Meaning
You can't work, think, or function properly on an empty stomach — just as an empty sack flops over and cannot stand upright, a hungry person has no strength or focus. A proverb used to insist that a person be fed before being expected to labour or perform.
Examples
-
Feed di man before yuh send him go work — empty bag cyaan stan up.
Feed the man before you send him to work — you can't function hungry.
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Mek mi eat first; empty bag cyaan stan up.
Let me eat first; I can't work on an empty stomach.
Origin
A traditional proverb; an empty sack cannot stand upright. See [[belly-full]], [[nyammings]].
How it’s used
You can't function on an empty stomach; feed people first. See [[belly-full]], [[hungry-belly-an-full-belly-nuh-walk]].