Maahmaah Soomaali
Discover the wisdom of East Africa through traditional Somali proverbs
🌟 Proverb of the Day
Meaning: Camels led by children don't go far
Context: Leadership needs maturity — inexperience limits progress
Meaning: He who predicted the camels' departure isn't a saint
Context: Some "prophecies" are just common sense — wisdom, not miracle
Meaning: What does the camel gain from beads in its eyes?
Context: Decoration without purpose adds nothing — simplicity is better
Meaning: Two-year-old camels travel together
Context: Those of similar age or kind share the same path — peers bond naturally
Meaning: A camel carrying thirty can bear three more
Context: Experience builds capacity — the strong handle more
Meaning: A camel is a camel, and what kills it is also a camel
Context: Sometimes your own kind causes your downfall — beware from within
Meaning: The herdsman's camels live together yet apart
Context: Unity doesn't mean uniformity — even allies have boundaries
Meaning: O yellow camel, you've grazed every tree; only when you graze Ciin will people notice
Context: People overlook you until you succeed at something rare — success attracts attention
Meaning: Death is good for one you don't know and a camel-herder
Context: Loss feels lighter when distant — closeness deepens sorrow
Meaning: Death of a stranger or herdsman is easier to bear
Context: We grieve most for those close to us — empathy comes from connection
Meaning: An ox's horn is cut by heat
Context: Hard things yield under pressure — persistence softens resistance
Meaning: God doesn't bind the brave
Context: Courage is blessed — the bold find freedom and favor
Meaning: God doesn't neglect the brave
Context: The courageous are protected — fortune favors the fearless
Meaning: Nobility means standing firm
Context: True honor requires stability, patience, and dignity
Meaning: Don't dig a trap; if you do, don't make it deep — you might fall into it
Context: Evil schemes backfire — harm returns to the doer
Meaning: Once a pit has covered your shame, don't expose it again
Context: When a wrong is forgiven or hidden, don't bring it back — forget the past
Meaning: The heron, when checked, turned out to be a bird
Context: Appearances can deceive — verify before judgment
Meaning: The vulture is larger than the hawk
Context: There's always someone greater — humility keeps perspective
Meaning: Bargaining recognizes neither friend nor brother
Context: Business and emotion don't mix — trade by fairness, not favor
Meaning: Oh knife, you can't cut me unless part of me is within you
Context: Harm often comes from within, not outside — betrayal is internal