Meaning
'If fish come from deep sea an seh shark deh deh, believe him' — if a fish comes up from the deep sea and tells you there is a shark down there, believe him. Trust the testimony of someone who has firsthand experience of a place or a situation, the proverb counsels: the one who has actually been there knows the danger far better than you do, so heed their warning. It is shrewd advice to respect real, lived knowledge over your own guesses, and to take seriously the word of the person who has come through the very thing you have not.
Examples
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Him work deh suh fi years; if fish come from deep sea an seh shark deh deh, believe him.
He worked there for years; trust the word of the one who's been there.
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She warn yuh from experience — if fish come from deep sea an seh shark deh deh, believe him.
She's warning you from experience — believe the one who knows firsthand.
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Di elder know di road; if fish come from deep sea an seh shark deh deh, believe him.
The elder knows the way; heed the one who has actually been there.
Origin
A sea image: a fish that lives in the deep and surfaces to warn of a shark speaks from where it lives — the ultimate firsthand witness, so its warning carries weight.
How it’s used
Used to urge someone to heed a warning from a person with direct, lived experience of the danger.