Wise Jamaican
Jamaican Proverbs - “To Di Worl”
-
Jul 26
Learn fi dance a yaad before yu dance abraad
Translation: Learn to dance at home before you dance abroad
Meaning: Make sure you know what you are doing before you expose it to others
-
“Play fool fi ketch wise”
Filed under Jamaican Life, PersonalityJul 19Play fool fi ketch wise
Translation: Act foolishly to catch the wise
Meaning: To feign ignorance to one’s own benefit
-
“A nuh ebry fish a sea a shark”
Filed under Animals, PersonalityMay 20A nuh ebry fish a sea a shark
Translation: It is not every fish in the sea is a shark
Meaning: Don’t make assumptions about people based on where they live
-
“De wisest man sometime tun fool”
Filed under PersonalityApr 19De wisest man sometime tun fool
Translation: The wisest man sometimes turns foolish
Meaning: No matter how wise you are, there are times when you can do foolish things
-
Mar 25
Don’t mek goat watchman fe breadfruit tree
Translation: Don’t make a goat the watchman for a breadfruit tree
Meaning: Don’t put an unsuitable person in an important position
-
“Finga nuh sey look ya, it sey look deh”
Filed under PersonalityMar 15Finga nuh sey look ya, it sey look deh
Translation: A finger does not say look here, it says look there
Meaning: Never criticize others before looking at yourself
-
“When plantain wan’ ded, ‘im shoot”
Filed under Food, PersonalityFeb 22When plantain wan’ ded, ‘im shoot
Translation: When a plantain wants to die, it shoots
Meaning: The life of a plaintain tree is over when it has borne a single bunch of plantains. Someone’s greatest accomplishment might be their last.
-
“No care how hog try fi hide unda sheep wool, ‘im grunt let im down”
Filed under Animals, PersonalityJan 21No care how hog try fi hide unda sheep wool, im grunt let im down
Translation: It does not matter how much a hog tries to hide under sheep’s wool his grunt will betray him
Meaning: Hiding one’s character is hard to do, the true self always prevails
-
“Humble calf suck de most milk”
Filed under Animals, PersonalityDec 28Humble calf suck de most milk
Translation: A humble calf sucks the most milk
Meaning: A person with humility will reap good rewards
-
Nov 30
Trow mi stone eena hag sty any hag bawl a ‘im it lick
Translation: Throw my stone in a pig sty, any pig cries it is he who got hit
Meaning: A person who reacts to a statement is the one to whom it applies
