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ما أشبه الليلة, بالبارحة

English translation: The more things change, the more they stay the same.

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Arabic term or phrase:ما أشبه الليلة, بالبارحة
English translation:The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Entered by: Noha Kamal, PhD.

10:22 Apr 20, 2011
Arabic to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Social Science, Sociology, Ethics, etc. / Libyan
Arabic term or phrase: ما أشبه الليلة, بالبارحة
This seems to be a proverb or saying, and doesn't work if I translate it directly. Just wondering if it's something like the French "plus ca change..." I look forward to you ideas and comments. Many thanks in advance for your help.
Maureen Millington-Brodie
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:46
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Explanation:
This is as close as I can get1
Selected response from:

Noha Kamal, PhD.
Local time: 03:46
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Noha Kamal, PhD.
4 +2the more things change, the more they stay the same
Moodi
4 +2history repeats itself
hassan zekry
4History seems to be repeating itself
Hassan Lotfy
3same old, same old or deja vu
josephharfouch


  

Answers


8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
same old, same old or deja vu


Explanation:
Same old, same old is a saying that I heard in Australia many times referring to something that never changes, and therefore becomes quite dull and tedious.

A sense of Deja vu depends on our perception.

Neither are an exact translation, but depending on the context, they may be a suitable translation. Can you say more about the context?

josephharfouch
Local time: 09:46
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic, Native in EnglishEnglish
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9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
The more things change, the more they stay the same.


Explanation:
This is as close as I can get1

Noha Kamal, PhD.
Local time: 03:46
Works in field
Native speaker of: Arabic
PRO pts in category: 71
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Moodi: الوقت عندي 13:32 والوقت عندك 12:32 ... فأيهما أسبق دقيقتي أم دقيقتك ؟
4 mins
  -> lol
agree  Mokhtar Oussama Alliouche
4 mins
agree  Nadia Ayoub
21 mins
agree  Heba Salah
2 hrs
disagree  Ahmed Badawy: I think it's as simple as "History repeats itself"
1537 days
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9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
the more things change, the more they stay the same


Explanation:
.

Moodi
Local time: 04:46
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Nadia Ayoub
21 mins
  -> thanks
agree  Heba Salah
2 hrs
  -> thanks
agree  Lamis Maalouf: I agree with Noha for sure, but this is just to balance the agreements since you both had the same answer at the same minute :)
2 hrs
  -> thanks
disagree  Ahmed Badawy: I think it's as simple as "History repeats itself"
1537 days
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

46 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
history repeats itself


Explanation:
.

hassan zekry
Local time: 03:46
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Ahmed Badawy
1537 days
agree  Mariette Dawood
4410 days
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
History seems to be repeating itself


Explanation:
a famous quote

Hassan Lotfy
Egypt
Local time: 03:46
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
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