Arabic proverbs about food

• لا تأكل خبزك على مائدة غيرك

Don't eat your bread on someone else's table.

• لا تسقط من كفه خردلة

Literal meaning: He doesn't drop a mustard.

• لا طال توت الشام ولا عنب اليمن

Literal meaning: He got neither the berries of Sham nor the grapes of Yemen.
Use: Said to a greedy person who lost every thing.

• انك لا تجنى من الشوك العنب

You don't reap grapes from thistles (cactus).
Use: Said to someone who is waiting for a favor from the wrong person.

• لا يستمتع بالجوزة إلا كاسرها

Literal meaning: Only the one who breaks the nut enjoys it.

• من أكل السمين أتخم

Literal meaning:who eats fat gets bigger

• من أكل للسلطان زبيبة ردها تمرة

Literal meaning: who ate the sultans raisins will pay it back as a date

• من الحبة تنشأ الشجرة

Literal meaning: From the seed grows the tree

• هو كالكمأة لا أصل ثابت ولا فرع نابت

Literal meaning: He's like a potatoes plant no steady roots and no strong branches.

• يأكلون تمري وأُرمي بالنوى

Literal meaning: They eat my dates and throw the seeds at me.

• لأجل الورد، اسقيك يا عليق

For the sake of the flowers, the weeds are watered.

• خرج من المولد بلا حُمّص

Literal meaning: He left the party without having Hummus.

• إن كان محبوبك عسل لا تلحسه كله

If thy beloved was honey, don’t lick all of it. ما لقوش في الورد عيبه قالوا يا أحمر الخدين* They did not find a fault in the rose, they said "O! You are red cheeked."