امتي طلعت القصر؟ قال امبارح العصر
Emta tele’t el qasr? Qal, “embarah el asr”
Translation: When did you make it to the palace? “Yesterday afternoon,” he answered.
Meaning: This proverb, now mostly extinct, is one of a genre of conversational sayings. The first half is a question to someone, and the answer offers the punchline. Here, someone is asked about his good fortune, and when did it start. And he admits it was only the day before today. The proverb is meant to belittle the nouveau riche, poking fun at how fast they develop their sense of entitlement.
Source: Egyptian Proverbs, (Al-Ahram Center for Translation and Publishing, 1986) by Ahmed Taymour Pasha,
Translated by: Nabil Shawkat
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