Meaning
If you won't listen to advice or warning, you'll learn the lesson the hard way — through painful consequences. A staple of parental scolding: refuse to 'hear' (heed) what you're told, and you will 'feel' the result. It warns that hard-headedness brings its own punishment.
Examples
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Mi tell yuh nuh climb di tree. If yuh cyaan hear, yuh wi feel.
I told you not to climb the tree. If you won't listen, you'll suffer for it.
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Him nebba listen, an now him inna trouble — if yuh cyaan hear, yuh feel.
He never listened, and now he's in trouble — those who won't heed will suffer.
Origin
A traditional Jamaican proverb; a play on 'hear' (heed) versus 'feel' (suffer). See [[hard-ears]], [[facety]].
How it’s used
Won't heed advice = will suffer the consequences. Classic parental warning. See [[hard-ears]], [[back-chat]].