Somali Proverbs

Somali Proverbs carry a poet’s wisdom from a nomadic, clan-based society shaped by drought and Indian Ocean trade. They prize honor, patience, and sharp metaphor for settling disputes and guiding daily life.

The bridge is repaired only after someone falls in the water. (Somali Proverb)
A married couple is neither enemies nor friends. View proverb
Somali Proverb
Don't set out on a journey using someone else's donkey. View proverb
Somali Proverb
Dogs understand each other by their barking, and men by their words. View proverb
Somali Proverb
To be without knowledge is to be without light. View proverb
Somali Proverb
The most dangerous thing a man needs is woman. View proverb
Somali Proverb
He who takes responsibility becomes the target of the people. View proverb
Somali Proverb
The best bed that a man can sleep on is peace. View proverb
Somali Proverb
The man whom you failed to know within an hour you will not know within a year. View proverb
Somali Proverb
Wisdom does not come overnight. View proverb
Somali Proverb
Where there is negotiation, there is hope for agreement. (Somali Proverb)
The ear cannot hold as much water as it does news. View proverb
Somali Proverb
If people come together, they can even mend a crack in the sky. View proverb
Somali Proverb
A coward dies before the courageous dies. View proverb
Somali Proverb
A sinking persons grabs a straw. View proverb
Somali Proverb
You don't go searching for bones in a lion's den. View proverb
Somali Proverb
Either be a mountain or lean on one. View proverb
Somali Proverb
A cat in her house has the teeth of a lion. View proverb
Somali Proverb
There is always a better man for every good man. View proverb
Somali Proverb
A madman does not lack wisdom. View proverb
Somali Proverb
Only water in your hands can satisfy your thirst. (Somali Proverb)
The person who does not listen to an elder's advice gets his or her leg broken. View proverb
Somali Proverb
To be without a friend is to be poor indeed. View proverb
Somali Proverb
One refusing a sibling's advice breaks his arm. View proverb
Somali Proverb
Do not walk into a snake pit with your eyes open. View proverb
Somali Proverb
More Somali Wisdom in Wikiquote