قالوا للحرامي احلف قال جالك الفرج

Qalu lil harami ehlef, qal galak el farag

 Translation: They asked the thief to swear by his honour, “this is my way out,” he answered

Meaning: Don’t rely on a thief’s word of honour. In tribal and common law courts, which are mostly extinct, the word of the accused was considered as part of the evidence, if it is given under oath. But even back then, everyone knew that a culprit wouldn’t hesitate to say anything to gain his/her freedom.

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

Translated by: Nabil Shawkat