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Proverbial Thursday – Proverbs and Sayings from around the World

Forestwood

I find there to be profound wisdom in proverbs, sayings and quotes and I marvel at the way they are so succinct in communicating messages to the reader.

Mostly anonymous, they come to us from past generations and from across cultures.

They speak of the experiences of lives lived and lessons learned.

Quotes, like proverbs, make us think more deeply about something.

Each Thursday, I post a Proverb or Saying and a quote that I find thought-provoking. 

I hope you will too.

The fool is thirsty in the midst of water.
-Ethiopian Proverb

“Your greatness is measured by your kindness; your education and intellect by your modesty; your ignorance is betrayed by your suspicions and prejudices, and your real caliber is measured by the consideration and tolerance you have for others.”

– William J.H. Boetcker

Above quote was shared with permission from Paula at Lost in Translation.

Thanks Paula, it is a great quote and something well worth pondering about.

Published by Forestwood

A philosophic Aussie writes here at StPA, one who will readily admit to loving Scandinavia. I'm interested in global politics and what drives us to be who we are. Scratch the surface and you'll find a practical Environmentalist with an egalitarian bent, trying to unleash a little creativity via the written word. Scandinavian culture, literature and traditions are close to my heart, even though I'm Australian. Travel and courteous discussions greatly broaden the mind, so I travel if I can and am always up for a vigorous, respectful discussion. I'm an avid reader, a writer and I enjoy photography and crafts, particularly traditional art forms. I hope you'll find 'Something to Ponder About,' in my WordPress Community.

6 thoughts on “Proverbial Thursday – Proverbs and Sayings from around the World”

  1. The first quote is an interesting one. Bit of edgy one too. Water, it’s a treasure a precious resource. I suppose it applies to the times when we’ve experienced greed, or lust and longing for more than what we have – going for wants all the time as opposed to what we need and appreciating what we have. Sometimes, we are delusional and don’t realise what we have doesn’t last forever. Bit of a pessimistic train of thought, but that’s my take on it.

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    1. I agree with you this week Mabel. It is a bit pessimisstic. But again a good lesson in life warning against greed. Many of the proverbs warn against taking pleasures and necessities for granted. As many of these proverbs were written by older, experienced folk, I am sure they were trying to communicate this to the younger generations who could be brash, and foolish! And I suppose water is a precious resource in a place like Ethiopia. Thanks for your comment, Mabel. Have a great week.

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      1. I echo your sentiments there. When we’re young, we have so much energy and dreams – it’s so easy to swing for the fences (love that idiom) and just go for it. I suppose with experience it’s easier to come up with such meaningful proverbs…I don’t think I’m at the stage yet where I can craft such insightful phrases. Wishing you a good weekend ahead 🙂

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  2. The fool is thirsty in the midst of water! That’s a very good one, Amanda 🙂 I like this series of yours, and I am flattered you used the quote from my blog. Have a good Thursday!

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    1. Thank you Paula. Your quote of Boetker s was definitely worth sharing. There are many wise words of advice for us put there if we open our ears, especially to proverbs and or quotes. Thanks for commenting Paula. Have a great day too.

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