A world of truth

"A country can be judged by the quality of its proverbs." ~German Proverb

I was moved by my mother's cute inspirational calendar in her office to do a little research on proverbs. A little Googling led me to this description from the '96 Tokyo International Proverb Forum (go figure, an entire proverb convention!):

"The proverb is existent in various peoples' languages and in circulation by formulaic phrases in spoken language as what comprehensively transmits experiences and lessons for a struggle of existence. Different peoples share with each other such features as proverbial forms and contents, because they share practical experiences and wisdom for human beings in order to survive.
The proverb is nevertheless rooted in the soil on which the people live and is realized as formulaic phrases in its language system. Therefore the character of the people is clearly branded in its proverbs. By comparing proverbs of different people with each other, we can find that each people's characteristics of history, economic life, cultural tradition, mentality, morality, sense of value , geographical environments and others are fully expressed in its proverbs. Consequently, in order to understand a people's proverbs, we should observe them in relation with such conditions as its history, economics, culture, customs and mentality. It is by the very method that we can get hold of a people's proverbs in a correct, scientific and deep way."

-Wang Qin (China, Xiangtan University, Professor)

Apparently, proverbs are pretty important pieces of "collective wisdom" from a society. Some are very similar from one society to another, while others differ according to the social class and environment which created them. Some proverbs even poke fun at other ethnic groups, recognizing the prejudices which are present in many countries ("A single Russian hair outweighs half a Pole" ~Traditional Russian saying).

Perhaps you never even realized you were using an old English proverb when you have said "A friend in need is a friend indeed," or perhaps 'A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." Well now you know! I hope you enjoy reading some of my favorite international proverbs.

"You are made of stars!" ~Serbian proverb

"A monkey never thinks her baby is ugly" ~Haitian proverb

"A courtyard common to all will be swept by none" ~Chinese proverb
(this makes me wonder, if it were a Polish proverb, would it be read "A courtyard common to all will be swept by all"? --my aunts just can't sit still when a something needs cleaning!)

"A friend's eye is a good mirror" ~Irish proverb

"A spoon does not know the taste of soup, nor the learned fool the taste of wisdom" ~Welsh proverb

"He who has health has hope. He who has hope has everything" ~Arab proverb

"A throne is only a bench covered with velvet" ~French proverb

"God will be present, whether asked or not" ~Latin proverb

"A book is like a garden carried in the pocket" ~Arab proverb

"If heaven made him, earth will find some use for him" ~Chinese proverb

"Hide not your talents, for use they were made. What's a sundial in the shade?" ~Benjamin Franklin
(The dude was a walking proverb)

"If there is no wind, row." ~Latin proverb

"A heart in love with beauty never grows old" ~Turkish proverb

"Live your own life, for you will die your own death" ~Latin proverb

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline" ~Bible, Proverbs 1:7
(If you are ever in a wisdom-seeking mood, just open the Bible to the Book of Proverbs. I always find something that relates to me when I open to a page of Proverbs!)

"Fear less, hope more,
eat less, chew more,
whine less, breathe more,
talk less, say more,
hate less, love more,
and all good things will be yours"
~Swedish proverb


http://cogweb.ucla.edu/Abstracts/TokyoForum_96.html
http://www.tentmaker.org/Quotes/international_proverbs.htm
http://www.berro.com/entertainment/international_proverbs.htm
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+1&version=NIV
http://www.theotherpages.org/quote-05c.html <-- this is the best site to find great sayings!