حدايه ضمنت غراب قال يطيروا الاتنين 

Heddaya damanet ghorab, qal: yetiru eletnein

Translation: If a kite said it would act as a guarantor for a crow, both will fly away.

Meaning: The guarantor should be at least more reliable than the guaranteed. So don’t ask a person of doubtful honesty to vouch for others. This saying is no longer in use, but it is colourful and entertaining. If you try it on friends, by way of saying don’t trust either X or Y, you will perhaps get a chuckle.

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

Translated by: Nabil Shawkat