Traditional proverbs of Pitcairn Islands in en and English — each with its meaning and source.
“Hold your tongue, sir, or you are a dead man this instant.”
Fletcher Christian's words to Captain Bligh during the mutiny of 28 April 1789 — the point of no return that, a year later, led the mutineers to found the hidden settlement on Pitcairn Island.
Source: William Bligh, A Narrative of the Mutiny on Board His Majesty's Ship Bounty (London: George Nicol, 1790)
“Never fear the sea, fear the storm.”
Distinguish ordinary difficulty from genuine danger; do not let familiar hardship frighten you, but respect real threats.
Source: Traditional Polynesian proverb, shared regional heritage carried by Pitcairn's founding Tahitian mothers, public-domain oral tradition
“It is never too late to give to those who do not have.”
Generosity has no expiry date; there is always an opportunity to help someone in need.
“The well-trodden path is not always the right path.”
Popularity is not proof of correctness; question convention rather than following the crowd blindly.
“The canoe ride is pleasant when the paddler is skilled.”
Competence makes any journey smoother; skill and preparation ease every undertaking.
“Catch the bird, but watch for the wave.”
Pursue opportunity without losing awareness of the danger that may be close beside it.
“A wise man does not build his house on the sand.”
Build the foundations of a life, a family, or a plan on what is solid and lasting, not on what looks convenient today.
“Every man is the builder of his own hut.”
Each person is responsible for shaping the life they live; no one else can build it for them.
“If you aim your spear at two fish, both will escape.”
Divided attention accomplishes little; focus on one goal at a time.
“Give, and you will receive.”
Generosity tends to return to the giver, in its own time and its own form.
“The coral waxes, the palm grows, but man departs.”
Nature renews and endures while a single human life is brief; a reminder to live meaningfully in the time given.
“The older a man gets, the larger the waves become.”
Life's hardships can feel greater with age and experience, even when the sea itself has not changed.
“Goods given make a quicker return than goods held.”
Sharing what you have brings faster reward than hoarding it away.
“Red sky at night, sailor's delight; red sky in morning, sailor take warning.”
Read the sky before you set out; the color of dawn and dusk hints at the weather to come.
Source: Traditional English proverb, shared ancestral heritage of the Bounty's English crew who founded Pitcairn, public-domain oral tradition
“A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.”
Mastery is forged through hardship and challenge, never through ease alone.
“Any port in a storm.”
In genuine crisis, take whatever safe shelter is available, even if it is not the one you wanted.
“A stitch in time saves nine.”
A small repair made early prevents much larger trouble later.
“Still waters run deep.”
A calm, quiet surface can hide great depth of feeling, thought, or character.
“Every cloud has a silver lining.”
Even the darkest circumstance carries some hidden good, if you look for it.
“Calling up a fellow ham in the United States is almost as easy as dialing a telephone.”
Tom Christian's reflection on how amateur radio broke through Pitcairn's extreme isolation and kept its tiny population connected to the rest of the world.
Source: 73 Magazine (amateur radio publication), interview with Tom Christian VR6TC, March 1977
“We lost our trust for each other.”
Meralda Warren's candid reflection on how deeply a small, close community can be wounded when trust between its own people breaks down.
Source: Quoted in Kathy Marks, Lost Paradise: From Mutiny on the Bounty to a Modern-Day Legacy of Sexual Mayhem (2009); also reported by The Guardian and The Independent
“A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.”
What you already possess is more valuable than a greater uncertain prize you might gain by risking it.
“Actions speak louder than words.”
What people do reveals more truth than what they promise or say.
“All that glitters is not gold.”
Not everything that looks impressive or valuable truly is.
“Don't count your chickens before they hatch.”
Do not assume success before it is certain; plans can still fail.
“The early bird catches the worm.”
Those who act promptly gain the advantage over those who delay.
“Honesty is the best policy.”
Telling the truth serves a person better in the long run than deception.
“Practice makes perfect.”
Repeated effort and practice build skill over time.
“When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”
Adapt your behavior to fit the customs of the place or company you are in.
“You can't judge a book by its cover.”
Do not form an opinion of someone or something based on outward appearance alone.
“Where there's a will there's a way.”
Strong determination can find a path to overcome almost any obstacle.
“A penny saved is a penny earned.”
Money not spent is as valuable as money earned; frugality builds wealth.
“Better safe than sorry.”
It is wiser to take a careful precaution now than to regret carelessness later.
“Curiosity killed the cat.”
Being too inquisitive about matters that do not concern you can lead to trouble.
“Don't put all your eggs in one basket.”
Spread risk rather than relying entirely on a single plan or resource.
“Necessity is the mother of invention.”
Difficult circumstances often force people to find creative solutions.
“Out of sight, out of mind.”
People and things easily fade from thought once they are no longer nearby.
“The grass is always greener on the other side.”
Other people's circumstances often look more appealing than they truly are.
“Two wrongs don't make a right.”
Responding to one wrongdoing with another does not correct the original harm.
“A friend in need is a friend indeed.”
A person's true friendship is proven when they help you during hardship.
“Absence makes the heart grow fonder.”
Being apart from someone can deepen affection for them.
“All good things must come to an end.”
Even the best periods and experiences in life are temporary.
“Beggars can't be choosers.”
Those who depend on others' generosity must accept what is offered rather than demand more.
“Birds of a feather flock together.”
People with similar interests or character tend to associate with one another.
“Fortune favors the bold.”
Those willing to take courageous action are more often rewarded than the timid.
“Haste makes waste.”
Rushing a task carelessly often produces mistakes that cost more time to fix.
“Let sleeping dogs lie.”
Avoid stirring up an old conflict or problem that has already settled.
“Little strokes fell great oaks.”
Small, persistent efforts can eventually accomplish something very large.
“Make hay while the sun shines.”
Take advantage of good conditions while they last, since they may not endure.
“Waste not, want not.”
Using resources carefully now means you are less likely to be in need later.
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