بعد ما شاب ودوه الكتاب
Baad ma shab, wadduh el kottab
Translation: After his hair turned grey, they sent him to the (children’s) village school.
Meaning: The saying is still in occasional use, and its connotation is that you cannot teach an old dog new tricks. The kottab is where children are usually sent to learn simple arithmetic and some poetry, and usually to try to memorise the Koran. Today, kottabs have disappeared and have been replaced by formal schooling. But a century ago, they were still a major component of the educational system.
Source: Egyptian Proverbs, (Al-Ahram Center for Translation and Publishing, 1986) by Ahmed Taymour Pasha,
Translated by: Nabil Shawkat
Short link: