“Wanti wanti cyaan get it, getti getti nuh want it”
Those who want it can't get it; those who have it don't want it.
People rarely appreciate what comes to them easily.
Old-time wisdom
Jamaican proverbs pack a whole philosophy into one line. Here they are in patois, in English, and with the meaning the elders intend.
Those who want it can't get it; those who have it don't want it.
People rarely appreciate what comes to them easily.
Every little bit adds up to a lot.
Save and build steadily — small efforts accumulate.
When the chicken is merriest, the hawk is nearby.
Don't get so carried away in good times that you drop your guard.
Cat and dog don't share the same luck.
What one person gets away with, another cannot.
What tastes sweet to the goat will upset its stomach.
Today's pleasure can be tomorrow's trouble.
A cockroach has no business in a chicken fight.
Stay out of quarrels that aren't yours.
One by one, the coco fills the basket.
Patience and consistency finish the job.
If you can't catch Quaco, catch his shirt.
Settle for the next best thing rather than nothing.
The ghost knows who to frighten.
Bullies pick on those they think won't fight back.
Trouble doesn't announce itself like rain clouds.
Misfortune comes without warning — be prepared.
I came for the milk, not to count cows.
I'm here for results, not excuses or distractions.
The stone at the river bottom doesn't know the sun is hot.
The comfortable can't understand the suffering of others.