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Caribbean Sayings / Proverbs / Folk Law

Tek a look at the complexity of Caribbean speech, knowledge and way of life trough some of their more popular sayings or proverbs.

Alligator lay egg but 'im no fowl.
No cuss alligator long mout' till yu krass riva.
A fas' mek anansi deh a 'ouse-tap.
Trubble de a bush, anansi bring i' come a yaad.
If yu no mash ants, yu no se 'im guts. But tek time mash ants, yu fine 'im guts.
Bud cawn fly 'pon wan wing.
Young bud no know hard time.
No draw chokie mek bud se yu.
'Nearly' nebber kill de bud yet.
De oler de bull, de stiffer de horn.
W'en bull begin fe dig grung yu beta look fe tree.
Two bull cawn reign ina wan pen.
Chicken merry, 'awk deh near.
No kya how cockroach drunk, 'im nebber kraas fowl yaad.
Cow know weak fence fe jump ovah.
A no ev'ry green grass cow se 'im graze.
Yu laka cow wha' gi' a pail of milk an' kick i' ovah.
Yu nebber se kicking cow widoutn kicking calf.
W'en dawg liv well 'im trubble cow, cow kick 'im.
Dawg 'av' two yaad, 'im sleep widoutn suppa.
Dawg nyam yu suppa.
Fool-fool dawg bark at flying bud.
Sorry fe mawga dawg, mawga dawg tun 'round bite yu.
If yu lie wid dawg, yu wi' get up wid flea.
If yu wan' fe know if mawga dawg 'av' teet, draw 'im tail.
Befo' dawg go widoutn 'im suppa 'im nyam cockroach.
Ev'ry day a fishing day, but a no ev'ry day yu ketch fish.
Young bud no fe fly too fur.
Has'e mek was'e.
Ev'ry hoe 'av' 'im 'tick a bush.
No cut af yu nose fe spite yu face.
Wha' no cost life no cost nutt'n.
Pot a cuss kettle seh 'im bottom black.
Long pass draw swet, short pass draw blood.
Rain a fall, but de dutty tough.
Yu nebber se smoke widoutn fiah.
No trubble trubble, till trubble trubble yu.
Ole fiah 'tick eezy fe ketch.
A no ev'ry gun-man was'e shot 'pon blackbud.
W'en wan door shut, nudda wan open.
Duppy know who fe frighten.
Daylight show through li' key 'ole.
Yu no se fowl batty till breeze-blow.
Yu promise senseh-fowl anything, 'im a look fe i'.
Black fowl no fe yu, yu call 'im Jankrow.
Wha' sweet nanny-goat a go run 'im belly.
Jigger kno' fe who fa foot 'im go ina.
No matter how high jankrow fly, 'im 'av' fe come a grung fe nyam.
Daylight show through li' key 'ole.
Yu no se fowl batty till breeze-blow.

Trow 'tone a pen, any pig weh squeal loudest, a 'im get lik.
Play wid puppy, puppy lik yu mout'.
No buy puss ina bag.
Puss an' dawg no 'av' de same luck.
Puss a sleep, ratta tek charge.
Yu cawn mek blood outa 'tone.
If yu cawn tan blow no play wid 'tick.
Yu 'av' fe creep befo' yu waak.
Yu yeye bigger dan yu belly.
Wan time fool no fool, but two-time fool a damn fool.
'Im 'av' goat mout'.
If yu wan' good, yu nose 'av' fe run.
Wan han wash de other.
'Im dress to puss back foot.
If yu cawn ketch Harry, ketch 'im shut.
'Im can tek milk outa kaafi.
Man ina trubble, bwoy shut fit 'im.
Idle man head a debl wukshop.
Show me yu company, me tell yu who yu are.
Ax me no question, me tell yu no lie.
A no ev'ry riva yu cross yu lan 'pon de same foot.
If yu spit in de sky, i' wi' fall in yu yeye.
Teday fe me, tomarra fe yu.
Wan-Wan coco full basket.
Big tree no cut dung wid wan blow.
Sweet-wood blaze, but 'im no keep fiah.
'Im cawn mash ants.
Empty bag cawn tan up.
Laka batty 'pon bench.
Dere is a ben' in ev'ry riva.
New broom sweep clean; ole broom know 'im corner.
Blood thicker dan water.
Ev'ryday de bucket a go a well, wan day de bottom a go drap out.
Who de cap fit, mek 'im wear i'.
A no ev'ry chain yu hear a fe rolling calf.
A no ev'ry day a Krismas.
Head cook an' bottle-washer.
Puss belly full, Rat batty 'tink.
A no every tree hate monkey.
Dog a sweat but long hair hide it.