ضل راجل ولا ضل حيطة
Dell ragel wala dell heitah
Translation: Shadow of a man is better than a shadow of a wall.
Meaning: This is the ultimate patriarchal saying. If you are a woman, and for some reason you don't have a man, make sure you get yourself one as fast as you can. Note, however, that the reference is to the "shadow" of a man, not the man himself. So the saying is not at all about how necessary men are, but about how necessary it is to have them around – as a precaution.
Source: ُEgyptian proverbs, (Al-Ahram Center For Translation and Publishing, 1986) by Ahmed Taymour Pasha,
Translated by: Nabil Shawkat
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