😔 Haitian proverbs about hardship

The stone in the water does not know the pain of the stone in the sun. This is the largest group in the collection, which tells you something. Hunger, weight, scarcity, and the particular loneliness of suffering nobody else can see.

Dèyè mòn gen mòn

Behind mountains there are mountains

— Haitian proverb —

hardship, endurance

Sak vid pa kanpe

An empty sack does not stand up

— Haitian proverb —

hunger, substance

Chen grangou pa jwe

A hungry dog does not play

— Haitian proverb —

hunger, desperation

Malere pa gen zanmi

The poor person has no friends

— Haitian proverb —

poverty, friendship

Nan tan grangou, patat pa gen po

In times of hunger, the sweet potato has no skin

— Haitian proverb —

hunger, scarcity

Tout bèt jennen mòde

Every cornered animal bites

— Haitian proverb —

desperation, conflict

Pitit se richès malere

Children are the poor person's wealth

— Haitian proverb —

family, poverty

Sa ki pa touye ou, angrese ou

What does not kill you fattens you

— Haitian proverb —

endurance, hardship

Se tè ki bat ki bwè lapli

It is the beaten earth that drinks the rain

— Haitian proverb —

hardship, reward

Chen grangou pa kouche

A hungry dog does not lie down

— Haitian proverb —

hunger, desperation

Sa foumi genyen, se sa l bay pitit li

What the ant has is what it gives its young

— Haitian proverb —

family, poverty, generosity

Bèf pa janm bouke pote kòn li

The ox never tires of carrying its horns

— Haitian proverb —

burden, identity

Se lè ou nan bezwen ou konn ki moun ki zanmi ou

It is when you are in need that you know who your friends are

— Haitian proverb —

friendship, hardship

Bourik chaje pa kanpe

A loaded donkey does not stop

— Haitian proverb —

labour, burden

Sa pòv genyen, se li l pote nan mache

What the poor have is what they carry to market

— Haitian proverb —

poverty, honesty

Tete pa janm twò lou pou mèt li

The breast is never too heavy for the one who carries it

— Haitian proverb —

burden, family

Malere pa dezonè

Poverty is not dishonour

— Haitian proverb —

poverty, dignity

Bouche nen ou pou bwè dlo santi

Hold your nose to drink the foul water

— Haitian proverb —

necessity, hardship

Byen mal pa lanmò

Being badly off is not death

— Haitian proverb —

hope, hardship

Chaj ou pa ka pòte, ou mete l atè dousman

A load you cannot carry, you set down gently

— Haitian proverb —

burden, limits

Chay sòti sou tèt, li tonbe sou zepòl

The load leaves the head and lands on the shoulder

— Haitian proverb —

burden, hardship

Grangou se mizè, vant plen se traka

Hunger is misery, a full belly is trouble

— Haitian proverb —

hunger, wealth

De mèg pa fri

Two lean ones do not fry

— Haitian proverb —

poverty, help