شال الميه بالغربال

Shal el mayya bel ghorbal

Translation: He carried water in a sieve.

Meaning: This is one of the sayings that precede the machine age, most of which have to do with using the wrong tool for a job. Water cannot be carried in a sieve, but some people still try.

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

Translated by: Nabil Shawkat