Small things loom large in small eyes, and great things…
Quote
Small things loom large in small eyes, and great things seem small in great eyes.
Arabic original
وتعظم في عين الصغير صغارها، وتصغر في عين العظيم العظائم.
What it means
The size of an obstacle depends on the ability and confidence of the person confronting it. The contrast sets two attitudes towards effort against each other in an emphatic line of praise.
The story behind this quote
This is the second verse of the poem beginning with great undertakings and resolve. It prepares the praise of Sayf al-Dawla and his achievements.
Repeating small and great shifts the measure from the object to the person looking at it. Difficulty appears different to different observers. Praise of the addressee therefore begins with a comparison of perspectives before the poem recounts the events supporting that admiration.
The source
على قدر أهل العزم تأتي العزائم, البيت الثاني من القصيدة, 954
The text appears in the indicated source. A traditional attribution remains distinct from proof of authorship: see the context.
More quotes by Al-Mutanabbi
I have no need of homelands; no longing for return carries me back to a land I have left.
Among human failings, I have seen none like the shortcomings of those capable of perfection.
The noblest place in the world is the saddle of a swift horse, and the best companion is a book.
I am the one whose poetry even the blind have seen, and whose words have reached the deaf.
If you see a lion baring its fangs, do not imagine that it is smiling.
Author
Al-Mutanabbi
Abu al-Tayyib al-Mutanabbi is often considered the greatest poet of the Arabic language. His verses, famous for their pride and concision, are still quoted as proverbs throughout the Arab world.
Quotes by Al-Mutanabbi