جبنا سيرة القط جه ينط
Gebna siret el qott gah yenott
Translation: We mentioned the cat and it showed up, bouncing.
Meaning: This is a variation on "speak of the devil," but more colourful. Notice the interesting turn of phrase: "gebna siret." In Arabic, you don't just talk of someone, you practically "drag into discussion their entire life story." The turn of phrase suggest older and slower times, when people sat around and did some serious gossiping. But the exciting saying is still very much alive, and perhaps will remain so for decades to come.
Source: ُEgyptian proverbs, (Al-Ahram Center For Translation and Publishing, 1986) by Ahmed Taymour Pasha,
Translated by: Nabil Shawkat
Short link: