Proverbs from around the world

During my career

days, I had the opportunity to interview many Bachelor's level graduates, who wanted an entry level job in the social

service sector.

One of the things that constantly amazed me was the difficulty of many young college graduates to

conceptualize. Their inability to think in the abstract was a deep source of sorrow on my part. This incompetence was shown

when they were unable to generalize what they had learned from one situation to another.

Most of these people were

graduates of fair to middling schools, with degrees in the social sciences. I would expect that there would be a higher level

of intellectual ability in those who had gone to more rigorous institutions of higher learning, and majored in a field that

required more analytical skills.

The best proverbs provide insights to universal truths in a very abstract fashion.

'To change and to change for the better are two different things'.

~ German proverb

We have what we seek, it is there all the time, and if we give it time, it will make itself known to us. Thomas Merton

I'll start with a few Italian proverbs:

This one is misoginist, but often comes to mind:
Chi disse donna, disse danno.
(Whoever said woman, said damage).

This one is also from the male point of view, but very true:
Non si può avere la botte piena e la moglie ubriaca.
(You can't have the full winebarrel and the drunk wife)
[You can't have the cake, and eat it too]

This one is cute:
Tanto va la gatta al lardo, che ci lascia lo zampino.
(The [female] cat goes so much to the lard, that it leaves there the paw [prints]).

Cool fbaezer

Spanish culture is full of proverbs, and they are used very much in familiar conversations, work discussions and speeches. Many of them rhyme:

All spanish speaking countries:

Hechos son amores, y no buenas razones.
(Facts, not good reasons, are love)

El que a buen árbol se arrima, buena sombra le cobija
(If you go near a good tree, good shadow will protect you)

Cría cuervos y te sacarán los ojos
(Raise ravens, and they'll tear your eyes).

Puso un circo y le crecieron los enanos
(S/he put up a circus and dwarfs grew.)

En tierra de ciegos, el tuerto es rey
(In the land of the blind, the one-eyed is king.)

De músico, poeta y loco, todos tenemos un poco.
(We all have a bit of a musician, a poet and a madman.)

Spanish

A cada puerco le llega su San Martín.
(Each pig get his Saint Martin) - [Saint Martin is a feast in which pigs are slain.

Habló el buey y dijo "Mu".
(The ox spoke and said: "Moo")

Mujer que espera un Príncipe Azul, viste a los santos de tul.
(Woman who waits for Prince Charming, dresses the saints with tulle) - never gets married.


Mexican

Ni tanto que queme al Santo, ni tanto que no lo alumbre.
(Not so much to burn the Saint, not so little to not iluminate him)

Al perro más flaco le caen las pulgas.
(Fleas fall upon the thinnest dog).

Hágase justicia en las mulas de mi compadre
(Be justice made on my friend's mules) -not mine.



Cuban

Se armó la cagástrofe
This is a game with the word for cathastrophe.
(A Shitatrophe was built).

Hizo un arroz con mango
(S/he made rice with mango)

Este traga yeso y caga bustos de Lenin
(This one swallows plaster and shits Lenin's busts) - meaning s/he's a true "believer".

Chilean

Nunca cagues más de lo que comas
(Never defecate more than what you eat).

Now, this is interesting. Very similar proverbs, with opposite meanings.

Italian:

L'abito fa il monaco
(The costume makes the monk).

Spanish:
El hábito no hace al monje
(The costume does not make the monk).

'If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow.'

~ Chinese Proverb

Be happy while you're living, for you're a long time dead.'

~ Scottish Proverb

'Tell me and I'll forget, show me and I may remember, involve me and I'll understand.'

~ Chinese proverb

'If you wish to know what a man is, place him in authority.'

~ Yugoslav Proverb

my father's 'favourite' - "one hand for yourself, one hand for the ship"

he says it whenever i get so caught up in my work that i forget about my own needs.

it's an old sailor's saying - if sent up in the riggings to repair the sails, a sailor has to remember to hang onto the riggings - not use both hands to effect the repair - if he falls out of the riggings by using both hands on the sail, he's no good to himself or the ship

Excellent analogy, ehbeth! Your Dad is pretty darn smart! (The apple don't fall far from the tree.....)

'There is no shame in not knowing, the shame lies in not finding out.'

~ Russian Proverb

IRISH PROVERBS:

A man is known by his company.

May you have the hindsight to know where you've been, the foresight to know where you're going, and the insight to know when you're going too far.


IRISH DIPLOMACY:

The ability to tell a man to go to hell so that he looks forward to the trip.

Excellent, chatoyant!

I love being Irish.....

I'm not Irish, but I like their style ... their humor ... their beer.

From a Latin Culture:

"I don't want the cheese - I just want to get out of the trap".

" May you live in interesting times"

Nope, sorry, that's a chinese curse if I'm informed right:?? Anybody know?