نوايه تسند الجرة قال وتسند الزير الكبير
Newaya tesned el garra, qal we tesned el zir el kebir
Translation: If a stone keeps the jar upright then it can also keep the tank upright.
Meaning: Any little bit will help. A shortened version is most frequently used: “El nawaya tesned el zir,” to indicate that any contribution you make to a cause will help, such as a small donation or volunteering. The saying must have originated in the nineteenth century or earlier, when stones were used to prop up containers full of water.
Source: Egyptian Proverbs, (Al-Ahram Center for Translation and Publishing, 1986) by Ahmed Taymour Pasha
Translated by: Nabil Shawkat
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