Proverbs

What are Proverbs?
Proverbs are ‘Pearls of Wisdom’. Proverbs necessarily need to:

• Be popular and memorable:
  e.g All’s well that ends well.
• Be concise and to the point:
  e.g. Practice makes perfect
• Provide sensible advice:
  E.g., first thrive and then wive
• Contain unchanging truths based on experience over the years.
  E.g., Honesty is the best policy

Most proverbs exhibit simple rhyme and elegant balance.
Proverbs have largely originated from the traditional and collective wisdom of mankind.

• Little strokes fell great oaks has obviously come from the common experienceof wood-cutters in olden times.
• A stitch in time saves nine has evidently come from the experience of housewives in managing clothes.

Examples:

• As you sow, so shall you reap
• Barking dogs seldom bite
• Children should be seen and not heard
• Desires are nourished by delays
• Everybody’s business is nobody’s business
• First come, first served
• Good company on the road is the shortest cut
• Happy is the country that has no history
• It is easy to be after the event
• Knowledge is power
• Lend your money and lose your friend
• Many hands make light work
• Never spend your money before you have it
• Only the wearer knows where the shoe pinches
• Praise without profit puts little in the pot
• Success has many friends
• The tongue ever turns to the aching tooth
• Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown
• Want is the mother of industry
• You must lose a flu to catch a trout