“Do not wait until the drum beats before you grind your axe.”

A dog among doctors, a cockroach among shavers.

Sitting down too much wears out one’s trousers.

The hog/pig eats whatever its mind gives it for [or wants].

Old fire sticks are easily re-kindled.

A cowardly man keeps sound bones.

When the cocoa (cacao) ripens, it bursts.

When a meagre plantain wants to die, it shoots.

The new broom sweeps clean, but the old broom knows all the corners.

Do not take pleasure in the misfortunes of others as the same could happen to you.

You cannot sit on the back of the cow and curse the skin of the cow.

The dog does not howl if he has a bone.

A penny-halfpenny (1 1/2d) buys trouble, one hundred pounds (£100) cannot pay for it.

Young John crows are white when hatched, but do not remain white.

You tend to stick to people of the same nature.

Don’t get involved in things that don’t concern you.

Things are not always as they seem.