«اِلْغَزَّالَهْ تِغْزِلْ بِرِجْلِ حْمَارْ»

The saying holds that skill belongs to the worker, not to the equipment. The opening word names a woman who spins thread, not a gazelle. A capable spinner can make good thread even with a spindle as absurd as a donkey's leg, a deliberate exaggeration rather than a real practice.

By implication, a lack of fine instruments is no excuse for poor work. One variant opens with a word meaning 'the clever woman.' A longer form contrasts her with a clumsy woman who wears out the carpenter by demanding spindle after spindle, while the adept one simply gets the job done.

Use it to praise someone who does excellent work with crude, borrowed or makeshift equipment, or to answer someone who blames poor results on their tools.