Barbados Proverbs (50)

A pint pot can hold a gill, but a gill can't hold a pint pot

“A pint pot can hold a gill, but a gill cannot hold a pint pot.”

A bigger capacity can absorb a smaller amount, but a small capacity cannot hold something larger than itself — not every situation works both ways.

A eyeful en' a bellyful

“Seeing a full eyeful is not the same as having a full belly.”

Merely looking at or wanting something is not the same as actually possessing or enjoying it.

A carpenter wife nevah live in a good house

“A carpenter's wife never lives in a well-built house.”

Skilled people often use their talents to serve others rather than to improve their own lives.

Bucket gine up and down in well evah day, de bottom boun' tuh drop out

“A bucket that goes up and down the well every day is bound to have its bottom drop out eventually.”

Constant strain or repeated risk will eventually cause a breakdown.

Better fish in de sea dan wha' ketch

“There are better fish in the sea than the one you have caught.”

Better opportunities exist beyond your current circumstances; do not settle for less.

Coward dog keep whole bone

“The coward dog keeps his bone whole.”

Avoiding unnecessary confrontation can spare you loss and trouble.

Crow does fly high, but when 'e come down, de ants does still eat out 'e eye

“The crow flies high, but when it comes down, the ants still eat out its eye.”

No matter how great your rise, you remain vulnerable once you return to earth.

Crave all, get none at all

“Crave all, get none at all.”

Excessive greed for everything often results in gaining nothing.

Cheap tings nuh good

“Cheap things are never good.”

Bargains that seem too easy or too cheap usually come with hidden costs.

Cat luck en' dog luck

“Cat luck is not dog luck.”

What works out well for one person will not necessarily work out the same way for another.

Common dog does bark in church

“A common dog will bark even in church.”

A person of poor manners will misbehave no matter how respectable the setting.

Dead man can't run from 'e coffin

“A dead man cannot run from his coffin.”

No one can escape their responsibilities or their fate forever.

De tongue dat does buy yuh does sell yuh

“The tongue that flatters you can just as easily betray you.”

Someone who wins you over with sweet words may later turn around and betray you.

De sea ain't got nuh back door

“The sea has no back door.”

Some undertakings carry real, inescapable danger, and there is no easy way out once you are in them.

Don't tek a six for a nine

“Do not take a six for a nine.”

Do not misread a situation or mistake one thing for another — look closely before you judge.

Don't rush de brush and throw away de paint

“Do not rush the brush and throw away the paint.”

Acting in haste can waste effort and resources that careful work would have used well.

De berry don' drop too far from de tree

“The berry does not drop too far from the tree.”

Children tend to take after their parents in character and behavior.

De higher de monkey climb, de more 'e show 'e tail

“The higher the monkey climbs, the more he shows his tail.”

The more someone shows off or rises above their place, the more their flaws are exposed.

De las' calf kill de cow

“The last calf kills the cow.”

One final strain, added to many that came before it, can bring about total collapse.

Donkey got long ear, but 'e don' like to hear 'e own story

“The donkey has long ears, but he does not like to hear his own story.”

People are often unwilling to hear the truth or criticism about themselves.

Don' wait till de horse get out de stable to shut de door

“Do not wait until the horse gets out of the stable to shut the door.”

Take precautions before a loss occurs, not after.

De devil does find work fuh idle hands to do

“The devil finds work for idle hands to do.”

People with nothing productive to occupy them tend to get into mischief.

De more yuh peep, de less yuh sih

“The more you peep, the less you see.”

Spying and prying often reveal less than patience and honesty would.

Don't heng yuh hat wih yuh hand can' reach

“Do not hang your hat where your hand cannot reach.”

Do not set ambitions or commitments beyond what you can realistically manage.

Don' ship all yuh sugar in one vessel

“Do not ship all your sugar in one vessel.”

Do not risk everything you have on a single venture; spread out your resources.

De same mout dat court yuh, don' marry yuh

“The same mouth that courts you does not always marry you.”

Those who make you fine promises are not always the ones who follow through on them.

Don' court Robin fuh 'e rags

“Do not court Robin for his rags.”

Do not befriend or favor someone only for what they can materially offer you.

Every fool got 'e sense

“Every fool has his own sense.”

Even those thought foolish have their own kind of wisdom or reasoning.

Eat soldier food, tek soldier blows

“If you eat the soldier's food, you must take the soldier's blows.”

Whoever shares in the benefits of a role must also accept its burdens and risks.

Egg ain't got no right ay rock-stone dance

“An egg has no business dancing among the rocks.”

Do not put yourself in a situation where you are certain to be broken or harmed.

Every bush is a man

“Every bush is a man.”

Be careful what you say, because you never know who might be listening.

Ef yuh wuking wid paint you got tuh get daub

“If you are working with paint, you are bound to get some on you.”

Involvement in something inevitably leaves its mark on you, for better or worse.

Evah pig got a Saturday

“Every pig has its Saturday.”

Everyone eventually faces a day of reckoning for their actions.

Evah skin-teet en' a laugh

“Not every showing of teeth is a real laugh.”

A smile or friendly appearance is not always sincere.

Fus trick en' nuh trick

“The first trick is no trick at all.”

Being fooled once is understandable, but falling for the same trick twice is not.

Fisherman nevah say dat 'e fish stink

“A fisherman never says his own fish stinks.”

People rarely admit fault or speak badly of their own work or their own kind.

Force ripe fruit don' got nuh taste

“Force-ripened fruit has no real taste.”

Things or people rushed to maturity before their time often lack real depth or substance.

Force medicine good fuh mad horse

“Forced medicine is only fit for a mad horse.”

Help or advice forced upon someone unwilling rarely does any good.

God don't like ugly

“God does not like ugly.”

Cruelty and injustice will eventually meet with disapproval and consequence.

Give jack 'e jacket

“Give Jack his jacket.”

Give credit and recognition to whoever truly deserves it.

Good looks can' kaah tuh de shop

“Good looks cannot be carried to the shop.”

Physical beauty alone has no practical value when it comes to providing for real needs.

Gold teet don' suit hog mout

“Gold teeth do not suit a hog's mouth.”

Fine things are wasted, or even look absurd, on someone who has not earned or does not fit them.

Hard ears yuh won't hear, by and by you gine feel

“Hard ears will not hear, but by and by you will feel it.”

Those who refuse good advice will eventually suffer the consequences of ignoring it.

High wind know where ole house live

“The high wind knows where the old house lives.”

Trouble and hardship tend to find and test the weakest and most vulnerable.

Hurry-hurry never done

“Hurry-hurry never done.”

Rushing carelessly through a task often means it has to be done all over again.

Home drum beat first

“The home drum beats first.”

Attend to your own family and household before turning your attention elsewhere.

Hungry mek cat eat salt

“Hunger makes the cat eat salt.”

Necessity can drive anyone to do things they would not normally do.

It en' de gun dat does kill yuh, it is de shot

“It is not the gun that kills you, it is the shot.”

It is often the small, specific detail — not the larger threat in general — that causes real harm.

It don't tek a big axe tuh cut down a big tree

“It does not take a big axe to cut down a big tree.”

Great results do not always require great size or force — the right approach is what matters.

“We will be friends of all, satellites of none.”

Barbados would pursue an independent foreign policy of goodwill toward every nation without becoming beholden to any single power bloc.