If yu kyaan ketch Harry, ketch e shirt.
“If you can't catch Harry, catch his shirt.”
When you can't get everything you wanted, take whatever part of it you can.
— Traditional Belize Wisdom, Belize
Source: Traditional Belize proverb, public-domain oral tradition
More Proverbs from Belize
Ask me no questions, and I'll tell you no lies. Ask me again, and I'll spit in your eyes.
A blunt refusal to be interrogated — some things are better left unasked.
Traditional Belize Wisdom
Read more →
Bad things never have an owner.
When something goes wrong, everyone is quick to deny responsibility.
Traditional Belize Wisdom
Read more →
Blood is thicker than urine.
A wry, earthier twist on "blood is thicker than water" — family ties still run deep, even said crudely.
Traditional Belize Wisdom
Read more →
Monkey see, monkey do.
People often copy what they observe others doing, for better or worse.
Traditional Belize Wisdom
Read more →
A small axe fells a big tree.
Size or strength is not always the deciding factor — persistence and the right tool can overcome a much bigger obstacle.
Traditional Belize Wisdom
Read more →
The parrot is in the cage, but its mind is in the cornfield.
A person's thoughts often wander to what is forbidden or out of reach, no matter where their body is.
Traditional Belize Wisdom
Read more →