In English
“if you sleep with dogs you catch their fleas”
Meaning
'If yuh sleep wid dawg, yuh ketch him flea' — keep bad company and you will take on its troubles and its bad name. Just as lying down with a flea-ridden dog leaves you bitten, mixing closely with the wrong people rubs their faults, dangers, and disgrace off onto you. It is a plain warning to mind who you associate with, since your companions shape your reputation and your fate, for better or worse, whether you share their doings or not.
Examples
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Mind who yuh keep company wid; if yuh sleep wid dawg, yuh ketch him flea.
Mind who you keep company with; bad company rubs off on you.
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Him run wid di wrong crowd an ketch dem trouble; if yuh sleep wid dawg, yuh ketch him flea.
He ran with the wrong crowd and caught their trouble; keep bad company, suffer for it.
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Yuh reputation follow yuh friends; if yuh sleep wid dawg, yuh ketch him flea.
Your reputation follows your friends; you take on the company you keep.
Origin
A plain image: a dog carries fleas, and anyone who lies down with it picks them up — bad associations pass to you like fleas from an animal.
How it’s used
A caution about the company you keep — their faults and troubles become yours.