Traditional Belize Wisdom

Ax me no question, ah tell yu no lies. If yu ax me again, ah spit eena yu eyes.

“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.

Bad ting neba gat owner.

“Bad things never have an owner.”

When something goes wrong, everyone is quick to deny responsibility.

Blood ticker dan urine.

“Blood is thicker than urine.”

A wry, earthier twist on "blood is thicker than water" — family ties still run deep, even said crudely.

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.

Munkey si, munkey du.

“Monkey see, monkey do.”

People often copy what they observe others doing, for better or worse.

Small ax fall big tree.

“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.

Paarat eena cage but e mind deh da carn-piece.

“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.

Cut da lang bench shaat.

“Cut the long bench short.”

Put an end to a conversation that has gone on far too long.

If yu no check di waata, no tek off yu shoes.

“If you didn't check the water, don't take off your shoes.”

Look before you leap — plan ahead before committing to a situation.

One one craboo fill barrel.

“One craboo at a time fills the barrel.”

Small, steady contributions — like the native craboo fruit dropping one by one — eventually add up to something substantial.

Emty crocus bag kant stan up.

“An empty sack cannot stand up.”

A hungry person lacks the strength to work properly or stand tall.

Aze haud pikni go da mauket two times.

“The child who is hard of hearing goes to the market twice.”

Not paying attention the first time means you'll have to redo the work later.

If dah no so, dah naily so.

“If it's not exactly so, it is nearly so.”

Where there's smoke, there's fire — a rumor close to the truth is usually close enough.

Wen kakroach mek dance, i no envite fowl.

“When the cockroach holds a dance, it doesn't invite the fowl.”

Sensible people don't invite trouble, or those who could harm them, into their own affairs.

Fishaman nevva seh e fish stink.

“A fisherman never says his own fish stinks.”

People find it hard to admit fault in what belongs to them or reflects on them.

No call aligata big mout til yu krass di riva.

“Don't call the alligator a big mouth until you have crossed the river.”

Stay respectful toward those who hold power over you, at least until you no longer need their goodwill.

Changie blak dawg fu monki.

“Don't exchange a black dog for a monkey.”

Don't be fooled by superficial resemblance when making a trade — two things that look similar can be very different in value.

Wen dah tree ben yu cyaan straiten ah.

“When the tree is bent, you cannot straighten it.”

Habits and character formed early in life are very difficult to change later.

Nuh heng yu hat higher dan yu can reach.

“Don't hang your hat higher than you can reach.”

Don't live beyond your means or set goals so far out of reach that you can never retrieve them.

Di higher monkey climb, de more e dey show.

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

The more status or power a person gains, the more their flaws and true nature are exposed.

Fool-fool daug bark afta moonlight.

“A foolish dog barks after the moonlight.”

Foolish people waste their energy worrying about or fighting things that pose no real threat.

Every daag have eh day.

“Every dog has its day.”

Everyone gets their turn eventually, whether for success or for a reckoning.

Blud falla vein.

“Blood follows the vein.”

Family loyalty runs deep — when it matters, people stand by their own blood first.

Dry wedda friend.

“A dry-weather friend is no friend at all.”

A person who only sticks around when times are easy cannot be counted on in hardship.

Show mi yu company an ah wi tell yu.

“Show me your company, and I'll tell you who you are.”

A person's character is revealed by the friends they keep.

Fos fool da no fool.

“The first time you're fooled is no fool at all.”

Being deceived once by someone is understandable; letting it happen twice is on you.

Gawd neva gi yo mo dan weh yo cud bare.

“God never gives you more than you can bear.”

A statement of faith that hardship, however heavy, always has a limit.

Evry day bucket go da well, di battom mus drap out.

“Every day the bucket goes to the well, the bottom is bound to drop out.”

Repeated risk-taking eventually catches up with you, no matter how many times you've gotten away with it.

No stir up stinkin mud if yu cyaan stan di scent.

“Don't stir up stinking mud if you can't stand the smell.”

Don't dig up old secrets or past troubles unless you're ready to deal with what surfaces.

No count yu chicken befo dey hatch.

“Don't count your chickens before they hatch.”

Don't assume an outcome is certain before it has actually happened.

No cry ova spill milk.

“Don't cry over spilled milk.”

There's no use dwelling on a misfortune that has already happened and cannot be undone.

Di leaf no fall far fram di tree.

“The leaf doesn't fall far from the tree.”

Children tend to resemble their parents in character and behavior.

Yu hang wit di daug, yu ketch di fleas.

“If you lie down with the dog, you'll catch its fleas.”

Keeping bad company will eventually bring you the same trouble that company attracts.

If ih nuh bun, ih nuh dun.

“If it's not burnt, it's not done.”

A cook's insistence that food must be properly, thoroughly cooked to be ready.

Leev sleepin daugs alone.

“Leave sleeping dogs alone.”

Don't stir up an old conflict or problem that has finally settled down.

Di wallz av ears.

“The walls have ears.”

Be careful what you say, because someone may be listening even when you think you're alone.

One one fill bahskit.

“One by one fills the basket.”

Small, steady contributions, gathered one at a time, eventually add up to something whole.

Kine wuhds neva bruk jawbone.

“Kind words never break a jawbone.”

Speaking gently and kindly costs nothing and never causes harm.

Coward man kip soun bone.

“The coward keeps his bones sound.”

Sometimes caution, even at the cost of pride, is what keeps a person safe and whole.

Who di shoe fit, mek dey wear it.

“Whoever the shoe fits, let them wear it.”

If a criticism or description applies to you, you should accept it rather than deny it.

Neva drap di bone fi ketch di shadow.

“Never drop the bone to chase the shadow.”

Don't give up something certain and real for the uncertain promise of something greater.

If yu mek yu bed haad, yu haffi sleep eena it.

“If you make your bed hard, you'll have to sleep in it.”

You must live with the consequences of the choices you yourself made.

Greedy choke puppi.

“Greed chokes the puppy.”

Taking more than one needs or can handle tends to bring trouble on oneself.

Sickness come di gyaalop but tek e own time fu waak weh.

“Sickness comes galloping but takes its own time walking away.”

Trouble and illness arrive quickly, but recovery is always slower.

Time langa dan rope.

“Time is longer than rope.”

Given enough time, the truth surfaces and every situation eventually changes.

Sake a mout, fish get ketch.

“Because of its mouth, the fish gets caught.”

Talking too much, or saying the wrong thing, is often what gets a person into trouble.

Barefoot tea betta dan empty belly.

“Barefoot tea is better than an empty belly.”

A modest meal, however plain, is still better than having nothing at all.

Dah fool de talk, but dah no fool de lissen.

“The fool talks, but it's no fool that listens.”

Wisdom is shown more in careful listening than in talking.

Teef nevva prospa.

“A thief never prospers.”

Gains made through dishonesty never last.

Wen puss no deh, rat tek e place.

“When the cat's not there, the rat takes its place.”

When there's no authority present to keep order, others will take advantage and misbehave.