Introduction
A pioneer in exploring remote parts of the Arab world, Swiss-born John Lewis Burckhardt (1784-1817) spent most of his brief life traveling in the guise of a Muslim pilgrim. Along the way, he acquired considerable knowledge of the Arabic language and Muslim manners and customs.
This volume, compiled during Burckhardts travels and period of residence in Egypt, comprises a fascinating treasury of maxims. From "more voracious than a camel tick" to "a thousand cranes in the air are not worth one sparrow in the fist," more than 780 proverbs include sayings that sprang from tribal conflicts or from incidents of Islamic history; others range from homespun remarks on friendship and personal status to views on oppression and dishonesty.
Each aphorism is printed first in Arabic and then in English, and is followed by commentary or an explanation that helps to convey an intriguing flavor of everyday Arabic life, attitudes, and opinions. Invaluable to students of modern Egypt's Arabic dialect, this carefully compiled and meticulously annotated compendium will appeal to anyone who has an interest in the Middle Eastern cultures.
