دقة المعلم بألف ولو تروح بلاش
Daqqet el moallem be alf walaw teruh balash
Translation: A stroke by the master is worth a thousand even if he misses.
Meaning: This saying references the guild system, which governed many aspects of public life, ensured high standards, and regulated training and trading conditions. In the guild system, the master is the ultimate authority, and one must learn not only from his consistently high performance, but also from his occasional mistakes.
Source: Egyptian Proverbs, (Al-Ahram Center for Translation and Publishing, 1986) by Ahmed Taymour Pasha
Translated by: Nabil Shawkat
Short link: