Traditional✓ Culturally verified
“If yu bawn fi heng, yu caan drown.”
If you were born to hang, you can't drown.
What does “If yu bawn fi heng, yu caan drown” mean?
What is destined will happen; fate chooses its own path.
English translation
If you were born to hang, you can't drown.
Understanding the expression
A fatalistic proverb about destiny, often said half-jokingly after a narrow escape.
When to use it: an illustrative example
"Him walk weh from di crash widout a scratch." — "If yu bawn fi heng, yu caan drown."
Partner proverb
Every proverb has its partner
“If yu bawn fi heng, yu caan drown.”
“Yuh caan drown fish.”
You can't drown a fish.
Shared wisdom: A person can't be undone in any way other than the one destined; nor can their own nature be used to overwhelm them.
View partner proverb →Topics
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Attribution and review
Traditional Jamaican proverb