«قَاضِي الْأَوْلَادْ شَنَقْ نَفْسُهْ»

Settling quarrels among youngsters is a thankless, exhausting job. Their disputes never end, each side keeps pleading its case, and whoever steps in as arbiter is so worn down by their nagging that he becomes the real casualty. The hanging is comic, half-joking exaggeration for exasperation, not a literal reference to suicide.

More broadly, the saying warns against appointing yourself referee in petty, endless squabbles. Whoever takes on that role invites constant complaint and pressure and gains only frustration. The point is the arbiter's own suffering, not any particular fate, so staying out of such disputes may be the wiser course.

Use it humorously when someone is worn out from refereeing endless squabbles, whether among actual children or adults acting childishly. It works as a rueful warning before volunteering to mediate, or as wry sympathy for a parent, teacher, or manager caught in the middle.