I love one-liner quotes because of their punch line character. Interestingly, proverbs satisfy that criteria. Most proverbs are short sayings. But don’t sneer at that length (actually, the lack of it), for proverbs express a lot of wisdom and truth very concisely.
Being a Roman Catholic, my introduction to proverbs was , of course, through the Bible. But I was also impressed with the depth and breadth of Arabic proverbs which I am featuring here today. I stumbled upon Arabic proverbs when I was looking for a suitable quote for a post in my other blog. From then on, I got hooked on the folksy wisdom of Arabian proverbs.
To the extent that proverbs embody a people’s culture and traditions, it is reasonanble to conclude, from my admittedly limited comparison of various proverbs, that how we experience reality, what we consider as proper rules of conduct, and the values that we want to pass on to the next generation seem to be universal across various cultures and religions. Try these:
A little debt makes a debtor, a great one an enemy.
* * *
Judge a man by the reputation of his enemies.
* * *
If you stop every time a dog barks, your road will never end.
* * *
If you have much, give of your wealth; if you have little, give of your heart.
* * *
Compete, don't envy.
* * *
Diligence is the mother of good luck.
* * *
Do not cut down the tree that gives you shade.
* * *
I am a prince and you are a prince; who will lead the donkeys?
* * *
Beware of one who flatters unduly; he will also censure unjustly.
* * *
A man profits more by the sight of an idiot than by the orations of the learned.
* * *
Keep your friends close - hold your enemies closer.
* * *
Arrogance diminishes wisdom.
* * *
A fool may be known by six things: anger, without cause; speech, without profit; change, without progress; inquiry, without object; putting trust in a stranger, and mistaking foes for friends.
* * *
When you heard that a mountain was moved, believe it; but when you hear that someone changed his character do not believe it.
* * *
Do not tell a friend anything you would conceal from an enemy.
* * *
A man's capacity is the same as his breadth of vision.
* * *
When you have spoken the word, it reigns over you. When it is unspoken you reign over it.
* * *
If power is for sale, sell your mother to buy it. You can always buy her back again.
* * *
A wise man associating with the vicious becomes an idiot; a dog traveling with good men becomes a rational being.
* * *
At the narrow passage there is no brother and no friend.
Sources: www.worldofquotes.com and www.thinkexist.com.
(Royalty-free photo shown above courtesy of www.sxc.hu) Print
No comments:
Post a Comment