Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Proverbs (49)

Mihó lat ku nunka.

“Better late than never.”

Acting late is still worth more than never acting at all.

Bo ta bomba awa di renbak.

“You sing so badly you have spoiled the water.”

Said to someone singing badly out of tune — a light-hearted way of mocking a poor performance.

Den dos man funchi no por sali papa.

“With only two hands, the funchi cannot come out right.”

A single pair of hands is rarely enough — real work goes better with the help of others.

Galiña ta laba ku e awa ku e tin.

“The chicken washes with the water it has.”

Make do with what is available to you rather than waiting for ideal conditions.

Un konsenshi limpi ta e mihó kusinchi.

“A clean conscience is the best pillow.”

Living honestly brings peace of mind and untroubled sleep.

Sali fo'i panchi kai den kandela.

“To jump out of the pot and fall into the fire.”

Escaping one bad situation only to land in a worse one.

Pushi ku hanskun no por kohe raton.

“A cat wearing gloves cannot catch mice.”

Being overly careful or restrained can stop you from getting anything done.

Muchu amèn ta daña misa.

“Too many amens spoil the mass.”

Even a good thing becomes harmful when there is too much of it.

Bai gaña baka.

“Go and tell that to a cow.”

Said to dismiss a claim that is too far-fetched to be believed by anyone sensible.

Un kabuya ta corta dos biaha.

“A rope cuts twice.”

A shortcut taken carelessly tends to cause trouble a second time.

Kabes ta traha otro.

“One head puts another to work.”

Two minds working together accomplish more than one working alone.

Es ku yega promé ta bebe awa limpi.

“Whoever arrives first drinks the clean water.”

Being early or acting first brings the best opportunities.

Sòpi purá ta sali salu.

“Soup made in a hurry turns out salty.”

Rushing a task usually spoils the result; care takes time.

Kada kosa i su turno.

“Everything has its own turn.”

All things happen in their proper time; patience is rewarded.

Esun ku kana lo kontra.

“The one who walks will find.”

Persistence and effort eventually lead to discovery and success.

Bo no por kome karni, nenga wesu.

“You cannot eat the meat and refuse the bone.”

You cannot accept only the enjoyable part of something while refusing the responsibilities or costs that come with it.

No por planta ku su awa.

“You cannot plant with someone else's water.”

You cannot depend on another person's resources or promises to get your own work done — rely on yourself.

Kara di angel, kurason di diabel.

“The face of an angel, the heart of the devil.”

Describes someone whose innocent appearance hides bad intentions — never judge character by looks alone.

No laga pa mañan loke bo por hasi awe.

“Do not leave for tomorrow what you can do today.”

A call against procrastination — finish what needs doing while you have the chance.

Pampuna no sa pari kalbas.

“A pumpkin vine does not give birth to a calabash.”

Children tend to take after their parents — like father, like son.

Un man ta laba otro.

“One hand washes the other.”

People who help each other both come out ahead — mutual cooperation benefits everyone.

Kada wea tin su tapadera.

“Every pot has its lid.”

Everyone eventually finds the partner or match that fits them.

Ora bo ta di malu, papel muhá mes ta kòrt'abo.

“When luck is against you, even wet paper can cut you.”

During a run of bad luck, even the most harmless things seem to cause trouble.

Den tempu di gera no tin misa.

“In times of war, there is no mass.”

Normal rules and courtesies fall away during conflict or crisis — comparable to "all is fair in love and war."

Mihó koyón ku Dios pordón.

“Better a fool than in need of God's pardon.”

It is better to act with over-caution than to do something you will later need forgiveness for — prevention is better than cure.

Kani mi pa mi kani bo.

“Scratch me and I will scratch you.”

Favors are exchanged between people who help each other — you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours.

Makaku sa kua palu e ta subi.

“The monkey knows which tree to climb.”

A person looking for advantage always knows exactly whom or what to target.

Bos di buriku no ta yega shelu.

“The donkey's voice does not reach heaven.”

The complaints of the powerless or poor often go unheard.

Pos a seka, baka a muri.

“The well dried up, and the cow died.”

When your wealth or resources disappear, fair-weather friends disappear along with them.

Pa dal kachó nunka ta falta palu.

“To beat a dog, a stick is never lacking.”

Someone determined to find fault with you will always manage to find an excuse.

Komedó di webu no sa ku galiña su atras ta hasi due.

“The one who eats the egg does not know how much the hen's backside hurts.”

Those who enjoy the benefits of something rarely understand the effort or pain that produced it.

Ku pasenshi bo ta gana gloria.

“With patience, you win glory.”

Enduring hardship patiently is eventually rewarded with honor and success.

Kada porko tin su djasabra.

“Every pig has its Saturday.”

Everyone eventually faces the consequences of their actions — reckoning always comes (Saturday was traditionally hog-slaughtering day for the week's meals).

Amor sin sufrimentu ta prenda sin balor.

“Love without suffering is a jewel without value.”

Genuine love is proven through hardship — a relationship never tested by difficulty is not fully valued.

Awa no sa muha makaku dos bes.

“Water will not wet a monkey twice.”

A wise person learns from a painful experience and takes care never to make the same mistake twice.

Makaku ta hunga ku su yu te ora e saka su wowo.

“The monkey plays with its young until they scratch out its eyes.”

Warns that spoiling or over-indulging those you love can eventually come back to harm you.

Makaku bistí na seda, makaku e ta keda.

“Dress a monkey in silk, and it remains a monkey.”

A person's true nature cannot be changed by fine clothing or outward appearance.

Ta makaku so bo por kohe ku bakoba.

“Only a monkey can be caught with a banana.”

Only a naive or foolish person is fooled by such an obvious trick or bait.

E último makaku semper ta hoga.

“The last monkey always drowns.”

Whoever is last to act or last to escape trouble is the one who suffers the worst consequences.

Esun ku para bou di un bon palu, un bon sombra lo tapé.

“Whoever stands beneath a good tree will be covered by good shade.”

Associating with good, capable people brings benefit and protection.

Den mondi tin mas palu korkobá ku tin net.

“In the forest, there are more crooked trees than straight ones.”

Imperfection is the norm — flawless people or things are rare, so do not expect perfection.

Si palu grandi kai, ta su tempu a yega.

“When a great tree falls, its time has come.”

Even the mightiest or most powerful eventually meet their end when their time arrives.

No ta tur palu ta sirbi pa traha imagen.

“Not every piece of wood is fit for carving an image.”

Not everyone or everything is suited for every purpose — recognize each thing's particular value.

Afèr di kabritu no ta afèr di karné.

“Goat matters are not sheep matters.”

Keep unrelated matters separate — do not mix up different people's business or different issues.

Mas mòfi, ménos maishi.

“More birds, less corn.”

When more people or forces compete for a limited resource, there is less left for everyone.

Si bo subi kabai, bo mester sa unda bo ta bai.

“If you mount a horse, you must know where you are going.”

Before committing to a course of action, be clear about your goal or purpose.

Mihó kabes di ratón, ku rabu di leon.

“Better the head of a mouse than the tail of a lion.”

It is better to lead something small than to be the lowest-ranked member of something great.

Kohe un pieu hasi un baka.

“To take a louse and make it into a cow.”

Blowing a trivial matter far out of proportion — making a huge deal out of something small.

E ke bula ku ala di manteka.

“He wants to fly with wings of butter.”

Describes someone attempting something far beyond their real ability or means — bound to fail, like wings made of butter melting away.