Proverb of the day: He has nothing to do with the oxen or the flour لا له ف الطور ولا ف الطحين

Ahram Online , Tuesday 22 Dec 2015

He has nothing to do with the oxen or the flour

tor w tehin
Photo:AP
 
 لا له ف الطور ولا ف الطحين
 
La loh fil tor wala fil teheen
 
Translation: He has nothing to do with the oxen or the flour.
 
Meaning: This countryside saying is roughly equivalent to "He has no dog in the fight." It is still in use today to describe someone who has no business in the matter. The agricultural terminology comes from old flour mills that were operated by oxen, and a man who has no grain to grind and no oxen to hire has no involvement in the business of milling. Use this proverb if someone asks you to stick your nose where it doesn’t belong. 
 

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

Translated by: Nabil Shawkat

 
Short link: