Proverb of the day: The boat that has two captains sinks المركب الي ليها رئيسين تغرق

Ahram Online , Monday 17 Aug 2015

The boat that has two captains sinks

boat
Photo: Mai Shaheen
 المركب الي ليها رئيسين تغرق

El markeb elli liha rayyesein teghraq

Translation: The boat that has two captains sinks

Meaning: This saying, still in use, is the exact equivalent of the English saying that “too many cooks spoil the broth.” So if one captain issues orders, and the other one contradicts him, the ship is either going down or getting lost in sea.

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

Translated by: Nabil Shawkat

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