Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Arabic term or phrase:
ضاقت به السبل
English translation:
backed into a corner / at the end of his rope / with no means left / Up against the wall
Added to glossary by
Lamine Boukabour
May 23, 2023 14:47
1 yr ago
14 viewers *
Arabic term
ضاقت به السبل
Arabic to English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
Hi everyone,
I know this means something like 'at his wit's end'/'had had enough'.
I was just curious how you all usually would translate this, based on this context:
يقف البطل وقد ضاقت به السبل، يشعر بالظلم ....
Thanks!
I know this means something like 'at his wit's end'/'had had enough'.
I was just curious how you all usually would translate this, based on this context:
يقف البطل وقد ضاقت به السبل، يشعر بالظلم ....
Thanks!
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 +1 | backed into a corner / at the end of his rope / with no means left / Up against the wall |
Lamine Boukabour
|
| 5 | Being trapped / feeling trapped |
Yassine El Bouknify
|
| 5 | No solution |
Abdelhalim MEKBEL
|
Change log
May 25, 2023 11:03: Lamine Boukabour Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
+1
26 mins
Lamine Boukabour
Algeria
Algeria
Native in Arabic
Algeria
Every Word Matters
Native in: Arabic (Variants: Standard-Arabian (MSA), Algerian) 
Works in: English to Arabic
Related KudoZ points
:
94
Selected
backed into a corner / at the end of his rope / with no means left / Up against the wall
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Note added at 28 mins (2023-05-23 15:16:26 GMT)
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https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backed one into a...
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the end of one's ...
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/up against a/the ...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 28 mins (2023-05-23 15:16:26 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backed one into a...
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the end of one's ...
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/up against a/the ...
2 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks!"
8 mins
Yassine El Bouknify
Morocco
Morocco
Native in Arabic
Morocco
Literature,Marketing & Legal Translation
Native in: Arabic (Variants: Moroccan, UAE, Kuwaiti, Najdi, Standard-Arabian (MSA), Hassaniya) , Berber (Other) (Variants: Standard Moroccan Tamazight, Tarifit , Tashelhit , Riffian, Central Atlas Tamazight, Tamazight ) 
Works in: English to Arabic, French to Arabic, Arabic to English, and 21 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
185
Being trapped / feeling trapped
be/feel trappedto be in a bad situation from which you cannot escapebe/feel trapped in Julia felt trapped in her role of wife and mother.
https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/be-feel-trapped
The Arabic phrase "ضاقت به السبل" can be translated to English as "He felt trapped" or "He felt cornered." It conveys a sense of being at a dead end or running out of options. So, in the given context, the translation could be:
"The hero stands, being trapped, ...."
https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/be-feel-trapped
The Arabic phrase "ضاقت به السبل" can be translated to English as "He felt trapped" or "He felt cornered." It conveys a sense of being at a dead end or running out of options. So, in the given context, the translation could be:
"The hero stands, being trapped, ...."
Note from asker:
| This is very helpful, thank you! |
1 hr
Abdelhalim MEKBEL
Algeria
Algeria
Native in Arabic
Specializes in field
Algeria
Freelance translator, proofreader
Native in: Kabyle , Arabic (Variant: Algerian)
Works in: English to Kabyle, English to Arabic, English to French, and 5 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
2
No solution
We use this expression to talk about someone who has no solution to his problems, no alternatives
Example sentence:
ضاقت به السبل و لا يدري ماذا يعمل
Discussion