الفاضى يعمل قاضى
El fadi ye’mel qadi
Translation: He who has nothing to do may act as a judge.
Meaning: Trying to settle people’s problems can tax your time and efforts. Before modern litigation, most disputes in the country were settled through mediators, usually the elders of the town. Being one of those volunteer judges may bring one status, but it can be nerve raking.
Source: Egyptian Proverbs, (Al-Ahram Center for Translation and Publishing, 1986) by Ahmed Taymour Pasha,
Translated by: Nabil Shawkat
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