no kosi kaiman mama fosi yu abra liba

Sranan Tongo

Etymology

Literally, “don't curse the caiman's mother before you've crossed the river”.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /no ˈko.s(i) ˈkai̯.maŋ mːa ˈfo.s‿i ˈa.bɾa ˈli.ba/

Proverb

no kosi kaiman mama fosi yu abra liba

1. don't insult people who might hurt your interests; don't self-sabotage; don't count your chickens before they're hatched
   • 1874, Willem Boekhoudt, Uit mijn verleden. Bijdrage tot de kennis van Suriname [From my past. Contribution to the knowledge of Suriname]‎^[1], Winschoten: J.D. van der Veen, page 94:

     So langa joe no koti abra liba, joe no moe kosi kaiman.

     [Solanga yu no koti abra liba, yu no mu kosi kaiman.]

     As long as you haven't crossed the river, you shouldn't curse the caiman.

   • 1977, Albert Helman, editor, Cultureel mozaïek van Suriname. Bijdrage tot onderling begrip. [Cultural mosaic of Suriname. A contribution to mutual understanding.]‎^[2], Zutphen: De Walburg Pers, →ISBN, page 112:

     Ef joe wani kot' abra liba, joe no moe kosi kaiman mama.

     [Efu yu wani koti abra liba, yu no mu kosi kaiman mama.]

     If you want to cross the rivier, you shouldn't insult the mother of the caiman.

   • 2003, Conjunto Pomos (lyrics and music), “No Kosi Kaiman”, in Kula Man:

     Noiti no kosi kaiman mama fosi yu abra liba, a so den bigisma koti den odo, ya.

     Never curse the caiman's mother before you've crossed the river, yup, that's how the old people recite their proverbs.

   • 2011, Selectabeats, Kayente (lyrics and music), “Djoegoe Djoegoe”:

     Ei Selecta, mi granmama ben leri mi altèit, "no kosi kaiman fosi abra liba, boi".

     Hey Selecta, my grandmother always taught me: "don't curse the caiman before crossing the river, boy"