The Camel Works in My Watch Shop
A brief anecdote about a man who sees a camel working in an American watch repair shop. The story is used as a metaphor to criticize putting unsuitable people in positions of responsibility in Arab politics and administration.
العربيةRead the Arabic original
English translation, prepared and reviewed before publication. The Arabic text is authoritative.
- Published
- Reading time
- 1 min read
My friend... "Thalaba" told me that he saw a camel, in all its flesh and fat, sitting in an American watch repair shop. My friend asked the camel, astonished, "What do you do for work... O Abu al-Sabr?!" He said to him, "I fix watches." Thalaba told me that he did not understand what this camel knew about watches and fixing them, but he added, "Are we not in an era when the wrong man is in the wrong place?!! Some Arab politicians...and directors bear responsibility for the people and for ministries and departments..... and they 'fix' matters!!" So Thalaba swore.......! an oath by God.... just as it is impossible for our watches to be repaired.....!!! our affairs will not be set right... as long as the camel is fixing watches!... And God is behind the intention.
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Zuhdi Shubeitah, “The Camel Works in My Watch Shop” (English translation of «الجمل بيشتغل ساعاتي», originally published 20 September 2022), https://www.zuhdish.co/en/articles/the-camel-works-in-my-watch-shop
Where this article sits in “Public Affairs & Politics”
All articles (316) →Article 159 of 316 in this topic of the archive, since 2022.