cow neva know di use a 'im tail till 'im lose it

Jamaican Creole

Etymology

Literally, "A cow doesn't know what its tail is for until it's lost it."

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkɔʊ̯ ˈnɛba ˈnʷoː ˈdɪ‿juːs a‿im ˈtʲel ˈtɪl ˈɪm ˈluːz‿i/
• Hyphenation: cow‧ne‧va‧know‧di‧use‧a‧'im‧tail‧till‧'im‧lose‧it

Proverb

cow neva know di use a 'im tail till 'im lose it

1. you never miss the water till the well runs dry
   • 2018, “Tell me Pastor - Caught between two men”, in The Jamaica Star‎^[1] (in English), archived from the original on 19 October 2020:

     “In the evening he called me back and told me that "Cow neva know di use ah him tail til' him lose it" […] ”

     In the evening he called me back and told me, "you never miss the water till the well runs dry." […]