This is a list of popular Somali proverbs starting with M:
Madax ka kor meel la salaaxo ma leh: Above the head there is nothing to stroke. This means, 1) There is limit to everything. 2) Theres is no appeal against the decision of a superior.
Madax muuqda iyo mindi saawir ah midna lagama samro: A (stupid) head and a blunt knife, if they are near at hand, will always prove useful.
Manjo dhooqo midba mar baa la baxshaa: One pulls one’s feet (ankels) out of the mud one by one (i.e. one finishes one thing before beginning another.
Mar i dage Alle ha dago, mar labaad i dagase anaa is dagay. If somebody cheated you once he is a fool (because by the fraud he shook your faith in him), but if he cheated you twice you are a fool.
Markii aan tamar hayayna talo ma ahayn, maantoon talo hayana tamar ma hayo: When I had strengh I did not have brains, now I have brains but do not have strength.
Marti badan iyo baryo badanba waa laysku nacaa: Frequent guests and much begging are disliked equally.
Maroodiga takarta saaran ma arkee kan kale tan saaran ayuu arkaa: An elephant does not see the gadfly which is sitting on it but sees the one sitting on another elephant
Mas madaxaa laga dilaa. A snake must be killed by a blow to its head (i.e. an enemy must be struck down).
Matag meshaad doonayso kuguma simo: A man vomits not where he wants to but where he is forced to. This means: Sometimes a man is not able to control his actions.
Maxay ku nuugtaa, maxayse ka nuugtaa?: Ah, what will he now suckle and with what?.
This goes back to a tale about a hyena who bit the lips off a camel calf and the udder of a she-camel, and then shed tears, pretending to be concerned with the fate of the poor calf.
Meeshaad madaxeeda tahay manjaheeda layskama dhigo: Do not be legs where you are a head ( i.e. do not behave as a subordinate man).
Meel il laga la’yahay haddaad tagto, il baa layska ridaa. If you come to the one-eyed people’s country (place), pull out your eye.
Meel lagaa jecel yahay haddaad ka tagtid, meel lagaa neceb yahay ayaad tagtaa: If you leave the place in which you are loved, you will come to the place in which you are hated.
Meel siday u taallo ayaa loola yaallaa: As the place is, so conduct yourself in it ( as the place stands so stand in it).
Meel waa laga muuqdaa ama waa laga maqnaadaa
~At your niche, either make your presence known or stay away (be active or better be absent)
Miro gunti ku jira kuwo geed saaran looma daadiyo. One does not throw away fruit in the pocket for the sake of fruit on the tree.
Mukulaal mininkeeda joogtaa miciyo libaax bay leedahay. A cat in its own house has lion’s fangs.
Mulac carruurta ciyaar bay ka tahay, isna waa kan af bax: What is play for children is death for a lizard.