علمناهم الشحاتة سبقونا علي الأبواب

Allemnahum el shehatasaba’una al lebwab

Translation: We taught them how to beg, they raced us to the doors (of possible donors)



Meaning: This saying is still in use. It is about the apprentice outperforming the master, or about newcomers into a trade doing better than the old hands. Usually, there is a measure of bitterness in the delivery, a complaint that instead of showing respect to the old hands and working under their supervision, the younger ones are striking out on their own with more success than their mentors ever had.

Source: Egyptian Proverbs, (Al-Ahram Center for Translation and Publishing, 1986) by Ahmed Taymour Pasha


Translated by: Nabil Shawkat


https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/152151.aspx