Meaning
Those who live in comfort cannot understand the suffering of those who bear the heat of hardship. A stone lying cool at the bottom of the river has no idea how hot the sun is beating down on those exposed above. A reminder that the sheltered and privileged often can't grasp what the struggling endure.
Examples
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Him nuh know how wi suffer — rockstone a river bottom nuh know sun hot.
He has no idea how we suffer — the comfortable don't know the hardship of others.
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Di rich cyaan understand di poor: rockstone a river bottom nuh know sun hot.
The rich can't understand the poor: those in comfort don't feel the heat.
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Di rich cyaa understand di poor; rockstone a river bottom nuh know sun hot.
The rich can't understand the poor; the sheltered don't know the exposed one's struggle.
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Him never know hunger, so him cyaa relate — rockstone a river bottom nuh know sun hot.
He's never known hunger, so he can't relate — the comfortable don't feel the hardship.
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Yuh comfortable, so yuh nuh feel it; rockstone a river bottom nuh know sun hot.
You're comfortable, so you don't feel it; those shielded don't know the heat.
Origin
A traditional proverb; the cool river-bottom stone is oblivious to the sun's heat. See Rockstone, Sun hot.
How it’s used
The comfortable can't understand others' suffering. See Rockstone, Sun hot.