“The bridge is repaired only after someone has fallen into the water.”
People often act to prevent a problem only after it has already caused harm.
— Traditional Djibouti Wisdom, Djibouti
Source: Traditional Somali proverb (maahmaah), shared regional heritage with Djibouti's Somali (Issa) community, public-domain oral tradition
More Proverbs from Djibouti
A brave man is scared of a lion three times: first when he sees its tracks, second when he hears its roar, and third when he faces it.
True courage does not mean feeling no fear; it means facing that fear again and again until you meet the danger directly.
Water and milk do not mix.
Some people or things are fundamentally incompatible and cannot be forced together.
If people come together, they can even mend a crack in the sky.
United effort can overcome even the most impossible-seeming challenges.
A camel can tolerate a heavy load, but not a crooked rope.
Even the strongest can endure great hardship, but injustice or unfair treatment breaks them.
Somalis may tell a lie, but they never tell a false proverb.
Everyday speech may bend the truth, but the inherited wisdom of proverbs is treated as sacred and reliable.
A human being is never without fault.
Making mistakes is part of being human; no one is perfect.