Toll taobh ó bheith gan bhráthair.

(pierced / broken * side * from * being * without * brother)

A side is broken without a brother. = It is not good to stand alone.

This proverb is found in “Buile Shuibhne”, where it stands as the fourth line of the following stanza (lines 822-5):

Baoth comairle gach mic mhir
ag nach mairid a shinnsir,
amail as crom craobh fo chnoibh,
toll taobh ó bheith gan bhráthair.

The well-known modern version is “Is maol gualainn gan bhráthair” (a shoulder is bare without a brother).

Topics: Proverbial Sayings