38 Great Proverbial Sayings

Proverbs offer the passing of knowledge through expressions and are a large part of oral tradition. Here is a look at some great proverbial sayings that have been noted from generations past.

A handful of food will not satisfy the lion, neither can a pit be filled again with its own dust.

A myrtle even in the desert remains a myrtle.

A single light answers as well for a hundred men as for one.

Attend no auctions if thou hast no money.

Cease not to pray even when the knife is laid upon thy neck.

Deal with those who are fortunate.

Do not place a blemish on thine own flesh.

Few are they who see their own faults.

First learn and then teach.

Happy the pupil whose teacher approves his words.

He who reads the letter should execute the message.

Hospitality is an expression of Divine worship.

If certain goods sell not in one city, try another place.

If the fox is king bow before him.

Make but one sale, and thou art called a merchant.

Mention not a blemish which is thy own, in detraction of thy neighbor.

No man is impatient with his creditors.

Open not thy mouth to speak evil.

Pray to God for mercy until the last shovelful of earth is cast upon thy grave.

Teach thy tongue to say, “I do not know.”

The birds of the air despise a miser.

The camel wanted to have horns and they took away his ears.

The egg of to-day is better than the hen of to-morrow.

The horse fed too liberally with oats becomes unruly.

The house which opens not to the poor will open to the physician.

The humblest man is ruler in his own house.

The noblest of all charities is in enabling the poor to earn a livelihood.

The place honors not the man, ’tis the man who gives honor to the place.

The weakness of thy walls invites the burglar.

The world is a wedding.

This is the punishment of the liar, that when he tells the truth nobody believes him.

Thy friend has a friend, and thy friend’s friend has a friend; be discreet.

To be patient is sometimes better than to have much wealth.

Truth lasts forever, but falsehood must vanish.

Victuals prepared by many cooks will be neither hot nor cold.

What is intended for thy neighbor will never be thine.

Woe to the children banished from their father’s table.

Youth is a wreath of roses.

Here is one lecture on the proverbial patterns of life as presented by the Book of Proverbs. Covering the topics of generalities and not universalities, this is just one part in a multi part lecture.