Somali Proverbs

[Chimera]

Somali Proverbs

 

He who does not seize opportunity today, will be unable to seize tomorrow's opportunity.

 

A camel can tolerate a heavy load, but not a crooked rope.

 

A man throws stones not words.

 

A person stands next to a shade not next to words.

 

You don't go searching for bones in a lion's den.

 

Every camel was once upon time two years old.

 

A coward dies before the courageous dies.

 

An escaped lie does not reach the truth.

 

You lend a false ear to false words.

 

A married couple are neither enemies nor friends.

 

A man one year elder to you is one cunning year elder to you.

 

One should rise to a person who see you sitting.

 

A deer is an elder to its family.

 

Let what is on this side of the bank be washed out by the flood, and what is on that side of the bank be carried away by the wind.

 

A madman does not lack wisdom.

 

You should discuss over a dog's hide when it concerns your interest.

 

Dogs understand each other by their barking, and men by their words.

 

The ear cannot hold as much water as it does news.

 

A dog which refuses a bone is not alive.

 

A brave man dies once, a coward a thousand times.

 

One shares food not words.

 

When a man sleeps, it is the same person when he wakes up.

 

The most dangerous thing a man needs is a woman.

 

The child you sired hasn't sired you.

 

There is always a better man for every good man.

 

A man who has eaten something becomes shy.

 

These youth taught their mother to give birth.

 

One refusing a sibling's advice breaks his arm.

 

A cat in her house has the teeth of a lion.

 

One doesn't tell a man 'go away' but one shows him something so he will go.

 

A man prolonging his age sees a camel giving birth.

 

A thousand assignations, one marriage.

 

Men for tea, women for talk.

 

Somalis don't say a false proverb.

 

To be without knowledge is to be without light.

 

An old wound will not go away.

 

Do not walk into a snake pit with your eyes open.

 

Wisdom does not come overnight.

 

In the ocean, one does not need to sow water.

 

Where I make my living, there is my home.

 

He who does not shave you does not cut you.

 

The bridge is repaired only after someone falls in the water.

 

To try and fail is not laziness.

 

Poverty is slavery.

 

Think before you do.

 

Sorrow is like rice in the store; if a basketful is removed everyday, it will come to an end at last.

 

http://oneproverb.net/bwfolder/somalibw.html

[money]

Every camel was once upon time two years old. = Geel laba jir soo mar!!

 

I challenge you SOLers to come up with the original Somali maahmaah of these above English translations.

 

Warning: some of these translations are out of synch with the original Somali saying/adage.

[money]

An escaped lie does not reach the truth = been fakatay run ma gaarto?

[The Zack]

They lost their wisdom and rhyme when translated to English.

[The Zack]

There is always a better man for every good man.

Nin kastoo fiican nin kasii fiican baa u jooga? what does that exactly mean now?

[Geel_jire]

^ it means nin weliba oo waalan waabiyaa hela !

[The Zack]

Poverty is slavery = ceydh nasab ma aha.

 

He who does not shave you does not cut you = Qof aan kuu xiireynin yuusan kuu qooynin.

 

Men for tea, women for talk = Rag waa shaah, dumarna waa sheeko.

 

A married couple are neither enemies nor friends = Nin iyo Naagtiis col-na ma aha nabad-na ma aha.

 

And my favorite one: A man who has eaten something becomes shy = Af wax cunay xishoo!

[The Zack]

Geel_jire, thanks, that makes more sense now.

[Fabregas]

A brave man dies once, a coward a thousand times.

 

 

I think this was is universal. I even heard Tupac say it!

[Kool_Kat]

^Ee Tupac Somali lee ma eheenoo?

 

My favs:

***One doesn't tell a man 'go away' but one shows him something so he will go. - Waayeel tag lama dhehee, wuxuu ku tagaa la tusaa...

 

***A cat in her house has the teeth of a lion. - Mukulaal mininkeed joogto, mici libaaxee leedahay...

 

***Somalis don't say a false proverb. - Somali been weysheegaan, laakiin kuma maah maahaan...

 

***Think before you do. - Intaa falin kafiirso...

 

***These youth taught their mother to give birth. - Dhashii waalikeed dhalida bartay... (not sure about this one, but something along the lines of this umaleeyaa)

 

 

Have a good one...

[BOB]

Salam Aleikum W.W

 

 

I dare you to traslate this.

 

Ninkii Waaw Yiraahdo us lee laga war sugaa.

 

 

Salam Aleikum W.W

 

 

Peace, Love & Unity.

[Buuxo]

^wasalam,

damn that's hard, You wait for a psychotic man's news ?

[Cabdow]

^ Try this one, it might be easy for you since you came from Luuq

"luuq luuq maraw laamigaas kusoo dhacaa"

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

A dog which refuses a bone is not alive = Eygii laf diiday manoola

 

The child you sired hasn't sired you = Nimaa dhashay kuma dhalin

 

A thousand assignations, one marriage = Naag kun baa koodisa, kow baana guursada

 

To be without knowledge is to be without light = Aqoon la'aani waa iftiin la'aan

 

A man prolonging his age sees a camel giving birth = Cimrigaaga raago geel dhalaayo aas ku tusaa [What a translation! ]

 

An escaped lie does not reach the truth = Been fakatay run ma gaarto

 

You don't go searching for bones in a lion's den = Aqal libaax lafo lagama waayo (?) [A mistranslated maahmaah, I think.]

 

A deer is an elder to its family = Sagaaro inteeda waa duq (?) [Another mistranslated one, perhaps.]

[FatB]

[Q]A man who has eaten something becomes shy[Q]

 

this is nonsense it dont even make sense