Memory gems and proverbial sayings from my childhood and as a trained English teacher in Jamaica in the late 1970s. The first eight are memory gems whilst the others are either English or Jamaican proverbial sayings.

Some are Biblical  whilst others are from poems. 

1. The heights of great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight but they while their companions slept were toiling upward in the night.
   
   
2. Speak the truth and speak it ever
   Cost it what it will
   He who hides the wrong he did
   Does the wrong things still.
   
   
3. Labour for learning before you grow old
   For learning is better than silver and gold
   Silver and gold will vanish awayBut a good education will never decay.
   
   
4. Be not afraid of greatness
   Some are born great
   Some achieve greatness
   And some have greatness thrust upon them.
   
   
5. Lives of great men all remind us
   We can make our lives sublime,
   And departing, leave behind us
   Footprints in the sands of time.

6. Good better best
   Never let it rest
   Until your good is better
   And your better is best.

8. Once is a mistake
   Twice is a co-incidence
   Thrice is a pattern.
   
   
9. He who knows not,
   and knows not that he knows not,
   is a fool; shun him.
   
   He who knows not,
   and knows that he knows not,
   is a student; Teach him.
   
   He who knows,
   and knows not that he knows,
   is asleep; Wake him.
   
   He who knows,
   and knows that he knows not,
   is Wise; Follow him.

Examples of nursery rhymes. 

• Ring-ring O’ Roses
• Jack and Jill
• London Bridge is Falling Down
• Patta Cake, Patta Cake Baker’s Man
• Oranges and Lemons
• Humpty Dumpty
• Goosey Goosey Gander
• Rock-a-bye-baby
• Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush
• Hey Diddle Diddle The Cat and The Fiddle
• Jack Be Nimble, Jack Be Quick
• Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
• Rain Rain Go Away

Some well-known Jamaican sayings.

9. If yuh cyaah ketch Quaco, yuh ketch ‘im shut.
10. De higher monkey climb de more ‘im expose.
11. Cock mowt kill cock.
12. Wha gawn bad a mawning, cyaan come good a evelin.
13. Han’ inna alligator mowt, tek time  draw it out.
14. New broom sweep clean but ole broom know di corner.
15. Puss an’ dawg nuh ‘ave di same luck.
16. Wanti wanti cyaan getti, an’ getti getti noh wanti.
17. Cow neva know di use a ‘im tail till it drop off.
18. Duppy know who fi frighten.
19. Rain a fall but dutty tough.
20. Long road draw sweat, short cut draw blood.
21. Chicken merry hawk deh near.
22. One one cocoa full basket.
23. Every mikkle mek a muckle.
24. If yuh sleep wid dawg, yuh ketch ‘im flea.
25. Sorry fi mawga dawg, mawga dawg tun roun’ bite 
26. If yuh wah good yuh nose haffi run.
27. Every day yuh carry bucket guh a well, one day di bottom mus’ drop out.
28. Cockroach nuh business in a fowl fight.
29. Wah sweet nanny goat a guh run ‘im belly.
30. Mi cum yah fi drink milk, mi nuh cum hay fi count cow.
31. There is always danger where no danger shows. This is one my grandmother used to say.
32. Every dawg ‘ave ‘im day an’ every puss ‘ave ‘im four o’clock.

Some English proverbial sayings.

33. A friend in need is a friend indeed.
34. The roots of education are bitter but the fruit is sweet.
35. If at first you don’t succeed, then try, try and try
36. Nothing ventured nothing gained.
37. A quitter never wins and a winner never quits.
38. The love of money is the root of all evil.
39. Whatever is worth doing is worth doing well.
40. Food is the staff of life but rum is life itself. This is made up by a family  relative.
41. Procrastination is the thief of time.
42. Two is company three is a crowd.
43. Life is just for living.
44. Age before beauty.
45. Trust no shadow after dark.
46. The greatest thing is to know.
47. Honesty is the best policy.
48. A little learning is a dangerous thing.
49. It is never too late for a shower of rain.
50. Habits are easy to make but hard to break.
51. Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it you’re among the stars.
52. Better late than never.

51. Don’t judge a book by its cover.
52. Every cloud has a silver lining.
53. Too many cooks spoil the broth.
54. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
55. Practice makes perfect.
56. Beggars can’t be choosers.
57. Out of sight out of mind.
58. Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
59. It’s no use crying over spilled milk.
60. When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
61. Rome was not built in a day.
62. Never look a gift horse in the mouth.
63. Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.
64. A stitch in time saves nine.
65. The early bird catches the first worm.
66. Actions speak louder than words.
67. A stitch in time saves nine.
68. Once bitten twice shy.
69. Don’t bite off more than you can chew.