جحا طلع النخله خد بلغته ويّاه
Gohatelea el nakhla, khad bulghatu wayyah
Translation: Goha went up the palm tree, carrying his slippers.
Meaning: Goha is a satirical character whose wittiness and literal reasoning is ensconsed in many jokes all over the Arab world and beyond. His character is based on Nasreddin Hodja, a man who lived in the thirteenth century in what is now Turkey. This saying, one of many related to Goha, describes the importance of being prepared for unlikely situations. There is no reason Goha would need his slippers in a palm tree, but he'd rather err on the side of caution.
Source: Egyptian Proverbs, (Al-Ahram Center for Translation and Publishing, 1986) by Ahmed Taymour Pasha,
Translated by: Nabil Shawkat
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