A book newly acquired by the Thammasat University Libraries explains the influence and importance of short sentences containing wisdom, that are passed along as a form of folklore. Proverbs: Meaning and Origins of More than 1500 Popular Sayings is by Martin H. Manser, who studied linguistics at the Universities of York (England) and Regensburg (Germany) and has compiled or edited over 200 reference books about the English language and the Bible. The TU Libraries own many other books about proverbs, which can be important in studying language, history, sociology, and other subjects. In the English language, many proverbs are drawn from the Bible. Others are just considered as common sense, for example:

Haste makes waste.

There is no point in crying over spilled milk.

While the meaning of the first proverb is clear, the second one may puzzle some non-native English readers with its reference to milk. The point being made is that once something is lost or an accident has happened, it is best to move on. There is no good reason for being obsessed with some past failure. Being upset about something that can no longer be fixed, especially if it was not very important to begin with, is a waste of time. Other proverbs may be even more difficult to understand, since the words are sometimes put together in rhyme, to be more easily remembered. A well-known rhyming proverb in English is

A stitch in time saves nine.

The Thai reader may well ask, what stitch? Nine what? These are reasonable questions, since this saying dates back to the 1700s and even many native English speakers may not fully understand its origins. The meaning is that is something is done early to prevent a problem, that will save much work later on, if we wait for the problem to happen and then try to fix it. Sometimes people will use a few words from a proverb, to prove a point. So we might see in a newspaper:

A group of Thai technical experts are suggesting that as a stitch in time, a relatively quick and painless way to prevent major floods in Bangkok in the future should be established.  

Sometimes we should feel free to disagree with a proverb, since although it is meant to be folk wisdom, it may not always be true in every case. A proverb that comes to mind is Ignorance is bliss.

This means if we do not know about a problem, we will be joyful because we will not worry about it. Also it suggests that people who do not know about things are happier than those who are informed. Naturally, this is not a good general rule for anyone who studies, teaches, or works at a university. Overall, learning about things can help prevent problems as is suggested in the previously mentioned proverb,

A stitch in time saves nine.

In this way, sometimes proverbs seem to contradict one another. So they are best used rarely and not as if they were all true. Mentioning a proverb is not enough to prove a point without further explanation. They can be used as a device in writing, to express a point of view. The more we know about proverbs in English, the more we recognize when they have been referred to by past writers. Some proverbs with clear meanings follow:

You can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar.

Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.

You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.

People who live in glass houses should not throw stones.

Slow and steady wins the race.

There is no point in beating a dead horse.

Look before you leap.

Good things come to those who wait.

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

Honesty is the best policy.

A little learning is a dangerous thing.

This last proverb may also cause some doubt, as many proverbs do if we stop to think about them. Why should it be dangerous to learn a little? Learning a little is better than being ignorant. The point of this saying is that if we learn only a little, but mistakenly believe that we know everything, then it is possible to make serious mistakes. So this proverb is suggesting that it is a good idea to learn subjects in depth. Sometimes, if proverbs require too much explanation, it is probably better not to use them, and just write whatever is meant clearly. Otherwise the reader may be confused about what the writer is trying to express. Another famous proverb:

A rolling stone gathers no moss.

This saying goes back to ancient Roman literature, meaning that people who are always in motion do not have burdens. If a stone rolls, then no moss may grow on it. If people are constantly traveling, they may never get the same responsibilities that whose who stay in one place may experience. Another rhyming proverb may only be partially true, although it has become famous:

An apple a day keeps the doctor away

This is written and said by people who point out that people who eat a healthy diet rarely need to go for medical help. Although apples are mentioned, usually this saying is taken to refer more generally to all kinds of nutritious foods.

Thailand and Proverbs

Like all nations, the Kingdom has a rich legacy of folk wisdom expressed in short sentences with few words. Sometimes there are parallel proverbs in Thai and English to express the same idea. For example, the Thai saying:

Prevention is better than a cure.

In English, this is stated as follows:

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

In other words, if we work a little to prevent a problem, it may save a great deal of effort later on, after something bad has happened. The same English proverb may be used in place of another Thai bit of folk wisdom:

Save some water for use during the dry season.

There are Thai proverbs which do not have exact English equivalents, such as:

Friends for a meal are easy to find, friends until the end of life are difficult to find.

A rabbit aims for the moon.

We only appreciate the value of salt when the soup has no taste.

If you don’t have a lot of water, don’t try putting out a fire.

When the water rises, fish eat ants; when the water falls, ants eat fish.

Burn your house to frighten away the mice.

While there are sayings in English about how it is not easy to find good friends, or how we should try not to reach too far, beyond out limits, these are particularly Thai in the pictures they present. Similarly, there are sayings around the world about how it is human to only miss things when they are gone. Whether in the original Thai or English translation, we can appreciate the lively and concise way that these proverbs express ideas.

(All images courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)