“Pawòl gen pye.”
Translation: “Words have feet.”
What a great reminder for us all to watch what we say, because no matter how much you think you can trust the people around you, what you say will always have a tendency to go farther than you wanted them to. We must also remember the words of James in the Bible:
“So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness…” (James 3:5-6)
and also:
“If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.” (James 1:26)
So to add just a little bit of English flair to this Haitian thought, “Oh be careful little mouth what you say…”
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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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