Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Arabic term or phrase:
تحلق رأسها قبل أن يحلقه لها الآخرون
English translation:
They must change before others make them change
May 24, 2007 14:56
16 yrs ago
Arabic term
تحلق رأسها قبل أن يحلقه لها الآخرون
Arabic to English
Social Sciences
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
وقد أدركت هذه الأنظمة مغزى سقوط النظام السياسي العراقي واحتلال العراق، واعتراف بعضها بأن عليها أن (تحلق رأسها قبل أن يحلقه لها الآخرون)، وإن جاءت تلك الإصلاحات في معظمها شكلية وتحايلية على الضغوط الخارجية.
The meaning is clear, but I'm having trouble thinking of an English/American English equivalent. Literally, it wouldn't make much sense in English. There may be more common variants of this idiom.
The meaning is clear, but I'm having trouble thinking of an English/American English equivalent. Literally, it wouldn't make much sense in English. There may be more common variants of this idiom.
Proposed translations
+4
8 mins
Selected
They must change before others make them change
These governments realized that they must change before others make them ( or force them to ) change.
Good Luck :)
Good Luck :)
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "You're right...there's not an equivalent proverb. Thanks!"
2 mins
clean its own house itself
.
2 hrs
to change or to be changed/to change before being changed
Their choice was "to change or to be changed"
They have to "change before being changed"
to change voluntarily before change is forced upon them
تنويعات على إجابة
Abby Gomaa
They have to "change before being changed"
to change voluntarily before change is forced upon them
تنويعات على إجابة
Abby Gomaa
5 hrs
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