Chat pa la, rat ka bay bal.
“When the cat is not there, the rats throw a ball.”
People misbehave or take liberties as soon as those in authority are absent.
— Traditional Guadeloupe Wisdom, Guadeloupe
Source: Traditional Guadeloupean Creole proverb, public-domain oral tradition
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Take the lead before the lead takes you.
You must know how to anticipate trouble so it does not catch you by surprise.
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Who bathes early dries quickly.
Those who act first reap the benefit; the early are best served.
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It is not enough to lead a snake to school — you must also make it sit down.
Starting a project is not enough; the real difficulty is seeing it through to the end.
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Yellow bananas do not turn green again.
Some changes cannot be undone; there is no going back once something has run its course.
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True friends can be counted on one hand.
Genuine, trustworthy friendships are rare, however many acquaintances a person has.
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Man says it without doing it; the good Lord does it without saying it.
People are often full of empty words, while real outcomes unfold quietly, without announcement.
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