Traditional Virgin Islands Wisdom

A crab never forget he hole.

“A crab never forgets its hole.”

There is no place like home; people never truly forget where they came from.

All fish does bite but shark does get di blame.

“All fish bite, but the shark gets the blame.”

Those with a history of bad behavior are blamed first, even when others are equally guilty.

Dutty han mek greasy mout.

“Dirty hands make a greasy mouth.”

Hard work brings its own reward; those who labor will eat well.

Dutty water will out fyah.

“Dirty water will put out fire.”

Everything has its use, however humble or unclean it may seem.

Studyation betta dan education.

“Studyation is better than education.”

Common sense and lived wisdom can matter more than formal schooling.

Fisherman know everyday is fishing day, but not everyday is catching day.

“Every day is a fishing day, but not every day is a catching day.”

Effort must be made consistently, even though results are not guaranteed every time.

Once a man, twice a chile.

“Once a man, twice a child.”

In old age, people can return to childlike dependence and behavior.

Cockroach no have business in a fowl house.

“A cockroach has no business in the fowl house.”

Stay out of places or situations where you do not belong, or risk trouble.

Devil beatin he wife.

“The devil is beating his wife.”

Said when rain falls while the sun is still shining — a folk way of naming an unusual, contradictory moment.

Donkey say, God make hill so you could rest in hollow.

“The donkey says, God made the hill so you could rest in the hollow.”

Hardship and ease exist side by side; every difficulty carries within it a chance to rest and recover.

When you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas.

“When you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas.”

The company you keep shapes your fate; bad associations bring bad consequences.

Don' give me no six fuh nine.

“Don't give me no six for a nine.”

Don't shortchange or deceive me — give me the full value I am owed.

Who don't hear, does feel.

“Who don't hear, does feel.”

A person who refuses to listen to advice or warning will learn the hard way, through consequences.

After sweet meat come sour sauce.

“After sweet meat comes sour sauce.”

Every pleasure in life comes with a cost that must eventually be paid.

Ah eyeful ain' ah bellyful.

“An eyeful ain't a bellyful.”

Seeing something is not the same as truly having it; admiration does not satisfy real need.

Ah have a lil rat in eb'ry hole.

“I have a little rat in every hole.”

Having trusted contacts or allies in many places gives a person quiet influence and information.

All ass ga' big ears.

“All donkeys have big ears.”

Foolish people often talk as though they possess great wisdom.

All wood is wood, bu' mampoo ain' mahogany.

“All wood is wood, but mampoo isn't mahogany.”

Things may look alike on the surface, but true quality and worth are never truly equal.

Ge cage before you ge' bird.

“Get the cage before you get the bird.”

Prepare a stable home and means before taking on the responsibilities of marriage or family.

Goat head and sheep head noh one.

“Goat head and sheep head are not the same.”

Things that look alike on the surface may be fundamentally different underneath.

God don't count 'e days.

“God doesn't count His days.”

Providence works in its own time, without urgency; patience is part of faith.

Gi'e Jack 'e jacket.

“Give Jack his jacket.”

Give credit and recognition to whoever truly deserves it.

Goat dress up as lamb.

“A goat dressed up as a lamb.”

A warning that someone may be pretending to be gentler or more innocent than they really are.

Bed too short and blanket too narrow.

“The bed is too short and the blanket too narrow.”

A description of hardship — when circumstances are cramped, difficult, or simply not enough.

Better fish in de sea dan been caught already!

“There's a better fish in the sea than the one already caught.”

Better opportunities still lie ahead; don't despair over a lost chance or relationship.

Big blanket make man sleep late.

“A big blanket makes a man sleep late.”

Too much comfort breeds laziness and causes people to miss their opportunities.

Bragga was a good dahg, but Old Fast was better.

“Bragga was a good dog, but Old Fast was better.”

Quiet, steady action accomplishes more in the end than loud boasting.

Bush ga ears.

“The bush has ears.”

Be careful what you say, because word travels quickly even where you least expect it.

Dag don need bone once.

“The dog doesn't need a bone only once.”

Help others when they ask, because you may need their help again someday.

Dag ga' four foot but 'e caan tek four road.

“The dog has four feet, but it cannot take four roads.”

No matter how capable you are, you cannot pursue every path at once — you must choose and focus.

De ga no pot like an ole pot.

“There's no pot like an old pot.”

Don't abandon loyal old friends for the appeal of something new.

De older de ram, de stiffer de horn.

“The older the ram, the stiffer the horn.”

Experience and age bring their own hard-earned strength and wisdom.

Dead hag noh care foh hot wata.

“A dead hag doesn't care for hot water.”

Someone already overwhelmed by misfortune is no longer troubled by further hardship.

Day mek mont', mont' mek year, year mek life, life mek deat'.

“Day makes month, month makes year, year makes life, life makes death.”

All things move through natural cycles of time — nothing lasts forever, and everything must pass.

Dem dat come een wid shoes is wus dan dem come een barefoot.

“Those who come in with shoes are worse than those who come in barefoot.”

Newcomers or recent converts to a cause are often more extreme than those who have long belonged to it.

Do fa do ain' no Obeah.

“Do-for-do is not witchcraft.”

Responding to harm with equal harm is considered fair dealing, not wrongdoing.

Don fart no higher than your behin'.

“Don't fart no higher than your backside.”

Know your own limits and don't attempt more than you are truly capable of.

Don' know beef from bullfoot.

“Doesn't know beef from bullfoot.”

Said of someone who is completely ignorant or incompetent in a matter.

Don't trouble trouble til trouble trouble you.

“Don't trouble trouble till trouble troubles you.”

Do not go looking for conflict or problems that are not yet yours to face.

When yoh sorry foh magga hog, e tu'n 'round root yoh door.

“When you feel sorry for the skinny hog, it turns around and roots up your door.”

Kindness shown to the undeserving does not always return as kindness — it may instead bring trouble.

Many cook mek bad soup.

“Too many cooks make bad soup.”

When too many people try to direct one task, the result usually suffers.

Man ga' one more trick than monkey.

“Man has one more trick than the monkey.”

Human cleverness and cunning ultimately surpass even the cleverest animal.

Man smart, woman smarter.

“Man smart, woman smarter.”

A tribute to women's intelligence and resourcefulness, said to exceed even that of men.

Mek sure candle light before yoh out de match.

“Make sure the candle is lit before you put out the match.”

Ensure one thing is truly secure before letting go of what came before it — haste makes waste.

Monkey know wha tree to climb.

“The monkey knows which tree to climb.”

A wise person knows exactly who to approach and who to avoid.

Old fowl mek good soup.

“An old fowl makes good soup.”

Don't abandon longtime friends and loyal relationships for the sake of something new.

One bite caan' eat mango.

“One bite can't eat a mango.”

Great achievements take sustained effort and patience — they cannot be accomplished all at once.

One penny caan jingle.

“One penny can't jingle.”

Real progress and success require the collaboration of more than one person.

Play fool to catch wise.

“Play fool to catch wise.”

Sometimes it pays to appear foolish or harmless in order to outwit those who underestimate you.

Put rat to mind cheese.

“Put the rat to mind the cheese.”

A warning against assigning someone dishonest to guard against the very dishonesty they practice.