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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.

“A chattering bird builds no nest.” – Cameroonian Proverb

“Though no one can go back and make a new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new end.” – Carl Bard

Something proverbial to ponder about today

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.

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

  1. Two very thought-provoking quotes this week. The Cameroonian proverb reminds me of the phrase, “empty vessels make the loudest noise”. All talk and no action, we get no where. Stop procrastinating and we might just be a bit more productive. It also reminds me about what my dad always said: people in the Western world tend to love consulting and talking about things and it takes forever to get things done (on the personal, professional and business fronts) whereas in Asia there’s a more “do it straight away” mentality.

    Second quote by Carl Bard – beginnings and ends go hand-in-hand. One can’t exist without the other and in essence a beginning is an end and an end is a beginning. But, I do think sometimes our destiny lies in the palms of our hands. If we work hard, we are more likely to get closer to where we want to be. Then again, it’s impossible to control the world and we chatted about this previously 🙂

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    2. Also inreference to your comment re culture and productivity. In this respect I woukd be Asian. I don’t like to talk so much as act. Swedish managerial style is also consensual as opposed to a more direct or autocratic style. I wonder what are the roots of this cultural difference? In Sweden the welfare state emphasizes the whole state the “public ” so everyone’s wishes are carefully considered and valued. In Asian culture, would you consider this jump to action philosophy, might stem from a respect for elders. Therefore elders are community leaders and others accept their decisions and authority without question??? I can see the value with both styles but the Swedish model takes infinitely longer to be effected.

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      1. “In Asian culture, would you consider this jump to action philosophy, might stem from a respect for elders…” That is such an interesting thought. I have never really thought about that connection. I reckon it’s more of what are the options, and then pick the most realistic one after some brief deliberation…whoever is involved in the decision-making process, I suppose that depends on the context.

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      2. Yes Mabel it is hard to make true generalisations because every circumstance is so varied. Having said that, this interests me a great deal because it touches on that intangible topic of motivation. What motivates one person to jump to action and the other to put a task aside till ‘later on’ ? Intriguing. And even more intriguing if this is a difference between cultures in this respect? I so enjoy these discussions we have each week, Mabel as they challenge and stretch my thinking processes. Thanks for your comments.

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      3. Two very interesting questions on motivation. Culture always makes us see things from different perspectives. These discussions are also something I look forward to each week. Work is ramping up for me this week for a while, hopefully I’ll be able to stay on top here 🙂

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    1. Great, thanks for your comment, Princess! “Always keep the sun on your back then the shadows (the past) will always be behind you.” I think the quote does refer to the endless circle and cycle of life’s adventures. Don’t regret your past for it made you who you are today.And you like that person so the past lessons are all worth it. Thanks for your input this week.
      Amanda

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  4. Another two excellent quotes. How true the first one is, and a really appealing image, too. I imagine there are lots of chattering birds in Camaroon (literally – in the fainforest there) so I can see how the comparison came about. I see it as a reference to people who talk or boast too much about trivialities, or are full of their own self-importance to get anything important done – like birds, preening themselves.
    The second quote bears a truth that we all need to remember. It’s never too late to ‘start over’, with new aspirations and the ambition to try harder and succed this time. Thank you for posting these, Amanda.

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    1. I am glad you like them, Millie. I agree with your interpretation of the first quote. These sorts of people have their strength in talking and often are like a stream pouring forth of rocks.
      At times the listener feels they are drowning. The constant chatter is comforting to the speaker and at times also to others, as long as the listeners have a break from the chatter at some stage, (well that is how I feel anyhow!). These people find it difficult to stay grounded on one topic, as their mind is running at full speed! They are not the nest builders, they are the marketing team extolling the virtues of a nest!!! Thanks for reading, Millie!

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