Hind Khettouch
A Handle of Lentils
“Whoever knows, knows and who doesn’t know says a handle of lentils”
In syrian:
اللي بدري بدري واللي ما بدري بقول كف عدس
or its egyptian variant:
للي ميعرفش يقول عدس
This popular expression involves a farmer, his wife, a young man, their neighbours and lentils.
It is the story of a farmer who found his wife flirting with a young man. The farmer was so angry!
With a shovel in his hand he started chasing the young man!
It was lentils season and all farmers had their dried lentils stored in bags. In his escape, the young man filled his hand with lentils to make everyone believe that this was the reason why the framer was chasing him.
The chase took them to the weekly market where people tried to reason the farmer: ‘All this for lentils, have mercy on the young man’ they said.
Too embarrassed to tell the truth the farmer replied:
“Whoever knows, knows and who doesn’t know says a handle of lentils”
