Meaning
When hardship strikes, you will accept and make do with what you would never have considered in good times. Desperation shrinks your standards so far that even a child's shirt seems to fit you. A proverb about how trouble forces humility and makes people settle for far less than they once demanded.
Examples
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Him used to fussy, but when trouble tek yuh, pickney shirt fit yuh.
He used to be fussy, but hard times make you accept anything.
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She tek di lil job — when trouble tek yuh, pickney shirt fit yuh.
She took the small job — when hardship hits, you make do with whatever.
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Him too proud fi di likkle job till him get broke; wen chubble kech yuh, pickney shut fit yuh.
He was too proud for the small job until he went broke; hard times make you take what you'd have refused.
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She tek di help now she desperate — wen chubble kech yuh, pickney shut fit yuh.
She took the help now she's desperate — trouble makes even the least offering fit.
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Beggar cyaa be chooser; wen chubble kech yuh, pickney shut fit yuh.
Beggars can't be choosers; hardship humbles you to accept anything.
Origin
A traditional proverb; in hard times even a child's shirt 'fits' the grown person. See Trouble nuh set like rain.
How it’s used
Hardship makes you accept and make do with far less. See Trouble nuh set like rain, Empty bag cyaan stand up.