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.Said when somebody is unable to solve a small problem, but thinks he can deal with a big one, or when somebody is trying to palm of on to someone else the solution of a problem he cannot solve himself. This goes back to a story about a boy who was often beaten up by other boys of his age. One day the boy and his father encountered one of his attackers, who had a bigger fellow with him. The victim, realising that if it came to blows he would not be able to beat the boy of his own age, but that the big fellow would scarcely want to fight with him, pronounced these works, which became a proverb.
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.