حرام على بلابل الدوح حلال على الطير من كل جنس

English translation: something available to all, except those with the basic right to have it

06:46 Aug 14, 2008

Arabic to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Other

Arabic term or phrase: حرام على بلابل الدوح حلال على الطير من كل جنس

phrase

morgan

English translation:something available to all, except those with the basic right to have it

Explanation:
Originally, this is a line from a poem by the great Egyptian poet Ahmad Shawqi:
أحرامٌ على بلابله الدوح ..... حلال للطير من كل جنس
he said this expressing his feelings while on exile in Spain. He was not allowed to go home.
http://medhatfoda.jeeran.com/m3th/nosoos 3th/3ths1.htm

The literal meaning is as follows:
How comes that nightingales are not allowed to live in lofty trees (their home) while all other birds are allowed to do so?

The idea is that the poet was not allowed to go to his own country (Egypt) while people from all other countries were allowed to go there.

In general, this is used to refer to the "special" [discriminating] treatment received by some people in their own country, while foreigners get better treatment and more privileges.

Selected response from:

Abdulrahman Bustani
United Arab Emirates
Local time: 00:53

Grading comment

thank you very much
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +4

something available to all, except those with the basic right to have it

Abdulrahman Bustani

Has dwelling in my homeland become the right of all, and I alone have no right to it

Nadia Ayoub

forbidden to nightengales of the wood, allowed to all kinds of birds.

Mohsin Alabdali

All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others

Yasser El Helw

Answers

31 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +4

something available to all, except those with the basic right to have it

Abdulrahman Bustani
United Arab Emirates
Local time: 00:53
Native speaker of: Arabic
PRO pts in category: 24

Grading comment

thank you very much

2 hrs confidence:

Has dwelling in my homeland become the right of all, and I alone have no right to it

Explanation:
Has dwelling in my homeland become the right of all, and I alone have no right to it?

Nadia Ayoub
Egypt
Local time: 22:53
Native speaker of: Arabic
PRO pts in category: 213

1 day 39 mins confidence:

All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others

Explanation:
An Orwellian parallel!

Yasser El Helw
Egypt
Local time: 22:53
Works in field
Native speaker of:

Arabic,

English
PRO pts in category: 47

1 day 21 hrs confidence:

forbidden to nightengales of the wood, allowed to all kinds of birds.

Explanation:
citizens are not allowed access to their rights which are available to all others.

Mohsin Alabdali
Saudi Arabia
Local time: 23:53
Native speaker of:

Arabic
PRO pts in category: 16

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