This is a list of popular Somali proverbs starting with B:
Baadiyi nin aan lahayn bay ag joogtaa. Lost cattle (i.e. which are looked for by their owner) find themselves at the disposal of the man who does not need it (i.e. sometimes a thing belongs not to the man who cannot do without it, but to a man who does not need them).
Baahi badan, baryo badan, iyo bukaan badanba waa laysku nacaa~Both excessive needliness, too much begging and chronic ill-health can create undo resentment in others
Ballandarro waa diindarro: Not to fulfil a promise is just the same as not believing in God.
Bakayle intuu bur ku jiruu bur kale daydaydaa: The hare sits under one bush but looks out for another ( to which it might run if endangered).
Bannaankiisa-mare maradiisa geed ma qabsato: The cloth of the man who skirts about a clearing will not be torn by a tree ( i.e. a cautious person will avoid troubles).
Baqal fardo la daaqday faras bay is mooddaa. If a mule grazes with horses it thinks that it is also a horse.
Baqtiga ma cunee fuudkiisan cabbaa. I do not eat carrion. I drink soup made of carrion. Said about a bigot
Barasho horteed hay nicin. Do no reject me until you know me well (i.e. one should not be judged by appearances). This goes back to a tale about an ugly but brave young man who was unsuccessfully wooing a girl. She preferred a handsome but as it turned out cowardly man.
Baroorta ceesaanta ka weyn: One does not mourn so bitterly over a (lost) she-goat ( there is obviously a more serious hidden reason).
Baruur keliya ayaa baruuryo qudhmisa: One fat piece of meat spoils many other pieces.
Barti-yaqaan bari uma kororto: The herd of a man who knows only one place (i.e. pasture) does not grow. Another interpretation. The herd of a man who takes care only of his own animals does not grow ( because in any disater no one would help him.
Baryo badan iyo bukaan badanba waa laysku nacaa. Beggars and ailing people are disliked equally.
Beenaale markhaatigiisuu fogeeyaa: A liar settles his witness in a faraway place (i.e. he calls as witness someone who is not able to come.
Been fakatay runi ma gaaarto: The truth will not catch up with a runaway lie.
Beeni raad ma leh. A lie leaves no trace (i.e. it has no weight).
Beenlow nin dhintay iyo nin dheer ayuu marqaati u qabsadaa. A liar calls as witness one who is either dead ord far away.
Beentaada hore runtaada danbay u baas baxdaa. Your previous lie damages your present truth.
Been sheeg, laakin been run u eg sheeg. Tell lies, but let your lies resemble the truth.
Belaayo intay kaa maqan tahay, qayrkaa bay ku maqan tahay: If misfortune does not come to you it comes to somebody else ( somebody of your age).
Belaayo ka-hor-tag moyee ka-dabo-tag ma leh: Misfortune can be caught only from the front, it cannot be caught from behind (i.e. one can avert misfortune, but cannot control it if it has already happened).
Belaayo kaa sii jeedda layskuma soo jeediyo. If a trouble shows its back, do not force it to show its face.
Belo ama il la’ayd, ama lug la’ayd: A wicked man is lacking either one eye or one leg ( which means he cannot damage the people round him in full measure).
Bidaari sibiq bay kugu gashaa. A bald spot reveals itself unexpectedly. Said about an unexpected trouble.
Bilsaddex gurigaagana way kaa kexeysaa, guri kalana kuma gaarsiiso: A young moon (a moon which was born three days ago) will take you out of your own house but it will not take you to somebody else’s ( because it does not shine long). This means, no good will come of a hasty decisions.
Biyo fadhiya biyo socdaa kiciya: Dead-water is moved by running water.
Biyo intaysan ku soo gaarin ayaa layska moosaa. Make a dam before the flows.
Biyo meel godan bay isugu tagaan. Water flows to a low place.
Biyo sacabbadaada ayaa looga dhergaa. One drinks enough water only from one’s own palms.
Booraan hadimo ha qodin, ku dhici doontaana mooye: If you dig a (deadly) hole for somebody, be careful not to fail into it yourself.
Somali proverbs starting with A
This is a list of popular Somali proverbs starting with A
Aabe, kan yar iga celiyoo kan weyn igu sii daa – Oh Father, save me from the small one, the big one I shall manage myself.Aaddane eed ma waayo – Human beings are never without a fault
Abaal nin gala waa la arkay, nin gudase lama arag – Those who accept a favour are many (have been seen), but those who pay back are none (have not been seen).
Abeesadii lix jir kugu qaniintaa lixdan jir bay kugu dishaa – A snake-bite received at the age of six kills you at the age of sixty (i.e. evil lingers a long time).Abkay dooli dilow, dad nool maas u dahaa? – My father has killed a mouse, will he fail to kill a man (people)?. Said about a coward who pretends to be brave.
Adduunyo waa hooska labadiisa gelin: The world is like a shadow: in the morning it is turned towards one direction, in the evening towards the opposite one (i.e. it is changeable).
Af daboolan waa dehab. A closed mouth is gold.
Af jooga looma adeego. Do not speak (do not serve for ) a mouth that is present (i.e. one should not speak on behalf of a person who is present).
Af macaan garan macaan baa dhaanta: A sweet ( i.e. generous) hand is better than a sweet ( i.e. generous with promises) mouth.
Af qoyani hadal ma daayo
~A living mouth does not give up talk
Afxumo nabadna waa kaa geysaa, colaadna wax kaagama tarto: Your nasty tongue will deprive you of peace, but will not help you in enmity.
Af wax cunay, xishow. Oh mouth, you have eaten something, now keep quiet (i.e. do not object to he who has fed you).Allow, nimaan wax ogayn ha cadaabin. Oh Allah, do not punish a man who sins through ignorance.
Ama afeef hore lahow, ama adkeysi dambe lahow. Either refuse (to do something) at once or put up with it later.
Ama leg ahay, ama lug ahay: Catch hold of a brisket or at least a leg (because even a bad thing is better than nothing).
Ama talo keen ahow, ama talo raac ahow. Either propose something yourself or agree to what is proposed by others.
Ama waa la muuqdaa, ama waa la maqnaada. Either be visible or be absent (.i.e. either do a job well or do not set about it at all).
Aqoonla`aani waa iftiinla’aan. The absence of knowledge is the absence of light.
Arrini madax la qabtay leedahaye mijo la qabto ma leh. A problem can be seized (only) by its head, one cannot seize it by its tail (ankel).
Arrinxumo abaar ka daran: A wrong (bad) decision is worse than a drought.
Aroos lagama raago, lagumana raago. One should neither be late for the wedding nor stay too long at it.
Awrba awrka ka horreeya ayuu saanqaadkiisa leeyahay. A camel (in caravan) follows the tracks of the leading camel.
Awr awr wado iyo nin naagi waddo midna kaama baydho: You cannot evade the camel which is driven ( in your direction) by another camel, nor the man who is driven (i.e. set on you) by a woman (i.e. a woman skilfully uses a man for pursuing her ends).
Ayax teg, eelna reeb. The locust flew away but it left hardship.