By Giggles Anderson
As the drama of all that is Poor Lil' Richie unfolds, it is clear that he would have avoided this situation if only he had the guidance of at least one Jamaican parent.
If he lived with my parents, here are some examples of the much needed wisdom they would have imparted upon him.
Proverb: De more yu luk, de less yu si
Translation: The more you look, the less you will see.
Explanation: It is impossible to know every single detail about any matter. Also, the more you find out, the less you know.
Proverb: Cack mowt kill cack
Translation: The rooster was killed by his own mouth. (The butcher would not have known where to find him if he had not opened his mouth to crow.)
Explanation: One should never boast, nor should one speak out of turn. We should choose our words with care, lest we, by our own tactlessness, cause ourselves unhappiness.
Proverb: Yu shake man han, but yu noh shake im hawt
Translation: You can shake a man's hand, but you cannot shake his heart.
Explanation: It is impossible to detect what a person has in his mind toward you through mere physical contact. Do not, therefore, take people, their opinions, or their feelings for granted.
Proverb: Mischiff kum by de poun' an' go by de ownse
Translation: Mischief comes by the pound and goes by the ounce.
Explanation: Mischief makers can stir up a tremendous amount of trouble with only a few words or maybe one action. The effects of this can be difficult to minimize. Let us not be mischief-makers. We could hurt ourselves and others irreparably.
Proverb: Ebry dawg hab him day, an ebry puss him 4 o'clock
Translation: Every dog has his day, and every cat has his 4 o'clock.
Explanation: We should not behave as if we are better than others, or allow our position in life to blind us to the fact that tremendous opportunities can be given to those persons whom we would least expect to reap these benefits. ("Your day will come.")
All proverbs were found below at the:
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF JAMAICA
12 East Street, Kingston, Jamaica
Telephone: [876] 967-1526, 967-2516, 967-2494, 967-2496
Fax: [876] 922-5567
www.nlj.gov.jm
