Se lave men, siye l atè
It is washing your hands and wiping them on the ground
— Haitian proverb —
Work undone the moment it is finished. Effort thrown away.
The proverb belongs to the Haitian people. The translation and the note are our own.
Same themes
Fòse moun fè sa yo pa vle fè, se tankou eseye plen lanmè ak wòch
Forcing people to do what they do not want is like trying to fill the sea with stones
— Haitian proverb —
Di djab bonjou l ap manje w, pa di l bonjou l ap manje w
Greet the devil and he eats you; do not greet him and he eats you
— Haitian proverb —