرق جمل)، والبراغماتي (لأجل عين تكرم مدينة)، والاستهلاكي (اصرف ما في الجيب يأتيك ما في الغيب)، والمَتملّق (إذا لك عند الكلب حاجة قُل له يا سيدي)، والمماطل (اعطني اليوم الصوف وبكرة خذ مني خروف).
وربما ترسّخ بعض الأمثال الشعبية قناعات مؤذية لأصحابها، بحكم ما يمنحه البعض للمثل المنقول، والحكمة المتوارثة من قداسة، ويراها وصايا تحرم مخالفتها، دون وعي بأنها مورّطة في اعتداء، وزور وتجاوز وفجور، وانتهاك لحق الغير، وأحياناً، موجبة للقصاص والعقاب، منها المثل (ابعد حدّك يقربوه الرجال)، و(اللي يحطّ اصبعه على خشمك، حط اصبعك في عينه)، و(اللي تعرف ديته اقتله).
ومن أعمق الأمثال تلك التي تعتمد الرمزية والتوريّة، ومنها (حثل ما يحفظ العذوق مخروق)، و(الما ما يروب والقحمة ما تتوب)، و(في السوق الله الله، وفي البيت يعلم الله)، و(ما شمّها إلا عمّها)، و(سيل وادي قوب ليته يسدّ اخبايره)، و(خلّ بعض الخلايق دمعة ما تبلّ حفافها)، و(ثوب العاريّه ما يدفّي)، و(من تزيّا بزِيّ ما هو لجده وأبيه، أتى عليه زمان يتمنى الموت فيه).
وما يلفت الانتباه، أن بعض الأمثال تنتهي صلاحيتها، بحكم تغيّر الحال، ومن خلال التطوّر المبهج في بلادنا، خصوصاً اعتماد الرقميّة، وتسهيل المراجعات ومتابعة المعاملات، انتهى أثر ووقع المثل (يوم الحكومة بسنة)، فالذي سكّ أو صاغ المثل، لو كان بيننا اليوم، سيشعر بالحرج، فالزمن الذي قال فيه مَثَلُهُ، كان ينشف فيه ريق المواطنين، حين مراجعتهم للأجهزة البيروقراطية (أسيرة الروتين) والتي كان من شعاراتها (راجعنا بكرة)، و(معاملتك ما لقيناها)، و(رح وانحن بنتصل عليك) قبل إنشاء هيئة مكافحة الفساد، واليوم ربما ينجز معاملته حفيده طالب الابتدائي بالدخول على تطبيق (أبشر) أو (توكلنا) أو غيرها؛ ويُنهيها في دقائق معدودة، طبعاً ليست كل المعاملات، لكن على الأقل الخدميّة.
ومن الأمثال الاجتماعية (ضيف العِشا ما له عَشا) بحكم أن مجتمعات الإنتاج، قبل نصف قرن، تأكل الميسور بعد المغرب، وتنام بعد صلاة العِشاء، وهي مجتمعات (قوت لا يموت)، فالضيف في الليل مكروه، قبل عصر المطاعم (التيك أوي) ومحانذ ومنديات الخراف والتيوس، ومولات الكل شيء، ولذا لم يعد الضيف مكروهاً، وعشاه والم ولو بعد منتصف الليل.
وهناك أمثال تنتهك حقوق شرائح مجتمعيّة، منها شريحة النساء؛ فالمثل الذي يقول (شاور المرأة وخالفها)، بل وينسبه البعض للمصطفى عليه الصلاة والسلام (شاوروهن وخالفوهن)، لكي يمارس الشوفينية على النساء، وهذا لم يعد صالحاً، ولا ينطبق على عصرنا، الذي تفوّقت فيه كثير من النساء على بعض الرجال؛ أو (الإناث على الذكور)؛ ولا أقصد التمييز، بل لأن الرجولة أسمى وأعلى من الذكورة، و(اللي ما تتأدب بالمَعْرَق تتأدب بالمَطْرَق)، أي اللي ما هي مؤدبة بالنسب، تتأدب بالضرب، والمطرق عصاة من أغصان اللوز والرمان، ومثلهما (الحرمة اشبعها واقبعها واصفعها وعلى الهول ادفعها) كلها غدت بالية، ومحتها منجزات أخواتنا وزوجاتنا وبناتنا التي ترفع الرأس، وتستحق الحُبّ لا الضرب، ناهيك عن أن تشريعات الدولة السعودية، قوّمت المعوّج، وعدّلت المائل، وحفظت لكل مواطن ومواطنة ما له من حقوق، وحالت بالمؤسسات المعنيّة دون أي اعتداء أو تطاول.
ولعلّ الأمثال التي تضم مكونات إنسانية مختلفة ومتعددة، تخلّد؛ فالمثل الذي نحفظه جميعاً (يا غريب خلّك أديب) صالح لكل زمان ومكان، والأدب ليس محموداً من الغريب فقط، بل حتى من القريب، فهو من حُسن الأخلاق، ومن الحياء الذي لا يأتي إلا بخير، ومَثَل (من له سوق وعقبة رجله على كل رقبة) وإن انتهى منطوقه، إلا أن مفهومه واقعي، فالدول التي تملك طرق تجارة آمنة، ولديها أسواق، تتحكم في سياسات دول واقتصادياتها، وتخفض وترفع أسعار السلع؛ ولا أحد يجرؤ يفتح فمه، إلا للتثاؤب.
ولا ريب أن لاختلاط أفراد المجتمعات وتواصلهم مع غيرهم له (دور) في نقل الأمثال من بيئة إلى أخرى، فالذين انتقلوا لبيئة مكة من الأجداد والآباء نقلوا أمثالاً تنسجم مع معطيات بيئتهم الأولى منها (مين شايفك يا اللي في الظلام تغمز)، و(يدّ ما تقدر تدوسها بُوسها)، و(لا تقرصيني يا نحلة وما ابغي لك عسل)، و(شعرة من إنس وشعرة من جِنّ وطلع له دِقن)، و(دقّه بدقّه ولو زدنا زاد السقا).
يروي أحد معارفي؛ أن أباه كان يعتمد سياسة الإنفاق بلا حدود، ودائماً يردد المثل (انفق ما في الجيب، يأتيك ما في الغيب) قال؛ ومات أبي واعتمدتُ ذات السياسة، وفي أحد الأيام، ما وعيت إلا وجيب الشرطة في حوشي؛ وسلمني طلب مراجعة للحقوق، بسب شكوى من غرماء يطالبوني بسداد ديون، فقلت في نفسي؛ رحمك الله يا أبي، جاني ما في الغيب.
بالطبع لم تأتِ الأمثال والحِكم من فراغ، ويختلف الناس في وصف المثل، بالشعبي، والعامي، نسبة للعامة؛ ولا يمكن إلغاء مثل أو حكمة، ولو انتهت صلاحيتهما، فالأمثال تفرض نفسها، دون مراعاة للحلال والحرام والعيب، فبعض الأمثال توظّف فيها (العورة) أكرمكم الله، وكان كبار السن عندما يوردونها يقولون قبلها (حاشى السامعين وملائكة ربّ العالمين)، وتظل الأمثال مرآة شعوب، فيها ملخّص عن عقليات ووعي حكماء، ونتاج مختبرات تجارب نابضة بكل ما هو أصيل.
علي بن محمد الرباعي
أمثال منتهية الصلاحية (يوم الحكومة بسنة)
23 مايو 2025 - 00:01
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آخر تحديث 23 مايو 2025 - 00:01
تابع قناة عكاظ على الواتساب
It is rare for a person to go through a day, an event, or a situation without a proverb coming to mind, either to cite it or to entertain oneself in times of distress. This reflects the deep-rooted wisdom passed down through generations, stemming from the depths of human emotion, marked by the seals of suffering and hardship, and emerging from the womb of pain, long waits, and the tents of joy and sorrow. For every problem, scene, or pain, there is a corresponding collection of experiences from various peoples and nations.
We can evaluate the culture and behaviors of a society through its proverbs. For example, a peaceful society adopts the saying "He who does not swallow his saliva has no companion," while an aggressive one takes the proverb "Eat what is smaller than you." The thieving mindset is reflected in "If you love, love a moon; if you steal, steal a camel," the pragmatic attitude is captured in "For the sake of an eye, a city is honored," the consumerist mentality in "Spend what is in your pocket, and what is in the unseen will come to you," the sycophant's saying is "If you have a need from the dog, say to him, 'O my master,'" and the procrastinator's proverb is "Give me the wool today, and tomorrow take a sheep from me."
Some proverbs may reinforce harmful beliefs for their holders, due to the reverence some give to the transmitted saying and the inherited wisdom, viewing them as commandments that should not be contradicted, without realizing that they may lead to aggression, falsehood, transgression, and violation of others' rights. Sometimes, they may even warrant retribution and punishment, such as the sayings "Keep your distance, and men will come closer," "He who puts his finger on your nose, put your finger in his eye," and "Kill the one whose blood money you know."
Among the deepest proverbs are those that rely on symbolism and allusion, such as "What is preserved is not spoiled," "The one who does not repent, the calamity does not relent," "In the market, it's all about God, and at home, God knows," "No one smelled it except for its uncle," "Oh, the flood of Wadi Qub, I wish it would block its news," "Let some creatures have a tear that does not wet its edge," "The borrowed garment does not warm," and "Whoever dresses in a garment that does not belong to his grandfather and father will find a time when he wishes for death."
It is noteworthy that some proverbs become obsolete due to changing circumstances. With the joyful development in our country, especially the adoption of digital solutions, the impact of the proverb "A day in government is like a year" has faded. The one who coined this saying would feel embarrassed if he were among us today, as the time when he made his proverb was when citizens' throats would dry up while dealing with bureaucratic agencies (prisoners of routine), which had slogans like "Come back tomorrow," "We haven't found your transaction," and "Go, and we will call you." Today, perhaps a primary school student can complete his transactions through the "Absher" or "Tawakkalna" apps in just a few minutes. Of course, not all transactions, but at least the service-related ones.
Among the social proverbs is "The guest of dinner has no dinner," because production societies, half a century ago, would eat a light meal after sunset and sleep after the night prayer. These were societies of "food that does not die," where a guest at night was unwelcome before the era of takeout restaurants and sheep and goat markets, and everything malls. Therefore, the guest is no longer unwelcome, and dinner can be served even after midnight.
There are proverbs that violate the rights of certain societal segments, including women. For instance, the saying "Consult a woman and oppose her," which some attribute to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as "Consult them and oppose them," is used to practice chauvinism against women. This is no longer valid and does not apply to our era, where many women have surpassed some men; or "females over males." I do not mean discrimination, but rather that manhood is nobler and higher than mere masculinity. The saying "He who does not behave well with lineage will behave well with a stick," meaning that those who are not well-mannered by descent will be disciplined by force, and similar sayings like "Satisfy her, scold her, and slap her, and in fear, push her" have all become outdated, erased by the achievements of our sisters, wives, and daughters who raise our heads high and deserve love, not beating. Not to mention that the laws of the Saudi state have corrected the crooked, amended the tilted, and preserved the rights of every citizen, preventing any aggression or overreach by the concerned institutions.
Perhaps the proverbs that encompass various human components endure; the proverb we all remember, "O stranger, be courteous," is valid for all times and places. Courtesy is not only commendable from the stranger but also from the close ones, as it is part of good morals and the modesty that brings nothing but good. The saying "He who has a market and his leg is on every neck" may have lost its literal meaning, but its concept is realistic. Countries that have secure trade routes and markets control the policies and economies of nations and can raise and lower prices; no one dares to open their mouth except to yawn.
Undoubtedly, the mixing of individuals from different communities and their communication with others plays a role in transferring proverbs from one environment to another. Those who migrated to the environment of Mecca from their ancestors and fathers brought with them proverbs that resonate with the realities of their original environment, such as "Who sees you, O one who winks in the dark," "A hand you cannot step on, kiss it," "Do not pinch me, O bee, and I do not want your honey," "A hair from a human and a hair from a jinn, and he grew a beard," and "A knock for a knock, and if we increase, the water carrier increases."
One of my acquaintances recounts that his father used to spend without limits and always repeated the proverb "Spend what is in your pocket, and what is in the unseen will come to you." He said, "My father passed away, and I adopted the same policy. One day, I found the police at my door and handed me a request for a rights review due to a complaint from creditors demanding repayment of debts. I thought to myself, 'May God have mercy on you, Dad, what came to me from the unseen.'"
Of course, proverbs and wisdom did not come from nowhere, and people differ in describing a proverb as popular or colloquial, referring to the general public. It is impossible to eliminate a proverb or wisdom, even if their validity has ended. Proverbs impose themselves without regard for what is permissible or forbidden or shameful. Some proverbs even employ "shame," may God honor you, and the elderly would say before mentioning them, "Exempting the listeners and the angels of the Lord of the worlds." Proverbs remain a mirror of societies, summarizing the mentalities and awareness of wise individuals and the products of laboratories of experiences pulsating with all that is authentic.
We can evaluate the culture and behaviors of a society through its proverbs. For example, a peaceful society adopts the saying "He who does not swallow his saliva has no companion," while an aggressive one takes the proverb "Eat what is smaller than you." The thieving mindset is reflected in "If you love, love a moon; if you steal, steal a camel," the pragmatic attitude is captured in "For the sake of an eye, a city is honored," the consumerist mentality in "Spend what is in your pocket, and what is in the unseen will come to you," the sycophant's saying is "If you have a need from the dog, say to him, 'O my master,'" and the procrastinator's proverb is "Give me the wool today, and tomorrow take a sheep from me."
Some proverbs may reinforce harmful beliefs for their holders, due to the reverence some give to the transmitted saying and the inherited wisdom, viewing them as commandments that should not be contradicted, without realizing that they may lead to aggression, falsehood, transgression, and violation of others' rights. Sometimes, they may even warrant retribution and punishment, such as the sayings "Keep your distance, and men will come closer," "He who puts his finger on your nose, put your finger in his eye," and "Kill the one whose blood money you know."
Among the deepest proverbs are those that rely on symbolism and allusion, such as "What is preserved is not spoiled," "The one who does not repent, the calamity does not relent," "In the market, it's all about God, and at home, God knows," "No one smelled it except for its uncle," "Oh, the flood of Wadi Qub, I wish it would block its news," "Let some creatures have a tear that does not wet its edge," "The borrowed garment does not warm," and "Whoever dresses in a garment that does not belong to his grandfather and father will find a time when he wishes for death."
It is noteworthy that some proverbs become obsolete due to changing circumstances. With the joyful development in our country, especially the adoption of digital solutions, the impact of the proverb "A day in government is like a year" has faded. The one who coined this saying would feel embarrassed if he were among us today, as the time when he made his proverb was when citizens' throats would dry up while dealing with bureaucratic agencies (prisoners of routine), which had slogans like "Come back tomorrow," "We haven't found your transaction," and "Go, and we will call you." Today, perhaps a primary school student can complete his transactions through the "Absher" or "Tawakkalna" apps in just a few minutes. Of course, not all transactions, but at least the service-related ones.
Among the social proverbs is "The guest of dinner has no dinner," because production societies, half a century ago, would eat a light meal after sunset and sleep after the night prayer. These were societies of "food that does not die," where a guest at night was unwelcome before the era of takeout restaurants and sheep and goat markets, and everything malls. Therefore, the guest is no longer unwelcome, and dinner can be served even after midnight.
There are proverbs that violate the rights of certain societal segments, including women. For instance, the saying "Consult a woman and oppose her," which some attribute to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as "Consult them and oppose them," is used to practice chauvinism against women. This is no longer valid and does not apply to our era, where many women have surpassed some men; or "females over males." I do not mean discrimination, but rather that manhood is nobler and higher than mere masculinity. The saying "He who does not behave well with lineage will behave well with a stick," meaning that those who are not well-mannered by descent will be disciplined by force, and similar sayings like "Satisfy her, scold her, and slap her, and in fear, push her" have all become outdated, erased by the achievements of our sisters, wives, and daughters who raise our heads high and deserve love, not beating. Not to mention that the laws of the Saudi state have corrected the crooked, amended the tilted, and preserved the rights of every citizen, preventing any aggression or overreach by the concerned institutions.
Perhaps the proverbs that encompass various human components endure; the proverb we all remember, "O stranger, be courteous," is valid for all times and places. Courtesy is not only commendable from the stranger but also from the close ones, as it is part of good morals and the modesty that brings nothing but good. The saying "He who has a market and his leg is on every neck" may have lost its literal meaning, but its concept is realistic. Countries that have secure trade routes and markets control the policies and economies of nations and can raise and lower prices; no one dares to open their mouth except to yawn.
Undoubtedly, the mixing of individuals from different communities and their communication with others plays a role in transferring proverbs from one environment to another. Those who migrated to the environment of Mecca from their ancestors and fathers brought with them proverbs that resonate with the realities of their original environment, such as "Who sees you, O one who winks in the dark," "A hand you cannot step on, kiss it," "Do not pinch me, O bee, and I do not want your honey," "A hair from a human and a hair from a jinn, and he grew a beard," and "A knock for a knock, and if we increase, the water carrier increases."
One of my acquaintances recounts that his father used to spend without limits and always repeated the proverb "Spend what is in your pocket, and what is in the unseen will come to you." He said, "My father passed away, and I adopted the same policy. One day, I found the police at my door and handed me a request for a rights review due to a complaint from creditors demanding repayment of debts. I thought to myself, 'May God have mercy on you, Dad, what came to me from the unseen.'"
Of course, proverbs and wisdom did not come from nowhere, and people differ in describing a proverb as popular or colloquial, referring to the general public. It is impossible to eliminate a proverb or wisdom, even if their validity has ended. Proverbs impose themselves without regard for what is permissible or forbidden or shameful. Some proverbs even employ "shame," may God honor you, and the elderly would say before mentioning them, "Exempting the listeners and the angels of the Lord of the worlds." Proverbs remain a mirror of societies, summarizing the mentalities and awareness of wise individuals and the products of laboratories of experiences pulsating with all that is authentic.


