Meaning
'God knows' — a heartfelt affirmation of truth and sincerity, calling on Jah (God) as witness to what one is saying. Used to stress that a thing is the honest truth ('Jah know mi neva do it') or to voice deep feeling and conviction, it invokes the divine to vouch for the speaker's word. 'Jah' is the Rastafari name for God, and the phrase, spread far beyond Rastafari into everyday speech, carries real weight, putting the sacred name behind a claim to seal its sincerity.
Examples
-
Jah know mi a try mi best fi di family.
God knows I'm trying my best for the family.
-
Jah know star, times hard right now.
God knows, man, times are hard right now.
-
Mi love yuh, Jah know.
I love you, God knows I do.
Origin
'Jah' (from Jehovah/Yahweh) is the Rastafari name for God; 'Jah know' calls on God as witness to one's sincerity, much as 'God knows' does. See [[jah]].
How it’s used
A very common affirmation of sincerity, not limited to Rastafari speakers. Often 'Jah know star'.