29 June 2021, Somewhere in the Metaverse
Verb, according to the Oxford Dictionary is "a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence and forming the main part of the predicate of a sentence, such as hear, become, happen."
Pro - is generally known as short for Professional.
When a verb turns pro - you get Professional Verb or Proverb, of course. LOL!
We look up to professionals, be they in the business, entertainment or, the sports world. They are viewed as bigger than life and we idolize them and emulate them.
Likewise, proverbs are the king or queen of words. Each specializes in making a strong point. Many of these are the result of life observations and imparted wisdom, usually from wise men and women or philosophers.
I've had so much fun writing Age-old sayings I disagree with! that I've decided to have a closer look at proverbs.
Instead of focusing on English proverbs, I have decided to explore proverbs from all over the world, though there may be overlaps since these are derived from observations and wisdom, much of which is universal. I qualify the last sentence with a much because sometimes these observations and wisdom are culturally defined, meaning one needs to understand the culture in order for it to make any sense.
Despite that, and due to the fact that proverbs are generally accepted universal truths we accept, many are self-explanatory.
This will not be an exhaustive list as I'm sure there are likely at least tens of thousands of proverbs globally. Don't quote me. I haven't counted them all, so I'm not sure.
Our first stop is Africa.
Africa Wisdom
A long time ago I came across one proverb from Africa that had somehow been imprinted on my mind ever since. It's so vivid that I don't think I'll ever forget it. I'll start with that proverb.
1. Only a fool tests the depth of a river with both feet
See how it immediately paint a picture in your mind of this fool's action? I can imagine a wise man sitting by the river bank and observed a fool putting both his feet into the river. After finally pulling himself back up the riverbank, I'm sure the elder asked what he was doing and the fool answered, "oh, I was testing the depth of this river." I'm pretty sure the elder had a good laugh, with the fool going off to test the depth of another river.
We can put to rest that fools do not have common sense.
2. He who does not know one thing knows another
This is a great motivating factor for writing here at ReadCash. I don't know everything but I know something. Don't be surprised but it applies to you too. It is very rare that we know exactly the same things. Don't you think this is a great reason to write and share our thoughts and experience however trivial or silly we think it is? I think this is a good reason to write and share experiences.
3. No matter how hot your anger is it cannot cook yams
Another great piece of advice for writers and commentators at ReadCash. However much we are angered by an article or a comment, we must keep our cool. Anger won't solve anything. Take a breather and re-read the article. We can always learn something. It could be something about the author, it could be something about the topic, or it could be something about ourselves. The last one is the hardest to swallow. All the more reason we need to learn from it and be a better person.
4. Ears that do not listen to advice, accompany the head when it is chopped off
This is morbid but I can imagine it having profound effectiveness in educating young ones. Also, this is something we can learn as noob writers. Always listen to advice.
I remembered when I was a kid and someone in our village spread rumors that whenever a new bridge is built, a child's head will have to be chopped off to be put on the bridge. Something to do with making sure the bridge never collapses. I wasn't smart enough to figure out then that the safety of the bridge was the responsibility of the civil engineer and not a child's head.
It put such a fear in me that I would not dare venture out of the house for days whenever a new bridge is being built! True story.
5. Not everyone who chased the zebra caught it, but he who caught it, chased it
I love universal truths. They are so much wisdom in them. This is no exception in relation to the ReadCash platform. You write, you may not get BCH, but if you get BCH, you definitely have written.
On a side note, I can't shake the image of an African bushman chasing zebras now. Anyone remember the classic movie, "The gods must be crazy?" Reminded me of the bushman and the busy body bird that kept following him when he was hunting. Lol. One of my all-time favorites. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend you do.
Chinese Wisdom
1. Giving a man a fish is not equal to teaching a man to fish
This proverb sounds familiar, no? Learn to write instead of "getting someone else to write". You'll never improve if you keep plagiarizing and copying other's ideas.
2. If you don't do stupid things you won't end up in tragedy
Sounds so much like the No 1 African proverb, doesn't it? Indeed the meaning is the same.
3. He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask a question is a fool for life
Be humble. Asks questions. Be willing to learn. There are many who are willing to offer help and advice. I once heard a professor said, the only stupid questions are unasked questions. So true.
4. Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid of standing still
I believe that as long as I keep writing consistently, I'll learn and grow. It doesn't matter how slow that process is as long as I don't stop, I'll reach my goal.
Lebanese Arabic Wisdom
1. A bird in hand rather than ten on the tree
Sounds familiar? The English equivalent is - A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
What I find interesting with this proverb is that the Lebanese Birds Exchange rate is different from the English Birds Exchange rate. But you get the point. One bird at any rate is still better than none. (Fyi, this is not financial advice. Do your own bird research.)
2. He who knocks on the door, hears the answer.
My understanding of this one is that if you say something, be ready to accept the consequences. Particularly saying something in anger.
If my interpretation is incorrect, do correct me if you are a native speaker who knows this proverb.
3. We’re confused baldy, where do we kiss you?
This one stumped me even after reading the explanation- "somebody who is difficult to satisfy; thus, creating a confusion as to how to please him." It seems that many in the region use this proverb which got me thinking that I don't understand it due to culturally unaware of certain customs.
Again, if someone is familiar with this proverb, please do enlighten us.
Russian Wisdom
1. The eyes are afraid but the hands are still doing it
Sounds much like what I've started doing here at ReadCash. Despite my weakness and fear, I continue to type. But the more I type, the more I enjoy it. :)
2. Even a hut feels like paradise when you’re with your loved one
This is where Love is Blind comes in handy.
3. Trust, but verify
Great advice from the Russians.
4. A bad dancer blames his testicles
Another one of those sentence that paints an image in my mind I can't get rid of. The Russians have a sense of humor. I wouldn't have known there is such a proverb if I hadn't written this article. Someone will have to explain this to me, though.
End of Tour...for now
We have come to the end of our brief proverbs tour covering three countries. I may pick this up again in the future and explore wisdom from countries not covered above.
Thank you for reading and please remember to subscribe above and share your country's proverbs in the comment section below.
Sources:
Header: Unsplash.com - Alabaster Co
Image 1: Unsplash.com - Damian Patkowski
Image 2: Unsplash.com - Sam Beasley
Image 3: Unsplash.com - Anson Antony
Image 4 Unsplash.com -Michael Parulava
African Proverbs - Gold Restaurant
Chinese Proverbs - LTL Team HQ
Lebanese Arabic Proverbs - DigitalDayBook
Russian Proverbs - ThoughtCo
Thank you for reading and have fun with English. Remember to share your experience.
Do drop by to say hi at my following addresses. I promise I'll be at home :)
NoiseCash: UplandDood
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This was a really good read! It was informative, enlightening and humourous lol.