Jamaican Sayings - Success

Book excerpt: Jamaican Sayings - Success is the third in a series of three books that capture Jamaican adages used to communicate ideas about human nature, behaviour, relationships, aspirations, health hope and survival. Jamaican Sayings - Life and Jamaican Sayings - Character complement the series. The adages represent an archive of the wit and wisdom of many generations and aim to trigger reflection and thought. In their use they are never fully explained but those to whom they are directed usually understand their meaning based on the context in which they are used. They utilise imagery and draw upon a variety of flora and fauna to enrich their content. They hold valuable lessons, inspiration and wisdom that link Jamaican culture to its African past. The sayings are presented in three parts: i) the original saying; ii) the literal English translation and iii) the meaning it aims to convey.