A pint pot can hold a gill, but a gill can’t hold a pint pot:

Not all situations are reversible.

A eyeful en' a bellyful. 

Seeing is one thing, having it in your possession is another thing. This has sexual overtones. 

B

Bucket gine up and down in well evah day, de bottom boun' tuh drop out:

Sustained pressure and exertion will eventually lead to a breakdown. 

Better fish in de sea dan wha' ketch:

There is always someone that will make a better lover than the current one. 

C

Coward dog keep whole bone. 

Avoiding confrontation can keep you out of trouble. 

Crow does fly high, but when 'e come down, de ants does still eat out 'e eye. 

Some people may enjoy great prosperity and be excessively proud of it,

but should bad luck surface, they may endure disgrace equal to or greater

than the wealth they once possessed. 

Cut pumpkin can' keep. 

Used in a sexual context, this means that once virginity is lost it is impossible to abstain thereafter. 

Crave all, get none at all. 

A warning against covetousness. 

Cheap tings nuh good. 

Beware when things come too easy. 

Cat luck en' dog luck 

What one person may get away, may cause problems for another. 

Common dog does bark in church. 

Uncivilized individuals will conduct themselves in an uncouth manner irrespective of the situation. 

D

Dead man can’t run from ‘e coffin:

It is impossible to run from your responsibilities

De tongue dat does buy yuh does sell yuh:

The same person who talks nicely to you, will betray you later.

De sea ain’t got nuh back door:

The sea is not that safe a place; take every precaution necessary.

Don’t tek a six for a nine:

Do not misunderstand a person’s real intentions.

Don’t rush de brush and throw away de paint:

Do not allow haste to create problems for you.

De berry don’ drop too far from de tree:

Children inherit traits and attitudes from their parents.

De dog dat bring a bone will kaah one. 

The very person who gossips with you about other persons may also gossip with them about you too. 

De higher de monkey climb, de more 'e show 'e tail. 

The more you show off, the more your faults are brought to the open. 

De las' calf kill de cow. 

Attempting to repeat the same action too often may result in disaster. 

Donkey got long ear, but 'e don' like to hear 'e own story. 

People do not like to hear or accept their own faults. 

Don' wait till de horse get out de stable to shut de door. 

Don't wait until the situation gets out of control then to take corrective action. 

De devil does find work fuh idle hands to do. 

People with nothing to do, get themselves into mischief. 

De more yuh peep, de less yuh sih. 

Spying on others is a waste of time, as they will soon devise ways to out maneuver the spy. 

Dirty water does cool hot iron. 

Once aroused, almost any woman, whether good or bad, can quench a man's lust. 

Don't heng yuh hat wih yuh hand can' reach. 

Don't strive for positions that are beyond your reach. 

Don' rush de brush and trow 'way de paint. 

Don't let haste create problems for you. 

Don' ship all yuh sugar in one vessel. 

Do not risk all your resources in a single venture. 

Don' leh nuhbody rub shit in yuh mout and tell yuh it is pudding. 

Don't let anyone do or say anything harmful or insulting, under the guise that they are being nice. 

De same mout dat court yuh, don' marry yuh. 

He who encourages you to do certain things is, never around when you desperately need their help. 

De tongue dat buy yuh does sell yuh. 

The one who flatters you now, may deceive you later. 

Don' court Robin fuh 'e rags. 

Don't encourage a friendship only for what you can get out of it. 

De blacker de berry, de sweeter de juice. 

The darker the woman, the more sexually exciting she is. 

De closer de bone, de sweeter de meat. 

Thinner women make better lovers. 

E

Every fool got ‘e sense:

No matter how dull and ignorant, everybody is knowledgeable in one area or the other.

Every man yuh see in a shirt and pants en’ neider man:

Do not expect all men to act responsibly.

Eat soldier food, tek soldier blows:

If you share in the benefits you should be prepared to share in the problems.

Egg ain’t got no right ay rock-stone dance:

You should avoid situations which can be harmful to you.

Every bush is a man:

Be careful how you talk about people because you never know who might be eavesdropping.

Evah bush is a man. 

Be careful how you talk, as you never know who may be listening. 

Eat soldier food, tek soldier blows. 

Do not expect to share in the benefits only, but be prepared to share in the problems as well. 

Ef yuh wuking wid paint you got tuh get daub (dirty). 

If you are working in a particular situation, at some point you will become affected. 

Evah pig got a Saturday. 

Everyone will pay for his deeds at some point. 

Evah fool got 'e sense. 

Everybody is knowledgeable in one area or the other, no matter how dull and ignorant they may seem. 

Evah skin-teet en' a laugh. 

Not all outward signs of friendliness should be taken as genuine. 

F

Fus trick en’ nuh trick:

Having fool somebody once does not mean you can fool that person again.

Fisherman nevah say dat 'e fish stink. 

A person will never give a bad report about himself. 

Force ripe fruit don' got nuh taste. 

This is used metaphorically to show disapproval of clever behaviour in children. 

Force medicine good fuh mad horse. 

Nothing, even if it is helpful, should be forced upon anyone. 

A

God don’t like ugly:

Disapproval of injustice.

Give jack ‘e jacket:

Give credit where credit is due.

Good looks can' kaah tuh de shop. 

Having physical beauty in itself does not offer any practical benefits. 

Gold teet don' suit hog mout. 

Elegant accessories are inappropriate when used or worn by those who are not accustomed to such. 

H

Hard ears yuh won’t hear, by and by you gine feel:

If you do not take heed to good advice, you will feel the negative effect of it.

Head en’ brain:

Not everybody is wise.

High wind know where ole house live:

Advantage is often taken of those who are weak.

Hurry-hurry never done:

Do not do things in a hurry, you may have to re-do it all.

Home drum beat first. 

Before taking on someone else's problems, you should first look after your family interest. 

Hungry mek cat eat salt. 

Necessity often causes people to act contrary to their regular way of life. 

Halfway en' nuh warning. 

It's no use warning a person to be careful without telling him what it is he should be careful about. 

Hold de light fuh de devil tuh sih, and when yuh get a chance, blow it out in 'e face. 

When you know that somebody has bad intentions but is pretending they mean well,

you should play along with them until the opportunity comes when you can

foil their plans. 

Hurry-hurry nevah dun (done). 

Anything done in a hurry is never done properly. 

I

If greedy wait, hot will cool:

Your patience in a situation will be rewarded.

If you didn’t at de christening, yuh shouldn’t be at the wedding:

Do not get involved in something if you do not know how it started.

If black bird fly wid pigeon ‘e will get shoot:

If you associate with the wrong people you will get the same treatment that they do.

If rain water en' full yuh barrel, dew water can' full it. 

If you did not successfully convert the opportunities offered in your life, it is unlikely

that when there are less or no opportunities available, that you will find success. 

It en' de gun dat does kill yuh, it is de shot. 

It is usually the small problems, not the big ones that cause the most difficulty. 

It don't tek a big axe tuh cut down a big tree. 

Size, or lack of it, does not limit capabilities. 

If greedy wait, hot wud (would) cool. 

Patience will be rewarded. 

If crab don' walk 'bout 'e won't get fat. 

You accomplish nothing by staying at home. 

It en' fuh lack o' tongue dat horse can' talk. 

You must learn to control what you say. 

It does tek one hand tuh feel a lice, but two tuh tek it out. 

Co-operation is essential if anything worthwhile is to be achieved. 

"If ah did know.." does come too late. 

It is better to think before taking unwise or rash action, which you will later regret. 

If yuh can' beat a man yuh got tuh 'gree wid 'e. 

If you can't beat them, join them. 

L

Lime juice can' spoil vinegar. 

An individual can't be corrupted by another who is less corrupt. 

Loose goat don't know wha' tie goat sih (see). 

One has to be in someone else's shoes in order to understand what he is going through. 

M

Mek sure better than cock-sure. 

It is better to make absolutely sure that everything is all right rather than assume that all is well. 

Monkey sih, monkey do. 

A mild reprimand for imitating the behaviour of others. 

N

News don' lack a carrier. 

There is always someone ready to spread anything newsworthy, especially if it's gossip. 

Nuh name, nuh blame, nuh lock up. 

If no names are called, no one can be accused. 

Never eat and forget:

Do not show ingratitude by forgetting the hand that feed you.