The Devil is in the Detail

09:27 Oct 4, 2012
English to Arabic translations [PRO]
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
English term or phrase: The Devil is in the Detail
I need an equivalent for the idiom:
"The Devil is in the Detail"
Zeinab Asfour
Jordan
Local time: 19:02


Summary of answers provided
5 +7العلة في التفاصيل
Hasna Chakir
5 +4الشيطان يكمن في التفاصيل
Dr. Ola Siam
5!إياك أن تهمل الأمور الصغيرة
pazzo
4لا تحقرنَّ صغيرةً إنَّ الجبالَ من الحصى
Muhammad Atallah
2يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ لاَ تَسْأَلُواْ عَنْ أَشْيَاءَ إِن تُبْدَ لَكُمْ تَسُؤْكُمْ
Howaida Emad


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
the devil is in the detail
لا تحقرنَّ صغيرةً إنَّ الجبالَ من الحصى


Explanation:
أو
لا تَحقِرَنَّ صَغيرًا في مُخاصَمَةٍ، إنَّ البَعوضَةَ تُدمي مُقلةَ الأسدِ

When people say that the devil in the detail, they mean that small things in plans and schemes that are often overlooked can cause serious problems later on.


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Note added at 18 mins (2012-10-04 09:46:04 GMT)
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The devil is in the details:
Even the grandest project depends on the success of the smallest components.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/the devil is in the d...


    Reference: http://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/devil+is+in+the...
Muhammad Atallah
Egypt
Local time: 18:02
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic
PRO pts in category: 33
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8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +4
the devil is in the detail
الشيطان يكمن في التفاصيل


Explanation:
الشيطان يكمن في التفاصيل

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Note added at 45 mins (2012-10-04 10:12:57 GMT)
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http://www.google.com.eg/#hl=ar&site=&source=hp&q=الشيطان يك...

Dr. Ola Siam
Egypt
Local time: 18:02
Native speaker of: Arabic

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Liliane Hatem
36 mins
  -> Thank you Liliane:)

agree  Howaida Emad
1 hr
  -> Thank you Howaida :)

agree  Nancy Eweiss
1 hr
  -> Thank you Nancy :)

disagree  Hasna Chakir: هذه ترجمة حرفية للتعبير الاصطلاحي الانجليزي
1 hr
  -> It is very popular in Arabic also

agree  Lina Shehabi Murad (Mourant): I totally agree!
2 hrs
  -> Thank you Lina :)

disagree  Rabie El Magdouli: Literal translation
6 hrs

agree  Samir Sami: it is literal, but widely used!
16 hrs

agree  Ahmed Ghaly (X)
648 days
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The asker has declined this answer

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
the devil is in the detail
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ لاَ تَسْأَلُواْ عَنْ أَشْيَاءَ إِن تُبْدَ لَكُمْ تَسُؤْكُمْ


Explanation:
"

Howaida Emad
Local time: 18:02
Native speaker of: Arabic
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
the devil is in the detail
!إياك أن تهمل الأمور الصغيرة


Explanation:
http://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/devil is in the...
When people say that the devil in the detail, they mean that small things in plans and schemes that are often overlooked can cause serious problems later on.


    Reference: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-does-the-devils-in-the-details-...
pazzo
Local time: 18:02
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic
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The asker has declined this answer

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +7
the devil is in the detail
العلة في التفاصيل


Explanation:
يرجى الإطلاع على كتب أحد جهابذة الترجمة الدكتور علي درويش
لقد تناول بالتحليل و التمحيص لمعظم التعابير الشائعة في الاعلام ووضع لها ترجمات ممتازة
عنوان الكتاب
Language, translation and identity: in the age of the Internet, satellite Television and Directed Media
Melbourne: Writescope, 2005.


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Note added at 1 hr (2012-10-04 11:25:56 GMT)
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وفي النّهاية يَصل الدكتور «علي درويش»، ومَعه تلميذه «ناصر الحريِّص» إلى القَول بأنّ هَذه التّرجمة –أعني عبارة (الشّيطان يَكمن في التّفاصيل)- ارتكبت علَّتين هُما:
أوّلاً: مُعارضتها للثّقافة العَربيّة، التي تُقحم الشّيطان في التّعابير اليوميّة على هَذا النّحو..!
وثَانيهما: أنَّ كَلِمَة (Devil) في الإنجليزيّة لا تَعني «الشّيطان» ها هنا، بَل تَعني «عفريت» ومَا شَابهه. أمَّا كَلِمَة (Satan) وغيرها، فهَذه تُطلق عَلى الشّيطان، وقَد أورد البَاحثان مَقطعاً مِن -لسَان الإنجليز الفَصيح- يُشير إلى المَعنى الصّحيح لكَلِمَة (Devil)، التي تَعني في هذا السِّياق -وفق المَعنى الوَظيفي للمَثَل- «العلّة»، لتَستقرّ التّرجمة الصّحيحة عَلى النّحو التّالي: (العلّة في التّفاصيل)..!

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Note added at 2 hrs (2012-10-04 11:31:11 GMT)
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راجع مقال الدكتور علي درويش تحت عنوان
لغة أجنبية وأصوات عربية: ظاهرة الاستغراب الفكري واللغوي في اللغة العربية الحديثة - علي درويش

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Note added at 2 days1 hr (2012-10-06 11:03:11 GMT)
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تصفحي المعنى
The slang term “the devil is in the details” has a number of different senses. All of the meanings for the term boil down to the fact that it is often the small details of something which make it difficult or challenging. These details can prolong a task, or foil an otherwise straightforward dealing. Like many proverbs which involve the devil, it is meant to sound a note of caution. It may also be used to excuse or explain the obfuscation of an otherwise very simple project or task.

In one sense, one might say “the devil's in the details” to refer to very small but ultimately important components of a larger task. For example, performing a scientific experiment in a laboratory is a hugely involved task which can sometimes be highly dangerous. A small error at the beginning can translate into a useless experiment at the end, so experimenters are reminded that the devil's in the details. This reminder is intended to encourage the scientists to check their work, and to be thorough and careful in the lab.

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Note added at 2 days1 hr (2012-10-06 11:16:56 GMT)
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بل وجدت الترجمة الفرنسية للتعبير الانجليزي هي نفسها تقريبا للترجمة العربية
لاسيما الترجمة الوظيفية
ce sont les détails qui posent problème
les « difficultés surgissent des menus détails
c'est une question de détails
les détails qui font problème.

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Note added at 2 days1 hr (2012-10-06 11:18:22 GMT)
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بينما الترجمة الحرفية لا تخرج عن نطاق الشائع حتى في اللغة العربية
le diable est dans les détails

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Note added at 2 days1 hr (2012-10-06 11:22:47 GMT)
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بل حتى الاسبانية خطت منحى الترجمة الوظيفية و هي تقريبا نفس الترجمة المقترحة من قبل علي درويش
El problema está en los detalles
el intríngulis está en los detalles
la importancia de los detalles.
el problema está en el detalle.
lo más difícil son los detalles
los problemas surgen en los detalles
las dificultades están en los detalles
el mal se oculta en los pormenores.

Hasna Chakir
Morocco
Local time: 16:02
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
Asker: I think the meaning is incorrect, kindly check the explanation of the idiom on wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Devil_is_in_the_details It's anything, BUT "علة"


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Howaida Emad
10 mins

agree  Dina Ali
27 mins

agree  Muhammad Atallah
41 mins

agree  Rabie El Magdouli: Just perfect
5 hrs

agree  Morano El-Kholy
10 hrs

agree  Samir Sami: thanks for offering an alternative! :-)
14 hrs

agree  Mohammad Gornas: Spot on
22 hrs
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