| Ian misè, wè sa trist
| Ian misery, see that sad
|
| Pov tini anko plis
| Pov tini even more
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| Sa ki ja ni vlé plis
| What he wants is more
|
| Sa sé avaris
| This is greed
|
| Lè ou pa ni, ou obligé fè débrouya
| When you are not, you have to be resourceful
|
| Fè tou sa ou pé pou soti en brouya
| Do whatever it takes to get out of the fog
|
| Lajouné ka travay rèd, lè swa sé masé ko la
| The day can work hard, even at night
|
| Pou pé ni asé fos pou lèlandèmen la
| To be calm and false enough for the next day
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| Lévé gran bonnè maten, bényé, abiyé
| Get up early, get dressed, get dressed
|
| Kouri poté mannèv, fè sa ou ni pou fè
| Run the maneuver, do what you have to do
|
| Timoun ka pléré pa ni lajan an potfèy
| Children may cry with no money
|
| Oblijé fè krédi a ka Man Rojé
| Required to make the credit can be Man Rojé
|
| La vi sé kon pil ou fas
| Life is like your face
|
| Lè ou pov, ou byen ou pov
| When you are poor, you are poor
|
| Ou ka mandé bondyé fos
| You can ask for false gods
|
| Pou-w pa pwan pon ti enpas
| Don't get caught up in the deadlock
|
| Pou-w pé avansé dwèt dwèt douvan
| To move your finger forward
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| Soti an soufwans
| Out of pain
|
| Man pa flipé, pa lagé, pa blésé
| Man not flipped, not released, not injured
|
| Pa fwéné, pa tonbé, pa sizé, pa pléré
| Don't slow down, don't fall, don't squeal, don't cry
|
| Pa changé, pa stopé, pryé dyé
| Don't change, don't stop, pray to God
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| Pa lésé babylon ri dèy é zanmi-aw
| Don't let Babylon laugh at you and your friends
|
| Lévé tèt aw, pa jen bésé tèt aw
| Raise your head, don't bend your head
|
| Toujou rété mèt aw, toujou péyé dèt-aw
| Always be your master, always pay your debts
|
| Rété mèt an tèt-aw, an jou sé ké fèt-aw
| Be your master in the day of your birth
|
| Pas jah jah sé li sèlman ki pèr nowèl
| Pas jah jah is the only one who is afraid of Christmas
|
| Sé li ki mété-w well
| He is the one who puts you right
|
| La vi té ké two bèl
| Life was too beautiful
|
| Si tou lé jou sé té nowèl
| If all day is Christmas
|
| Ou ka travay non stop kon machin
| You can work non-stop with cars
|
| Kon moun ki ka pran kokayin
| Con people who can take cocaine
|
| Ou ka kenn kon pil alkalin
| You may have alkaline batteries
|
| Pou timoun-aw pa konnèt famin
| Don't starve your child
|
| Yo ka pwenté dwèt si-w an lari
| They may point fingers at you on the street
|
| Lékol, timoun-aw pa ka ri
| At school, your kids can't laugh
|
| Pon moun vlé pa yo pou zanmi
| Bridges people want theirs for friends
|
| Yo rèjèté pas yo pa ni
| They rejected their pass
|
| Lè sa rèd sé pen é sawdin
| This is hard bread and sawdust
|
| Menm lè biten la clean
| Even when the biten is clean
|
| Fo-w ay pwan sèl aka la vwazin
| Fo-w ay grab salt aka the adjoining
|
| Ou ka priyé pou on jou sa fin
| You can pray for the end of the day
|
| Lè sa rèd sé pen é sardin | Then it's hard to make bread and sardines |