Talk:Haitian proverbs

Pa fe’ bouch mwen

A

• "Men anpil, chay pa lou."
  • Many hands [make] the load lighter.

• "Anpil ti patat fè chay."
  • A lot of small potatoes make a load.

• "Aprè dans, tanbou toujou lou."
  • After the dance, the drums are always heavy.

• "Avan ou ri moun bwete, gade jan ou mache."
  • Before you laugh at those who limp, check the way you walk.

• "Avek pasyans, w’ap wè tete foumi."
  • With patience, you will see an ant's breast.

• "Ayisyen swiv kouran."
  • Haitians follow the flow.

• "Ayiti se tè glise."
  • Haiti is a sliding land (quicksand).

B

• "Bab pi long, men sousi pi vye."
  • The beard is longer, but the Eyebrows are older.

• "Baton ede pye."
  • The stick helps the foot.

• "Bay kou, bliye; pote mak, sonje."
  • [You] give a blow, [you] forget; [when you] leave marks, [they] remember.

• "Bay piti pa chich."
  • Give little is not [being] cheap.

Giving Small thing doesn't mean stingy. (It's just what you have)

• "Bèf a ke pa janbe dife."
  • An ox with a tail does not walk over the fire.

• "Bèf dèyè bwè pi bon dlo (si rete dlo)."
  • The ox that comes last drinks better water (if there is still water).

• "Bèf pa di savann mèsi."
  • The ox does not thank the field.

• "Bèf san ke, Bondye pouse mouch pou yo."
  • The ox with no tail, God will clear the flies for it.

• "Bèl anfòm pa vle di lasante."
  • Pretty and in shape do not mean healthy.

• "Bèl antèman pa vle di paradi.
  • A nice funeral does not mean access to paradise.

• "Bèl cheve pa lajan.
  • Nice hair is not money.

• "Bèl dan pa vle di zanmi : dan pa kè."
  • Beautiful smiles do not mean friends: smiles are not the heart.

• "Bo nan bouch, men pè dan."
  • Kiss the mouth, but fear the teeth.

• "Bondye bon."
  • God is good. (God willing)

• "Bondye pa bòpè."
  • God is not a father-in-law.

• "Bonjou w se paspò ou."
  • Your greeting is your passport.

• "Bouch granmoun santi, sa k ladan se rezon."
  • Old folk's breath may stink, what comes out though is wisdom.

• "Bouch manje tout manje, men li pa pale tout pawòl."
  • The mouth eats all food, but does not talk all words.

• "Bourik fè pitit pou do l ka poze."
  • The donkey has offspring so that its back may rest.

• "Bourik toujou aji bourik."
  • A donkey always acts like a donkey.

• "Bout kouto miyò pase zong."
  • A piece of a knife is better than nails.

• "Bwè dlo nan vè : respekte vè."
  • Drink water in a glass: respect the glass.

• "Byen mal pa lanmò."
  • Not well is not death.

• "Byen prese pa rive.(ou byen: Twò prese pa fe jou louvri)"
  • In a hurry will not arrive.

• ""Byen pre pa lakay.""
  • Being close to home is not the same as being home.

C

• "Chaj ou pa ka pòte, ou mete-l atè dousman."
  • The load you cannot carry, you put it down carefully.

• "Chak chen pipi jan li konnen."
  • Every dog pisses his own way.

• "Chak kochon gen samdi pa-l."
  • Each pig gets his own Saturday.
  • (Pigs are usually slaughtered Saturdays)

• "Chanje mèt, chanje metye."
  • Trade the boss, trade the job.

• "Chat mande swe, ou mete chen deyè-l."
  • If the cat wants to sweat, you seek the dog on it.

• "Chay sòti sou tèt, li tonbe sou zepòl."
  • The load that you bear on your head falls on your shoulders.

• "Chemen bezwen pa janm long."
  • The road to need is never long.

• "Chemen bouton se chemen maleng."
  • The road of a pimple is the road to sores.

• "Chemen lajan pa gen pikan."
  • The money road has no thorns.

• "Chemen long pa touye moun."
  • A long road does not kill people.

• "Chen gen kat pye, men li ka mache nan yon sèl chimen."
  • A dog has four legs, but it walks in only one path.

• "Chen grangou pa kouche."
  • A starving dog does not lie down.

• "Chen ki gen zo nan bouch li pa gen zanmi."
  • A dog with a bone in his mouth has no friends.

• "Chen ou fè byen, lè li anraje, se ou li mòde."
  • The dog that you took care of will bite you when enraged.

• "Chen vòle tabak menm si li pa fimen."
  • The dog steals tobacco even if it does not smoke.

• "Chodyè ou pa monte, ou pa desann li."
  • The pot you did not put up, you do not put down.

• "Chwal ki gen dis mèt mouri nan poto"
  • A horse with ten masters will die [tied] to its post.

• "Chwal konn longè kòd li."
  • The horse knows the length of its rope.

• "Chak pain gen fromagge li"
  • Every bread has it's cheese.

D

• "Dan pouri gen fòs sou bannann mi."
  • Rotten teeth only have power over (can only bite) ripe plantains.

• "Dan griyen se danje."
  • The teeth laugh, beware.

• "Dan se zo."
  • Teeth are bones.

• "De kòk kalite pa rete nan menm baskou."
  • Two good cocks do not stay in the same farm-yard.

• "De mèg pa fri."
  • Two skinny people don't fry. (Two poor people shouldn't marry, for even together they won't have enough to get by)

• "De toro pa rete nan menm savann."
  • Two bulls do not stay in the same field.

• "Degaje pa peche."
  • To get by is not a sin.

• "Depi nan Ginen, nèg rayi nèg."
  • Since Africa (Guinea), [negros] hate [negros] (We can never forgive those who sold us as slaves)

• "Depi ou nan labatwa, fòk ou aksepte san vole sou ou."
  • If you are in the slaughterhouse, you must accept to get blood on you.

• "Di djab bonjou, lap manje w. Pa di l bonjou, lap manje w."
  • Greet the devil, he'll eat you. Don't greet the devil, he'll eat you.

• "Djòl fè dèt, dèyè peye."
  • The mouth makes debt, the behind pays back.

• "Dlo pa janbe trou."
  • Water does not cross over holes. It must first fill the hole, before it can move on.

• "Doktè pa janm trete tèt li."
  • The doctor never treats himself.

• "Doktè pran swen ou, men li pa Bondye."
  • The doctor takes care of you but he is not God.

• "Dòmi se ti frè lanmò."
  • Sleep is death's little brother.

• "Douz metye, trèz mizè."
  • Twelve trades, thirteen miseries.

• "Dwèt ou santi, men ou pa koupe-l jete."
  • Your finger may smell, but you do not cut it and throw it away.

• "Deye mòn gen mòn"
  • Behind mountains there are mountains.

• ”Di merci, se lizay!”

E

• "Envite miyò pase mande padon."
  • To avoid is better than to ask forgiveness.

• En mangeant, l’appétit vient

Se lew goûté, wap konnen sil bon.

F

• "Fanm pa dra."
  • Women are not bed sheets.

• "Fanm se kajou: plis li vye, plis li bon."
  • A woman is like mahogany: the older she is, the better she is.

• "Fè zanmi ak kouto avan zabriko mi."
  • Make friend with the knife before apricots are ripe.

• "Fèy mapou sanble fèy manyòk."
  • The 'Mapou' leaf looks like the manioc leaf.

• "Fizi tire, nanpwen aranjman."
  • [When] the guns fire, there is no [possible] agreement.

• "Fòk de klòch sonnen pou konn verite-a."
  • [You must hear] two bells ring to learn the truth.

• "Fòk gen maladi pou gen lanmò."
  • There must be illness so as to have death.

• "Fòk ou bat tanbou-a pou tande son li."
  • You must beat the drum to hear its sound.

• "Fòk ou pèdi tan pou ou gen tan."
  • You need to lose time in order to have time.

G

• "Grangou se mizè, vant plen se traka."
  • Hunger is misery; a full stomach is worriness.

I

• "Ipokrit se kouto de bò."
  • Hypocrites are two-edge knifes.

J

• "Jan chat mache, se pa konsa li kenbe rat."
  • The way the cat walks is not the way it holds the rat.

• "Jan ou bat tanbou, se konsa nou danse."
  • The way you beat the drum is how we dance.

• "Jan ou vini se jan an yo resevwa ou."
  • The way you come is the way people will receive you.

• "Je wè, bouch be."
  • The eyes see, the mouth is silent.

• "Jijman Bondye vini sou bourik."
  • God's judgment comes on a donkey.

• "Joumou pa donnen kalbas."
  • A pumpkin does not bear gourds.

• "Jwe ak makak, men pa manyen ke-l."
  • [You may] play with the monkey, but don't play with its tail.

K

• "Kalbas gran bouch pa kenbe dlo."
  • A large pot without cover does not hold water.

• "Kat je kontre, manti kaba."
  • face to face we meet, no lies. ( you can lie in from of me.

• "Kay piti, ou prann nat ou anba bra ou."
  • [When] the house is small, you hold your bedding under your arm.

• "Kay koule tronpe soley men li pa tronpe lapli."
  • A leaking roof may fool sunny weather, but cannot fool the rain.

• "Kòfrefò pa swiv kòbiya."
  • The safe does not follow the hearse.

• "Komansman chante se soufle."
  • The first steps of singing are breath.

• "Konmisyon pa chaj."
  • An errand is not a load.

• "Kote fil fini, se la kouti fini."
  • Where the thread ends is where the seam ends.

• "Kote ki gen grangou, kabrit pa mouri nan kòd."
  • Where there is hunger, goats do not die tied to their ropes.

• "Kote ki gen granmoun, kay pa boule."
  • Where there are elders, the house do not burn.

• "Kote ki gen kou pa gen chenn, kote ki gen chenn nanpwen kou."
  • Where there are blows, there are no chains; where there are chains, there are no blows.

• "Kote y’ap plimen kòdenn, poul pa ri."
  • Where they pluck turkeys, chickens do not laugh.

• "Koulèv ki vle gwo rete nan trou-l."
  • The snake that wants to get big stays in its hole.

• "Kouto pa janm grate manch li."
  • A knife never scrubs its own handle.

• "Krapo fè kòlè, li mouri san dèyè."
  • A toad gets angry, it dies without its buttock.

L

• "Labou rete kouran."
  • The mud stops the flow.

• "Lajan kase wòch."
  • Money breaks rocks.

• "Lamepriz vo mye ke larepons."
  • Contempt is better than an answer.

• "Lane pase toujou pi bon."
  • 'Last year' is always better.

• "Lang pa lanmè, men li ka neye-w."
  • The tongue is not the sea, but it can drown you.

• "Lè kabrit gen twòp mèt, li mouri nan solèy."
  • When a goat has too many masters (owners), it dies (tied) in the sun.

• "Lè labouyi cho, ou manje-l a rebò."
  • When the porridge is hot, you eat it on the side.

• "Lè pyebwa jwe ak van, li pèdi fèy li."
  • When the tree plays with the wind, it loses its leaves.

• "Lè setan ou echi (lè ou fin’ fè tan ou), se ale p’ou ale."
  • When your seven years are over (when your time is done), you [must] go for good.

• "Lè w’ap neye, ou kenbe branch ou jwenn."
  • When you are drowning, you hang to the branch you reach.

• "Lè yon chodyè cho, ou pa desann li ak men."
  • When a pot is hot, you do not take it down with your hands.

• "Lespwa fè viv."
  • Hope makes one live.

M

• "M’pat manje pwa, m’pa ka poupou pwa."
  • I did not eat beans, I cannot poop beans.

• "Machann nan mache gen de mezi."
  • The merchant at the market has two measures.

• "Mache dousman, ou pòte bon nouvèl."
  • Walk slowly [when] you bear good news.

• "Madichon ou bay bèlmè ou se manman ou li rive."
  • When you curse your stepmother, your mother will be the victim.

• "Maladi pa konn vanyan."
  • Illness does not know brave heart.

• "Malè avèti pa touye kokobe."
  • A foreseen disaster does not kill the fool.

• "Malè pa gen klaksonn."
  • Misfortune has no horn.

• "Vye nèg pa vye chen."
  • An old man is not an old dog.

• "Manje kwit pa gen mèt."
  • Cooked food has no master.

• "Mapou tonbe, kabrit manje fèy li."
  • When the 'Mapou' [huge tree] is down, the goats eat its leaves.

• "Marengwen mòde-w sou nen, men ou pa ka ba-l kou fò."
  • The mosquito bites you on the nose, but you cannot hit it hard.

• "Memwa se paswa."
  • Memory is a strainer.

• "Menm nan lanfè gen mounpa."
  • Even in hell, there are people from your clan.

• "Mennen koulèv al lekòl pa anyen; se fè-l chita ki rèd."
  • To take the snake to school is nothing; it is to make it sit that is tough.

• "Mèt do pa grate do."
  • You cannot scratch your own back.

• "Mezire avan ou koupe."
  • Measure before you cut.

• "Mouch pa bezwen vyann, men li gate-l."
  • The fly does not need the meat, but it will spoil it.

• "Moun ki bezwen deyò chache chemen pòt."
  • He who must go out search for the door.

• "Moun mouri pa konnen valè dra blan."
  • The dead does not know the value of white sheets.

• "Moun mouri pa pè santi."
  • The dead is not afraid to smell.

• "Moun pa konn achte chat nan sak."
  • People don't buy a cat in a bag.

• "Moun pa-w se dra."
  • Your clan is sheets.

• "Move zèb ka leve toupatou."
  • Weeds can grow anywhere.

N

• "Nan bay kout men, ou jwenn kout pye"
  • You give a hand, but [you may] get kicked out.

• "Nan mitan diri, ti wòch goute grès."
  • In the middle of [cooked] rice, a little pebble will taste grease.

• "Nan mitan avèg, bògn se rwa."
  • Among the blind, the one-eyed is king.

• "Nanpwen cho ki pa vin frèt.."
  • There is nothing hot that will not get cold.

• "Nanpwen metye ki pa nouri mèt li.."
  • There is no craft that will not feed the craftsman.

• "Nèg fè lide-l, Bondye ba-l dwa."
  • The man gets the idea, God authorizes it.

• "Nen pran kou, je kouri dlo; je pran kou, nen kouri dlo."
  • The nose is hurt, the eyes water; the eyes are hurt, the nose runs.

• "" Nou léd, nou la."
  • We are ugly, but we are here.

O

• "Ou bat tanbou epi ou danse ankò."
  • You beat the drum and you dance again.

• "Ou granmoun sèlman lè ou lakay ou."
  • You are an old man only when you are at home.

• "Ou konn kouri, men fòk ou konn kache."
  • You [may] know how to run, but you must know how to hide.

• "Ou konn sa w’ap kite; ou pa konn sa ou pral jwenn."
  • You [may] know what you leave behind; you do not know what you will get.

• "Ou pa fouye zo nan kalalou."
  • You do not dig up bones in akra.

• "Ou pa dwè dekouvri Sen Pòl pou kouvri Sen Piè."
  • You must not undress Saint Paul to dress Saint Peter.

• "Ou pa ka fè san sòti nan wòch."
  • You cannot have blood flow from a rock.

• "Ougan pa janm geri maleng li."
  • The 'ougan' (Medecine Man) never cures his own illness.

• "Ouvriye vann zouti-l, men li pa vann metye-l."
  • A carpenter [may] sell his tools, but he [cannot] sell his skills.

P

• "Pa bay bèf la babokèt lè l’ap rale kabwèt."
  • Do not put the harness on the ox when it is going to pull the kart.

• "Pa jete vye chodyè pou chodyè nèf."
  • Don't throw away the old pot for a new pot.

• "Pa kroke makout twò wo, men kote men ou ka rive."
  • Do not hang the basket too high, but where your hand can reach it.

• "Pa pale sa ou pa we ak prop je ou."
  • Never talk about something that you have not seen with your own eyes.

• "Pa pèdi founo pou yon sèl pen."
  • Do not lose your oven over just one bread.

• "Padon pa geri maleng."
  • Forgiveness does not cure illness.

• "Pale franse pa di lespri pou sa."
  • To speak French does not mean wits.

• "Parese pa gen kay."
  • Lazy people do not have a house.

• "Paròl gen zèl."
  • Words have wings.

• "Parol pa chay."
  • Words are not a load.

• "Paròl two fò, machwè gonfle."
  • Too false words [make] the jaw swell.

• "Pè pa preche de fwa."
  • Fear does not preach twice.

• "Pitit ki pa kriye pa bezwen tete."
  • The baby who does not cry does not need to be breast-fed.

• "Pitit tig, se tig."
  • A tiger cub is a tiger.

• "Pito ou mize ou nan wout, ou pote bon nouvèl."
  • Better to take your time on the way, if you bring good news.

• "Pòt tè pa goumen ak pòt fè."
  • The clay pot [must] not wrestle with the iron pot.

• "Pousyè pa leve san van."
  • Dust does not lift without wind.

• "Premye so pa so."
  • The first fall is not a fall

• "Pye pa gen rasinn : tout moun ka tonbe."
  • Feet have no roots: everyone can fall.

• "Pye poul pi bon pase bwadann."
  • A hen's foot is better than a donkey's hoof.
• gro non tué ti chien

R

• "Rad pa janm fè moun."
  • Clothes do not make a person.

• "Rad sal lave nan fanmi."
  • Dirty clothes are [to be] washed in the family.

• "Rann sèvis mennen chagren."
  • To give a hand leads to sorrow.

• "Rat anpil, trou pa fon."
  • Lots of rats, the hole is not deep.

• "Rat konnen chat konnen barik mayi-a rete la."
  • The rat knows, the cat knows: the corn barrel is safe.

• " Rat mode, souffle"
  • Rats bite then blow.
• "Rayi chen an, men di dan li blanch."
  • [You may] hate the dog, but [you must] admit that its teeth are white.

• "Rebwè se nòs."
  • Drinking again is [like] a wedding.

• "Regle jis pa gate zanmi."
  • A fair deal does not spoil friendship.

• "Responsab se chay."
  • [To be] responsible is a load.

S

• "Sa je pa wè, kè pa tounen."
  • What the eyes do not see does not make the heart grow fonder.
  • What you don't know can't hurt you.

    Out of Sight out of Mind.

• "Sa ki rete nan kè-m dòmi lakay."
  • What is still in my heart sleeps at my home.

• "Sa ou pa konnen pi gran pase ou."
  • What you do not know is bigger than you.

• "Sa ou t’ap chache antè, ou jwenn li atè."
  • What you are searching underground, you find it on the ground.

• "Sa-k pase nan kizin, lakay pa bezwen konnen."
  • What goes on in the kitchen, the house does not need to know.

• "Sak vid pa kanpe."
  • An empty sack cannot stand up.

• "Se aprè batay nou konte blese."
  • It is after the battle that you count the injured.

• "Se chat kay k’ap manje poul kay."
  • It is the cat of the house that will eat the hen of the house.

• "Se de bon ki fè bonbon."
  • It's two 'good' that makes candy.

• "Se grès kochon an ki kwit kochon an."
  • It is the pork's grease that cooks the pork.

• "Se kouto sèlman ki konnen sa ki nan kè yanm."
  • Only the knife knows what is in the yam's heart.

• "Se lakizin ki di-m ki jan lakay ye."
  • It is the kitchen that tells me how the house is.

• "Se lè koulèv mouri ou wè longè-l."
  • It is when the snake dies that you can see its size.

• "Sè lè van soufle ou wè dèyè poul."
  • It is when the wind blows that you can see the hen's behind.

• "Se mèt kò ki veye kò."
  • It is the owner of the body who watches his body.

• "Se nan chemen ou konnen sa-k pase nan chanm."
  • It is on the road that you learn what goes on in [your] room.

• "Se nan chemiz blanch yo wè tach"
  • It is on the white shirt that one can see the stain.

• "Se pa nèg ki voye wòch ki te tiye koulèv-la, se nèg ki te wè'l"
  • It is not the man who threw the stone who killed the snake: it is the man who saw it.

• "Se siro ki rale foumi."
  • It is the syrup that attract ants.

• "Se sou pye mango chaje yo voye wòch."
  • It is on the mango tree full of fruits that they throw stones.

• "Se soulye ki konn si chosèt gen twou."
  • It is the shoe that knows if the sock has a hole.

• "Si bòt la tro jis pou ou, mache pye atè."
  • If your boot is too tight, walk barefoot.

• "Si m’te konnen toujou dèyè."
  • 'If I had known' is always behind.

• "Si ou gen yon sous k’ap ba ou dlo, ou pa koupe pyebwa kote-l."
  • If you have a well that can give you water, you must not cut the tree near it.

• "Si ou kouvri dife, w’ap gen dife."
  • If you cover a fire, you [still] have a fire.

• "Si ou manje bouji, fòk ou poupou mèch."
  • If you eat a candle, you must poop the wick.

• "Si ou vle gen rezon devan kras, se benyen p’ou benyen."
  • If you want to win over dirt, you need to bathe [thoroughly].

• "Sòt pa touye-w, men li fè ou swe."
  • Stupid does not kill you, but it makes you sweat.

• "Souke tèt pa kase kou."
  • [You can] shake your head, [but] do not break your neck.

T

• "Tan ale, li pa tounen."
  • Time goes, [but] does not come back.

• "Tande ak wè se de."
  • To hear and to see are two [different] things.

• "Tande pa di konprann pou sa."
  • To hear does not mean to understand.

• "Tete pa janm twò lou pou mèt li."
  • Breasts are never heavy for their owner.

• "Ti bwa ou pa wè, se li ka pete je-w."
  • The small stick you do not see is the one that may puncture your eye.

• "Ti chen gen fòs sèlman devan kay mèt li."
  • A puppy is strong only before his master's house.

• "Ti kou ti kou bay lanmò."
  • Light blows [again and again] bring death.

• "Ti koulèv k'ap grandi se anba wòch ke li rete."
  • Little snakes need to grow in hiding.

• "Ti kouri kenbe tete; gwo kouri, lage tete."
  • For a little run, hold your breast; for a big run, don't hold your breast.

• "Ti mapou pa grandi anba gwo mapou.
  • Little 'mapou' [big tree highly respected in Haiti] do not grow at the foot of big 'mapou'.

• "Ti pil ti pil fè chaj."
  • A little amount plus a little amount make a load.

• "Toro ki begle pa gra."
  • The bull that lows is not fat.

• "Twou bounda'w won... ou bizwen pete kare."
  • Your anus is round... you [need to] fart square.

• "Toujou gen retay kay tayè."
  • [There are] always leftovers at the tailor's house.

• "Tout bèt jennen mòde."
  • Any strain animal [will] bite.

• "Tout moun se moun, tout moun pa menm."
  • All people are people but not all people are the same.

• "Two prese fè ou bo sou nen."
  • Too much hurry makes you kiss the nose.

• "Two vit pa rive."
  • Too fast does not arrive.

V

• "Vant plen pa gwòs; gwo tèt pa lespri.
  • A big belly does not mean pregnancy; a big head does not mean wits.

• "Volè pa janm renmen volè parey li.
  • A thief never likes a thief like him.

• "Vwazinaj se fanmi
  • Neighborhood is family.

W

• "Wè jodi-a, men sonje denmen.
  • See (live) today, but think about tomorrow.

• "Wè pa wè, lantèman pou katrè.
  • See [it] or not, the funeral is at four o'clock.

• "Wòch nan dlo pa konn doulè wòch nan soley.
  • The stone in the water does not know the pain of the stone in the sun.

• "Wont pi lou pase sak sèl.
  • Shame is heavier than a bag of salt.

Y

• "Yo pa achte chat nan sak."
  • You don't buy a cat in a bag. (Make sure you know what you are buying.)

• "Yo pa voye wòch sou mango vèt."
  • You don't throw rocks at a green mango. (You wait until a mango is ripe before you try to knock it down from the tree.)

• "Yon bon zanmi pi bon pase frè."
  • A good friend is better than a brother.

• "Yon jou pou chasè, yon jou pou jibye"
  • The hunter has his day, but the prey has his day as well"

Z

• "Zafè kabrit pa zafè mouton."
  • The goat's business is not the sheep's business.

• "Zanmi prè se kouto de bo; zanmi lwen se lajan sere."
  • Close friends are [like] a double-edge knife; far away friends are saved money.

• "Zanno kase nan sak, grenn li pa pèdi."
  • [When] the necklace [is] broken in a bag, its pieces are not lost.

• "Ze ki kale tro bonè, ti poul la p’ap viv."
  • [When] eggs hatch too early, chickens will not live.