Boran Proverbs with English translation

1. Obsan qalomani. 

English: Patience leads to an honorable position.

2. Chubbun tok daqabi, tok ordofi.

English: You can be punished as you do sin on the spot. But for others it can come later. Meaning: As for the punishment of sin, some are immediate; and others come later.

3. Waagaran qabu arrbi namhata.

English: What was withheld as secret thought will come out through a slip of tongue.

 4. Ittiallatin nyatu wahi ingartu ; gurri allatin nyatu wahi ind’agau. 

English: An eye that the vultures peck at, does not see; an ear that the vultures peck at does not hear

 5. Huqondarba alati, muyoni dua dirsa alati.

 English: The weak cow will blame whoever pushes it for its fall; the weak woman will blame her husband’s death for her downfall.

 6. Arbit ilk ufi indadabu. 

English: The elephant does not get tired carrying his heavy tusks.

7. At Mormad nafatu siimma. 

English: You may deny that you were fed, but your body will tell.

8. Okon wan as anan  fud jete.

English: A rake recommends that it be used first to fetch the rubbish that is nearest.

9. Arki tokochi naf indqu. 

English: One hand alone cannot wash the body.

10. Ado an Gafabou, Gur naramuran get aren. 

English: The donkey lamented that while it was pleading for horns, its ears were cut off.

11. Arki marot waldiqa. 

English: Hand was each other in turn.

12. Adho akijedan jiru akijechan nam diba.

 English: While we know what to say, saying it that way is often difficult.

13. Guyya amma ijoolet qae nam d’eeta. 

English: On a bad day children will flee from your sight.

14. Idjiru idi inyatani.

 English: While relatives exist, one cannot eat the sodom apple.

English: The ladle cannot serve anything if the pot is empty.

16. Warri dua dibbe ind’agau. 

English: People who are on the verge of death do not hear the drum beat

 17. Koblan don jet saren dada nubir tai jenan. 

English: This is amusing; said the dog when asked to guard a container of cheese.

18. Nam Duu, Dubbi Indone. 

English: A man dies, but his word lives forever.

19. Waan namitok it fidamu, tok it fidamu indandau. 

English: The conditions that one can comfortably live with, might be unacceptable to another.

20. Tolikijiba abba qolesa. 

English: One who gives to earn praise will impoverish himself.