WHAT
ARE PROVERBS?
Proverbs are also known as sayings, maxims, adages, aphorisms,
etc. Most of them are old, well-known, traditional and time-honoured.
Lord John Russell has defined them as the wisdom of many, and
the wit of one.
According to American author Ralph Waldo Emerson proverbs are
the literature of reason, or the statements of absolute truth, without
qualification. Like the sacred books of each nation, they are the sanctuary of
its intuitions.
The simplest definition of proverbs as : ”Short sentences
drawn from long experiences.” Belongs to the Spanish writer Cervantes (1547-1616).
A bit longer definition which follows is by the English
Quaker William Penn 1644-1718 . “The wisdom of nations lies in their proverbs,
which are brief and pithy. Collect and learn them; they are notable measures of
directions for human life.”
Let us now look at some proverbs taken from a school boy’s
English textbook .
- A lie has no legs to stand upon. 2. Truth is ever
green. 3. Might is right. 4. It takes two to make a quarrel. 5. Hunger is
the best sauce. 6. Nearer the church, farther from God. 7. Haste makes
waste. 8. It is never too late to mend. 9. Better late than never. 10. Out
of sight, out of mind. 11. A rolling stone gathers no moss. 12. A little
pot is soon hot. 13. A golden key opens all locks. 14 Much cry, little
wool. 15. Penny wise, pound foolish.
To conclude, proverbs are not the literary treasure of the
educated people. They are an important part of folklore. The illiterate, too, use
them in their day-to-day life.
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G.R.Kanwal
3rd March 2024
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