godmorninghaiti.com EnglishFrançaisKreyòl

Find a proverb for…

🧠 Haitian proverbs about wisdom

Speaking French does not mean intelligence. Hearing and seeing are two. The one holding the wooden spoon knows if it is hot. Haitian wisdom is suspicious of polish and trusts direct experience.

Twou manti pa fon

The hole of a lie is not deep

Haitian proverb

truth, deceit

one source
Tande ak wè se de

Hearing and seeing are two

Haitian proverb

truth, evidence

one source
Kay koule twonpe solèy, men li pa twonpe lapli

A leaking house fools the sun, but it does not fool the rain

Haitian proverb

pretence, truth

verified
Bab vwazen pran dife, ou mete pa ou alatranp

Your neighbour's beard catches fire, you soak your own

Haitian proverb

prudence, warning

unverified
Konn li pa di lespri pou sa

Knowing how to read does not mean intelligence

Haitian proverb

knowledge, pretension

one source
Pa janm koupe dwèt moun k ap ba ou manje

Never cut the finger of the one feeding you

Haitian proverb

gratitude, prudence

one source
Avan ou monte bwa, gade si ou ka desann li

Before you climb the tree, look whether you can come down

Haitian proverb

prudence, planning

one source
Mande chemen pa di pèdi pou sa

Asking the road does not mean you are lost

Haitian proverb

humility, knowledge

one source
Tout kòd gen de bout

Every rope has two ends

Haitian proverb

fairness, truth

one source
Fòk ou bat tanbou a pou tande son l

You have to beat the drum to hear its sound

Haitian proverb

action, experience

verified
Moun ki kenbe kiye bwa, se li ki konnen si li cho

The one holding the wooden spoon is the one who knows if it is hot

Haitian proverb

experience, empathy

one source
Tout moun konnen, men tout moun pa di

Everyone knows, but not everyone says

Haitian proverb

silence, truth

unverified
Bwa pi wo di li wè lwen, men grenn pwomennen di li wè pi lwen pase l

The tallest tree says it sees far, but the travelling seed says it sees farther

Haitian proverb

experience, travel, pride

one source
Fòk ou mache pou ou wè kote lari a kwen

You have to walk to see where the street turns

Haitian proverb

experience, learning

one source
Pa janm mete chat veye bè

Never set a cat to guard the butter

Haitian proverb

trust, prudence

one source
Bouch granmoun santi, men sa k ladan l se rezon

An elder's mouth may smell, but what comes out of it is sense

Haitian proverb

elders, wisdom

unverified
Se yon vyewo li ye

He is an old hand

Haitian proverb

experience

one source
Chodyè ou pa monte, ou pa desann li

A pot you did not put on the fire, you do not take down

Haitian proverb

meddling, prudence

one source
Fòk de klòch sonnen pou konn verite a

Both bells must ring before you know the truth

Haitian proverb

truth, fairness

one source