There are proverbs and then there are proverbs. Here are a few:
A stitch in time saves nine.
Marry in haste, repent at leisure.
A new broom sweeps clean.
You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.
Once burned, twice shy.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder
Out of sight, out of mind.
Waste not, want not.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
Writer Flannery O'Connor (1925-1964) of Milledgeville, Georgia, said, "When in Rome, do as you done in Milledgeville ."
Just as two of the proverbs in the above list say opposite things (absence making the heart grow fonder versus being out of mind when out of sight), in the book called Proverbs in the Bible there are adjacent verses in the 26th chaper that convey opposite messages:
"Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him." (Proverbs 26:4)
"Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit." (Proverbs 26:5)
which only goes to prove that these cannot be commands from God (since it is imposdible to do both, only one or the other) but merely a collection of things people say.
It is also possible that these verses advocate choosing to do whatever is best in the moment, which requires discernment.
Finally, and for no particular reason, here is a list of things that come in twelve:
Things That Come In Twelve
Eggs
Doughnuts
Labours of Hercules
Apostles of Jesus Christ
Parts of the Boy Scout Law
Days of Christmas
Months of the Year
Signs of the Zodiac
Sons of Jacob
Tribes of Israel
Pence in an old-style Shilling
Tones in a chromatic Scale
Faces on a Pair of Dice
Hours ante meridian (a.m)
Hours post meridian (p.m.)
Jurors on a jury
Baskets of food left over after Jesus fed the 5,000 using only five loaves and two fishes
A Boy Scout, just so you know, is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.
Oh, and it follows as the night the day,
exhausted. Don't forget exhausted.
Rosh Hashanah, Jewish New Year, ends at sundown today. Remember to start writing 5785 on all of your checks (British, cheques).
I'm kidding.
Proverbs are encapsulated wisdom.
ReplyDeleteAt least they purport to be. I'm not so sure at times. Thank you, Janice!
DeleteTo each his own said the old lady as she kissed her cow,
ReplyDeleteOne man's meat is another man's poison. Thank you, Emma!
Deletewhy are you featuring the number 12 in the 10th month?
ReplyDeleteI like your list though
As I said in the post, for no particular reason. A totally random decision. Perhaps a better question might be why are the names of the 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th months based on words that mean 7, 8, 9, and 10, respectively (Septem-, Octo-, Novem-, and Decem-)? And the answer, of course, is that Julius Caesar and Augustus Caesar inserted months named after themselves (July, August) and messed up the perfectly logical scheme. Thank you, kylie!
ReplyDelete