100 Jamaican Proverbs and Their Meanings
Jamaican proverbs are short, powerful expressions passed down through generations. They reflect the island’s deep cultural roots, often delivered with wit, wisdom, and rhythm. Here are 100 Jamaican proverbs and their meanings:
1–10: Wisdom & Common Sense
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“Cockroach no business inna fowl fight.”
Stay out of trouble that doesn’t concern you. -
“Who cyaan hear, mus feel.”
If you don’t listen, you’ll suffer the consequences. -
“Every mickle mek a muckle.”
Small things add up over time. -
“One one coco full basket.”
Little by little, progress is made. -
“If yuh want good, yuh nose haffi run.”
To achieve good things, you must endure hardship. -
“See and blind, hear and deaf.”
Sometimes it’s best to ignore what you see or hear. -
“Trouble nuh set like rain.”
Trouble comes unexpectedly. -
“De higher monkey climb, de more him expose.”
The more you rise, the more scrutiny you’ll face. -
“Donkey say di world nuh level.”
Life is unfair sometimes. -
“Empty barrel mek di most noise.”
Those with the least knowledge often talk the most.
11–20: Family & Community
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“Pickney a cry fi goat, and him mumma seh a cow him a go get.”
You may want something, but you don’t always get what you ask for. -
“It tek a village fi raise a child.”
Community effort is needed to raise children. -
“Wanti wanti cyaan get it, and getti getti nuh want it.”
Some crave what they can’t have, while others waste what they do have. -
“De same knife stick sheep stick goat.”
What happens to one can happen to another. -
“Fire deh a mus-mus tail, him tink a cool breeze.”
Someone may be unaware they’re in danger. -
“When man deh pan top, him fren plenty.”
Success attracts friends; failure reveals your true ones. -
“You cyaan plant corn and reap peas.”
You reap what you sow. -
“De dawta follow mumma footstep.”
Children often imitate their parents. -
“Nuh mek yuh lef han know weh yuh right han a do.”
Do good quietly; don’t boast. -
“Every day bucket go a well, one day di battam drop out.”
You can’t get away with wrong forever; it will catch up.
21–30: Hard Work & Patience
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“Patience cyaan spoil.”
Good things come to those who wait. -
“Cow neva know di use a him tail til him lose it.”
You don’t know the value of something until it’s gone. -
“No wait till drum beat before you grine you axe.”
Prepare before the moment comes. -
“Tek time mash ant, yuh get im guts.”
Be gentle and patient, and you’ll succeed. -
“De longest rope ha an end.”
Everything eventually ends. -
“After laugh come cry.”
Good times can be followed by sorrow. -
“Rain a fall but dutty tough.”
Even with resources, progress can be slow. -
“Moon run till daylight catch him.”
You can’t hide forever; the truth will come out. -
“Tek kin teet kibba heart bun.”
Mask pain with laughter. -
“You cyaan serve two master.”
You must choose your loyalties.
31–40: Deception & Truth
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“Mout’ open, story jump out.”
The truth often comes out unintentionally. -
“Every hoe ha dem stick a bush.”
There’s someone for everyone. -
“Yuh cyaan hide from yuh shadow.”
You can’t escape your true self. -
“Puss and dog nuh have di same luck.”
Different people have different fates. -
“When crab cyaan get mango, him seh it sour.”
People belittle what they can’t have. -
“Not everyting good fi eat, good fi talk.”
Some things are better kept secret. -
“De same sun weh melt butter, harden clay.”
The same situation affects people differently. -
“You cyaan see di whole worl’ through a keyhole.”
Don’t be narrow-minded. -
“New broom sweep clean, but old broom know di corners.”
New people may be efficient, but the experienced know the ins and outs. -
“Jackass seh di world no level.”
Life isn’t always fair.
41–50: Warnings & Lessons
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“If yuh get yuh han’ inna di devil mout’, tek it out gently.”
Handle dangerous situations carefully. -
“Finger neber say ‘look here,’ him say ‘look yonder’.”
People avoid pointing at their own faults. -
“Yuh ‘fraid fi yeye, yuh neber nyam head.”
Fear prevents achievement. -
“Nuh call alligator long mout til yuh cross di river.”
Don’t provoke trouble before you’re safe. -
“A nuh want a fat mek nightingale.”
Desire alone doesn’t bring success. -
“Di higher de monkey climb, di more him expose.”
Success exposes your flaws. -
“Puss cyaan fly wid pigeon.”
Stay in your lane. -
“When trouble tek yuh, pickney shut fit yuh.”
Desperation makes you accept anything. -
“Bush have ears, and dutty have eyes.”
Be careful what you say; people are always listening. -
“Nuh every kin-teet a laugh.”
Not every smile is genuine.
51–60: Animal Imagery & Nature
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“Nuh mek monkey fool yuh, because him hab tail.”
Don’t underestimate others based on appearance. -
“Ants follow fat; dem naw follow bone.”
People are drawn to wealth or success. -
“Mongoose cyaan keep goat.”
People with bad intentions can’t be trusted with good things. -
“Bird inna di han better than ten inna bush.”
Value what you have over what you might get. -
“When goat want him tail, him rub it pon wall.”
People go out of their way to achieve their goals. -
“Dawg nyam yuh suppa.”
You’re in serious trouble. -
“When yuh see jackass a gallop, check fi him back foot.”
Investigate before assuming. -
“Rain nuh fall one man house.”
Trouble affects many, not just one. -
“Hog say di first wata it meet it wash off him mout.”
New experiences change your perspective. -
“Puss belly full, rat bat a play.”
People only take chances when they think it’s safe.
61–70: Food & Living
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“Yam head cyaan boil inna pot twice.”
You don’t get second chances for some things. -
“Belly full, dem say fasten.”
The well-fed preach sacrifice. -
“Hard ears pickney nyam rockstone.”
Stubborn children suffer the most. -
“Man a plan, God a wipe.”
Human plans often fail without divine will. -
“Nuh cook yuh goat inna di same pot wid lion.”
Don’t mix with dangerous company. -
“Hungry mek monkey swing pon wire.”
Desperation drives risk-taking. -
“Jackass tired but im tail nah stop shake.”
Some people never learn or slow down. -
“Sugar and salt favor.”
Not everything sweet is good; appearances deceive. -
“Chicken merry, hawk deh near.”
Enjoyment can be followed by danger. -
“Trouble deh pon top di roof and people a look through di window.”
Obvious problems are often ignored.
71–100: Life, Death & Fate
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“Old fire stick easy fi ketch.”
Old flames or habits return easily. -
“Death nuh have calendar.”
Death is unpredictable. -
“What is fi yuh cyaan be un-fi yuh.”
What’s meant for you will come to you. -
“No mek yuh eye pass yuh belly.”
Don’t be greedy. -
“One hand cyaan clap.”
Teamwork is necessary. -
“Puss love fish but hate wata.”
People want rewards without effort. -
“When yuh deh pon river bottom, yuh nuh fraid a shark.”
Familiarity breeds boldness. -
“Dog with too many owner dead fi hunger.”
Too many leaders create confusion. -
“Fiyah deh a musmus tail…”
Trouble is brewing unnoticed. -
“Every skin teeth nuh laugh.”
Not everyone who smiles is friendly.
81–100: Modern & Moral
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“Fool-fool fly follow coffin go a grave.”
Don’t blindly follow others to ruin. -
“Yuh cyaan carry cow go pasture and force it fi eat.”
You can’t force someone to accept help. -
“Makka stick nuh bruk inna white rice.”
Trouble is most obvious among troublemakers. -
“Dawg a sweat, but long hair cover it.”
You never know who’s suffering beneath the surface. -
“Play fool fi ketch wise.”
Pretend to be foolish to expose the cunning. -
“If yuh cyaan ketch Quako, yuh ketch him shut.”
Take revenge on what’s available if you can’t get the real target. -
“When yuh tink is peas soup, a stone boil up.”
Not everything is what it seems. -
“Run wid di hares and hunt wid di hounds.”
Don’t play both sides. -
“Wasp nuh build house inna empty hole.”
Problems usually have a reason. -
“Short cut draw blood.”
Taking shortcuts leads to mistakes. -
“Back foot cyaan pass front foot.”
Progress takes time. -
“One finger cyaan kill louse.”
Unity is strength. -
“Yuh can’t sweet yuh mouth and bile yuh heart.”
Don’t speak nicely while harboring bad thoughts. -
“Jump outta fryin’ pan, jump inna fire.”
Leaving one problem and ending up in a worse one. -
“Better belly buss than good food waste.”
It’s better to overeat than waste good food (jokingly used). -
“No hang yuh hat higher than yuh can reach.”
Live within your means. -
“When plantain ripe, it must nyam.”
Take opportunity when it comes. -
“When cat full, rat walk past in peace.”
When people have enough, they’re less dangerous. -
“Who laugh last, laugh best.”
Patience and perseverance bring victory. -
“Time longer than rope.”
Truth and justice eventually prevail.
