يا ارض انشقى و ابلعينى
Ya ard enshaqqi we eblaayni
Translation: O land, please open up and swallow me.
Meaning: I wish the ground would open up and swallow me. This is the almost identical with the English saying, and denotes the same sense of embarrassment. This saying remains common and due to its brevity and easy flow, may remain in use for years to come.
Source: Egyptian Proverbs, (Al-Ahram Center for Translation and Publishing, 1986) by Ahmed Taymour Pasha
Translated by: Nabil Shawkat
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