“Ou montre makak voye wòch, premye moun li kase tèt se ou mem.”
Translation: “You teach a monkey to throw rocks, the first head he breaks is yours.”
In my opinion, this is the greatest Haitian proverb I have heard. What a beautiful mental picture to teach us, “you reap what you sow.”
“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” (Galatians 6:7-10)
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Unless otherwise noted, the Haitian Proverb of the Week was found in “Hidden Meanings. Truth and Secret in Haiti’s Creole Proverbs” by Wally R. Turnbull, Copyright 2005 by Light Messages. The comments on the proverb are my own.
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