- English translation
I turned to you, Abd al-Mu'in, hoping you would rescue me, and found you needing rescue yourself.
- Literal wording
I brought you along, O Abd al-Mu'in, so that you would help me; I found you, O Abd al-Mu'in, in need of help.
- Meaning and lesson
A person in difficulty seeks out someone named Abd al-Mu'in, roughly 'servant of the Helper,' a name chosen because it evokes aid and echoes the saying's wordplay. He stands for a type of hoped-for helper, not a particular person. He turns out to be in trouble too, more in need of support than the seeker.
The saying captures the letdown of misplaced hope. It gently mocks the situation in which the person counted on for rescue is himself floundering, leaving the seeker no better off than before.
- When it is used
Use it when you expected someone to bail you out of a problem, only to discover they are struggling and need assistance themselves. It fits rueful remarks about relying on a supposed rescuer who cannot help.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
Report an issue with this meaning: I turned to you, Abd al-Mu'in, hoping you would rescue me, and found you needing rescue yourself.