This is a list of popular Somali proverbs starting with N:
Naftu orod bay kugu aammintaa. The soul tells you to run as fast as you can (i.e. to save your life with all your might).
Naag la’aani waa naf la’aan
~To be without a woman is to be without life (this indicates the crucial importance of a woman’s support)
Naag waa guri ama god ha kaga jirto. (or) Naag ha kaga jirto guri ama god.
“Your woman should be in the house or in the grave.”
Naagi nin ay taqaan nin ma mooddo. A woman does not think of a man whom she knows well, as a man.Nin aad dhashay kuma dhalin. He to whom you gave birth did not give birth to you (i.e. your child does not treat you in the same way as you treat him).
Nin aad fadhi kaga adag tahay looma sare joogsado: If you can overcome somebody when you are sitting, do not stand up.
Nin aad kabtiisa toleysid oo kafantaada tolaya: You are stitching for him sandals and he is sewing for you a shroud.
Nin aanad saacaad ku baran sanad kuma baratid. The man whom you failed to know within an hour you will not know within a year.
Nin aan baqin waa loo baqaa: One fears for the man who is fearless ( i.e. who does not take care of himself).
Nin aan dhididini ma dhergo: He who does not perspire ( i.e. does not toil) does not eat to fullness.
Nin aan dhul marini dhaayo la’: He who has not travelled in the world has no eyes.
Nin aan ku furin doonin yuu kuu rarin. He who is not going to unload your camel should not be the one to load it.
Nin aan shantaadu kaa reebin sharci kaama reebo: the law will not save you from the man you have failed to save yourself from with your fist.
Nin aan shaqaysan, shaahi waa ka xaaraan. For he does not work (even) tea is not prohibited (impure).
Nin aan warankaagu gelin warkaagu ma galo: He who is not afraid of your spear will not be frightened of your word.
Nin aan waxa jooga garani waxa soo socda ma garto: He who does not understand what is going on now will not understand what is going to happen.
Ninba ceesantii ceel keen: Everybody brings to the well a young (beautiful) she-goat ( so as to give the best impression).
Ninba intuu cunuu ciidamiyaa: As a man eats, so does he work.
Ninba meeshii bugtaa isagay belbeshaa: Pain burns the who has it.
Ninkii boqolka soomay oo bakhtiga ku affuray: He fasted a hundred days but broke his fast with carrion.
Nin bukaa boqol u talisay. A sick man has a hundred advisers.
Nin cimrigiisa dheerada geel dhalaya ayuu arkaa. (Banaadir)
“A man prolonging his age sees a camel giving birth.”
Nin daad qaaday xunbo cuskay. A man caught by a flood clings to the foam.
Nin dhintay kabihiisaa dhamaa. The sandals of a dead man are more valuable than he is (there is no benefit from a dead man).
Nin kuu digay kuma dilin. He who warned you, saved you (did not kill you).
Nin is faanshay waa ri’is nuugtay. He who praises himself is like a she-goat which suckles herself.
Nin fadhigaaga arkaya looma sare joogsado: Don’t ask for help from a man who sees you need it ( who sees you sitting, because he would already have helped you if he had wanted to).
Nin gardarran ma guuleysto: He who is not just does not succeed.
Nin geed geli jiray geed looma galo: You cannot hide behind a tree from a man who always hides behind a tree himself ( i.e. you canoot outwit him in his own manner).
Nin gu’kaa weyni gu’baas kaa weyn: He who is one year older than you has lived in need one year longer.
Nin habar dhashay hal ma seegi waayo: He who was borne by a mother ( i.e. every man) can’t help making mistakes (can’t help missing).
Nin ilko weyni hadduu go’ayana, inuu qoslayaa la moodaa: When a man whose teet hare too big, for his mouth is dying, people think that he is laughing.
Nin intuu geed ka boodo ayuu talo ka boodaa: Man makes mistakes (as easily) as he jumps over a log.
Nin is waalaba waabiyaa hela
~The aggressive man ultimately encounters a more aggressive man
Nin iyo naagtii colna ma aha, nabadna ma aha. A husband and his wife live together neither at war nor at peace.
Nin lagu seexdow, ha seexan. The man who guards the sleep of others sheep not sleep.
Ninkaad kabo ka tolanaysid kuwiisaa la eegaa: If you are asking a man to stitch a pair of shoes for you, look at his own shoes.
Nin kaa hadal badan dhaxalka aabbahaa ayuu kaa qadiyaa: He whose tongue is more eloquent than yours, will deprive you of your father’s inheritance.
Ninkii qayrkii loo xirayow, soo qoyso adiguna. If somebody of your age is being shaved, wet your own hair ( get ready for the same trouble).
Ninkii seexdaa sicii dibi dhal. The sleeping herdsman’s cow calves a he-calf.
This goes back to a story about two herdsmen, whose cows calved at the same time. One giving birth to a he-calf, the other to a she-calf. While the owner of the cow which had calved a she-calf was asleep, his companion substituted it for his he-calf. Somalis consider that a she-calf is better than a he-calf, since when it grows it will give milk and have calves.
Ninkii tiisa daryeela tu kale ku dara. Only he who managers his own job can help with somebody else’s.
Nin qoyani biyo iskama dhowro: A wet man is not afraid of water.
Nin rag ah haweentii ka adag, doqonna isgaa ka adag
~A good man may be controlled by his wife, while lesser man dominates his
Nin sabraa sed leh: A patient man will get his share.
Nin sigtay ma noola: If the blow missed you that does not mean that you may feel safe ( because another blow can be delivered).
Nin soori kaa qaadday waa nin seefi kaa qaadday. A gluttonous man is like a a dead man ( as if killed by a sword).
Nin Tuur lihi siduu u seexdo isagaa yaqaan. A hunchback knows how he should sleep (i.e. every man knows better than you what he needs.
Nin waalan hadduu qoslo, nin fayownaa qosla: When a fool laughs, even a clever man cannot refræn from laughting.
Nin walba kitaab qummane ah ayaa qoortaa ugu jira. It is written on the face (neck) of everyone that he thinks himself good.
Nin wax cunay xishood.
“A man who has eaten something becomes shy.”
Nin xil qaaday eed qaad. The man who does something is the one to scold.