Aleruana/Envato Elements
Sak vid pa kanpe
Meaning
A person needs food and nourishment to have enough energy to work.
Just as an empty sack cannot stand upright, someone with an empty stomach may struggle to work or complete a physically demanding task.
Translation: You can't work on an empty stomach.
Literal Meaning: An empty sack cannot stand.
Example 1
Ou pap gen fòs pou w travay si w pa manje. Sak vid pa kanpe!
You won't have the strength to work if you don't eat. You can't work on an empty stomach!
Example 2
Sak vid pa kanpe! M twò grangou pou m al fè egzèsis.
An empty sack cannot stand! I'm too hungry to go exercise.
More Than an Empty Sack
Oftentimes, a sack collapses because there is nothing inside it to hold it upright.
You can use this proverb when encouraging someone to eat before working, exercising, traveling, or performing another demanding activity.
Now, this proverb does not necessarily encourage someone to eat too much! The key lesson is that the body needs sufficient nourishment and energy to perform well.