għatta x-xemx bl-għarbiel

== Maltese == === Etymology === From Arabic غَطَّى الشَّمْسَ بِالْغِرْبالِ (ḡaṭṭā š-šamsa bi-l-ḡirbāli, literally “to cover the sun with a sieve”). Probably the idea is that the light of the sun could not be veiled even with an unperforated surface, but with a sieve the attempt is all the more hopeless. Compare Portuguese tapar o sol com a peneira, which is perhaps also from Arabic. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈaːt.ta‿ʃˈʃɛmʒ blarˈbɪːl/ IPA(key): /ˈaˤːt.ta‿ʃˈʃɛmʒ blaˤːrˈbɪːl/ (archaic) IPA(key): /ˈɣat.ta‿ʃˈʃɛmʒ bɪl.ɣarˈbɪːl/ (archaic, rustic) === Verb === għatta x-xemx bl-għarbiel to (try to) conceal something that is bound to come out