The Hebrew language is an old and rich one, full of poetic expressions and flowery phrases. It should then come as no surprise that plenty of Hebrew proverbs have cropped up over the centuries, many of which are still used today!
Generally speaking, Hebrew proverbs and sayings can be divided into three categories based on their origins. There are those that are quotations straight from the Tanakh, those that originate from stories from the Talmud and rabbinical literature, and those that are the product of modern Hebrew culture, mostly post-1948.
Let’s take a look at some of the most important and frequently-used Hebrew idioms about life, love, money, and more!
Hebrew proverbs using metaphors
1. לקשור למישהו כתרים
Literal meaning: To tie (or draw) someone’s crowns
Though there is no perfect equivalent to this Hebrew saying in English, the meaning is not too hard to guess. To tie someone a crown means to praise them very effusively and put them on a high pedestal.
The origins of the phrase don’t actually have anything to do with royal traditions. Rather, the כתרים in this context are little calligraphic flourishes that used to be added to the Hebrew letters of names of people who were particularly held in high respect, such as famous rabbis, scribes, prophets, and so on.
2. חמור נושא ספרים
Literal meaning: A donkey carrying books
This proverb describes what you are hopefully trying to avoid while studying Hebrew!
A donkey carrying books is someone who has amassed a lot of knowledge, but lacks the ability to really use it on more than a basic surface level.
An example would be a hobby historian who knows a lot of dates and names by heart, but struggles with the broader contexts of events.
Or, of course, a language student with a very rich vocabulary, but whose lack of deeper understanding of the language makes it difficult for them to communicate with native speakers.
3. הוא חי בסרט / היא חיה בסרט
Literal meaning: He/she is living in a movie
This is an example of one of the more recent Hebrew proverbs that have become really popular over the years. It’s hard to track down exactly where this saying came from, but the meaning is simple.
Saying to someone that they’re “living in a movie” means that they’re living out a pie-in-the-sky fantasy. It’s often used as a way to disparage someone who is acting overly confident or unreasonably optimistic.
4. אבא שלך אינו זגג ואת/ה לא מזכוכית
Literal meaning: Your father is not a glazier (glassmaker) and you are not made of glass
Ever had the frustration of trying to get a good view of the stage at the theater, but there’s that one person in the row in front of you who won’t stop shuffling around or will refuse to take a seat?
This modern Hebrew saying is tailor-made for just that context. You use it to point out to someone that they’re obstructing other people’s view – without saying it out loud and while making use of some pretty funny poetic language, to boot.
As with סוף הדרך שמאלה, omitting the second half of this phrase still works the same way but lessens the intensity of the meaning a bit.
You can also swap the two elements and only say את(ה) לא מזכוכית, for example.
Hebrew proverbs on wisdom
5. רימון מצא תוכו אכל קליפתו זרק
Literal meaning: He found a pomegranate, the inside he ate and the skin he threw away
This is one of countless Hebrew proverbs about ethics and righteous behavior stemming from the Talmud. The meaning is generally an instruction to the listener: find the good things within the people you interact with and learn to discard outward differences or appearances.
6. צדיק ורע לו רשע וטוב לו
Literal meaning: He’s a righteous man and he has it bad, he’s a wicked man and has it good
Another Hebrew proverb about life, this is a phrase you would use to bemoan the injustice in the world. The connotation is that it is usually those with nefarious interests that get ahead, whereas those that truly have their hearts in the right place often struggle to succeed in society.
7. על ראש הגנב בוער הכובע
Literal meaning: The hat burns on the thief’s head
In English, we say “Liar liar, pants on fire!”. Likewise, in Hebrew, there is this elegant Talmudic proverb to suggest that justice catches up with those who try to deceive others.
Though the saying uses the example of a thief, you can use it quite liberally to refer to anyone who is being insincere in some way.
8. איזהו חכם? הלומד מכל אדם
Literal meaning: Who is wise? He who learns from everyone
I feel like it’s a general rule that proverbs that rhyme stick with people more easily. This Hebrew proverb about wisdom sure is a good example of that!
Originally found in the Mishnah, this phrase is used to mean that real wisdom comes only from an open mind. You might find that some use the saying cynically to criticize those who enjoy the sound of their own voice a bit too much.
Modern Hebrew proverbs and colloquial sayings
9. סוף הדרך שמאלה
Literal meaning: End of the road, on the left
This is a good example of one of the many modern Hebrew sayings about luck and having fun. To say that something is at the end of the road, on the left is basically a very emphatic way of calling it the coolest thing in the world.
You would use this phrase to tell your friends about the awesome party you went to last week, for instance.
Note that there is a variation of this phrase that is almost as common as the one above.
Something can be just סוף הדרך, not on the left, which means the same but implies it is slightly less exciting (don’t ask me how that works).
10. חבל על הזמן
Literal meaning: Such a shame about the time
The translation of this phrase might lead you to think that it’s something you say to complain about how long a task is taking, or even to express boredom or disappointment.
However, the actual meaning of this Hebrew idiom is closer to the opposite!
חבל על הזמן, or חבל”ז in its often-used short form, is actually a positive expression similar to סוף הדרך. You would use it to let people know you’re enjoying yourself at a social outing or to express your surprise at how much fun you had.
Usually but not always, this is directed towards some event in the recent past. For instance, a friend might ask you how the concert was that you went to the evening before. If you had a great time, that’d be a perfect instance to just reply with כן, חבל”ז!
11. על טעם ועל ריח אין להתווכח
Literal meaning: On taste and on smell there is no debate
Coined by Avraham Shlonsky, a renowned modern Hebrew author known for his witty tongue, this rhyme is nowadays widespread and similar in use and meaning to “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” in English.
Unlike that saying though, this Hebrew proverb implies that it is particularly the enjoyment of food – through smell and taste – that is individual and beyond reproach.
Biblical Hebrew proverbs
12. אכול ושתו כי מחר נמות
Literal meaning: Eat and drink as tomorrow we shall die
This is very much the Jewish analogue of the Latin carpe diem. It encourages us to never waste a day and always cherish the moments we have as if they were our last.
Originally found in the Torah in the Book of Yeshayahu (Isaiah), it has become one of the most enduring Jewish proverbs on the meaning of life, especially in more religious circles.
13. ואהבת לרעך כמוך
Literal meaning: Love thy neighbor as yourself
Because a very similar phrase appears in the Christian Bible, this Hebrew idiom, originally from the Tanakh, has become one of the most widely-known proverbs in the world.
Its meaning is self-evident, yet deeply meaningful: we should strive to love the ones around us as we should love ourselves. Ultimately, this is only one of many Hebrew sayings encouraging us to bring about peace and avoid conflict in our relationships.
Traditional Hebrew sayings
14. עברנו את פרעה, נעבור גם את זה
Literal meaning: We overcame the pharaoh, we will overcome this too
Though this phrase never actually appears in any scripture, it directly references the Biblical account of Jewish slavery under the Egyptian pharaoh.
Just like the Hebrews were led out of Egypt and into the promised land, so, the saying goes, can anything eventually work out if you just have enough faith in success.
As you can probably imagine, this phrase is often used to cheer up someone who is displaying any kind of hopelessness about their future.
15. רחוק מהעין, רחוק מהלב
Literal meaning: Far from the eye, far from the heart
In general conversation, this idiom is often used in Hebrew to mean something similar to “out of sight, out of mind” in English.
However, there is also a second meaning that more literally reflects the symbolism of הלב, the heart. In this second sense, the phrase implies that relationships can become less passionate or break up if the lovers are too distant from each other.
In 2022, that might be a hard sell to some of the many people who happen to be in loving long-distance relationships, but the phrase remains popular nonetheless!
Also read: 18 Hebrew Terms of Endearment to Call Your Loved Ones
Final thoughts
I hope you find these Hebrew proverbs as enlightening as they are enjoyable! You could write a whole book full of more where those came from, but I decided to limit myself to the kinds of phrases that the average Israeli or Hebrew-speaking Jew abroad might recognize most easily.
Until next time!