«إِيشْ خَيَّرَكْ عَنُّهْ؟ قَالْ: اِبْنْ عَمُّهْ»

The saying points out the futility of rejecting one person or option when the replacement is essentially no different. A change of choice has been made, but no real improvement or escape from the original situation has been achieved.

It can be said critically, often with a wry tone, when someone avoids a particular individual or thing yet selects an equivalent substitute. “Cousin” is figurative here, referring to someone or something alike, not to a literal family relationship.

Use it when someone turns away from one candidate, plan, or object and chooses a comparable one instead. It highlights an ineffective attempt to make a distinction where the practical result remains the same.