Proverb

Every culture has a collection of wise sayings that offer advice about how to live your life. These sayings are
called by "proverbs".
Example: Time is money = Waktu adalah uang.
(Waktu sangat berharga atau penting maka manusia harus menggunakan waktu sebaik mungkin)

Kinds of Proverbs:
1.      Aphorism (Pepatah)
This proverb offers advice.
Example : Don’t go too far in small.
(Persoalan kecil jangan dibesar-besarkan).
2.   Parable (Perumpamaan)
That has a moral lesson and has parable.
Example   : To carry coals to New-castle.
 (Bagai membuang garam kelaut)
3.   Slogan (Pameo)
This proverb gives spirit or motivation.
Example   :
1.      Early bird gets worm
(Tuhan akan memberikan rezeki kepada makhluk-Nya yang lebih dulu bangun)
2.      Diligence is the mistress of success.
(Kerajinan pangkal kesuksesan)
4.   Idiom
It is a phrase that has group of words with a different meaning from the meaning of all the individual
word.
Example :
1.      Pull your sock up. (improve your behaviour)
2.      You can arrange your bedroom at will. (sesuka hati)
3.      Don’t mention it. (You’re welcome)

Task 1
What does it mean?
1. Better late than never.
2. Don’t go too far in small.
3. By learning to obey we know to command.
4. A friend in need is a friend indeed.
5. Actions speak louder than words.

.      Riddle
A riddle is a type of poetry that describes something without actually naming what it is, leaving the reader to
guess. It is a light hearted type of poetry which involves the reader.
Riddles can be about anything, from riddles about animals to riddles about objects. There are no rules on how
to structure a riddle poem, a riddle can be funny or it can rhyme, it depends on the person writing the riddle.
Example:
1. It’s an animal. It’s an orange black. It has stripes. It has four paws. It lives in the jungle. What is it?
It is a   Lion.
2. “Three eyes have I, all in a row; when the red one opens, all freeze.” The answer is traffic light.
3. Example of Rhyming  Riddle
I come in different style.
I can help you walk for  miles.
Come in pair.
I’m somethiing what you wear.
With heals I’m glam
Can you guest what I am?
I am a ..
 What Is a Proverb?
A proverb is most often a phrase or saying that gives advice in an obscure way. The phrase usually
has an allegorical type of message behind that when first heard may seem a little odd. Usually a
proverb is very well known because of its popular use in colloquial language.

Role of Proverbs in Society

Proverbs play many roles in society. The first, possibly, most common role that a proverb plays is
to educate. Most often tossed around as expert advice in conversation, the innate role to educate
people on what might happen if they do something. 
Think of a proverb as a little tidbit of wisdom that just about everyone – no matter where they are
from – can offer. There is a proverb for just about every circumstance, and proverbs can be applied
to any situation. 
English and American proverbs are almost second nature when delivered. The origins are quite
often little known, yet the expressions are popular. Ethnic proverbs, on the other hand, may be a
little deeper to digest, and require non-natives of the proverb’s country of origin, to think about the
meaning in order to better understand how it applies to their lives.

Proverbs Throughout the World

African Proverbs
Across the vast continent of Africa, many African nations disseminated proverbs that were meant to educate
and inspire those who used them.
Here are a few examples of African proverbs.
 “A tree is known by its fruit” – (of Zulu origin - this means that success is shown by the deeds.)
 “I have been bitten by a tsetse fly” – (of Tanzanian origin – this means that a person will continuously
be a pest until you pay off a debt.)
 “The word of friend makes you cry – the word of an enemy makes you laugh” – (of Algeria, Burkina
Faso, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger – this means that a friend will tell you the truth and sometimes the truth
hurts, whereas an enemy will only lead you down the wrong path by giving you advice that seems good but is
not.)
Asian Proverbs
Some examples of Asian proverbs include the following:
 “The old horse in the stable still yearns to run” – (this means that those who are older still have things
they would like to accomplish.)
 “A spark can start a fire that burns the entire prairie” – (this means that a small problem can snowball
into a huge problem that can cause major damage.)
 “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime” –
(this means that teaching people is better in the long run because it gives them the skills to provide for
themselves as opposed to you doing things for them.) 
American Proverbs
Some examples of American based proverbs include:
 "Absence makes the heart grow fonder” – (this means that when you separate from someone that you
love by putting distance between you that you will inevitably love them more and yearn to see them.)
 "All that glitters is not gold” – (this means that just because something looks good, does not
necessarily mean that it is good.)
 "A monkey in silk is a monkey no less” – (this means that just because someone dresses fancy does
not necessarily mean that they are fancy or of good character.)
English Proverbs
Some examples of English proverbs include:
 Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.
 It’s no use locking the stable door after the horse has bolted.
 Laugh and the world laughs with you, weep and you weep alone.
 See a pin and pick it up, all the day you’ll have good luck; see a pin and let it lie, bad luck you’ll have
all day.
 ‘Tis better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all.
 Monday’s child is fair of face/Tuesday’s child is full of grace,/Wednesday’s child is full of
woe,/Thursday’s child has far to go,/Friday’s child is loving and giving,/Saturday’s child works hard for its
living/And a child that’s born on the Sabbath day/Is fair and wise and good and gay.
Proverbs from Other Countries
 Arabic Proverb: An army of sheep led by a lion would defeat an army of lions led by a sheep.
 Finnish proverb: Even a small star shines in the darkness.
 Italian Proverb: After the game, the king and pawn go into the same box.
 Jewish Proverb: God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers.
 Russian Proverb: Better to stumble than make a slip of the tongue.
 Spanish Proverb: Since we cannot get what we like, let us like what we can get.
Proverbs are wise sayings in a language based on the practical experiences of different kinds. They can
mostly be used independently to explain a situation in very few words. 

Here are some common proverbs used in English which you can also use in your day to day talks to cut the
long talk short and still convey it with same conviction.

1. Absence makes the heart grow fonder – Our love for the loved ones grows more with the distance.

The two brothers deeply wish to meet as they haven’t seen each other since 10 years. After all, absence
makes the heart grow fonder. 

2. Accidents will happen in the best regulated families – Unforeseen can happen with anybody. 

You need to be extremely cautious with electricity – The accidents will happen in the best regulated families.

3. Actions speak louder than words – What people do shows more about them than what they just say. 
Hearing about her friend’s illness, she directly reached the hospital with a cheque of 50,000 Rs/-. Her
concern was evident – after all, actions speak louder than words. 

4. Appearances are deceptive – Internal truth of a person is usually different from what is visible outside. 
You should not believe strangers immediately. Appearances can be deceptive. 

5. Never judge by appearances – Don’t use looks as the criteria to assess someone. 
I saw the CEO of a big blue chip company hanging out with his friends at a local market in casual attire. Its
true that you can’t judge someone by their appearance.

6. An apple a day keeps the doctor away – An apple eaten everyday keeps you in good health. 
My father has always stayed in a good health with his habit of eating an apple everyday. For him, An apple
a day keeps the doctor away has worked well. 

7. Art is long, life is short. – Life is too short to learn all the art in this world. 

She always complained of getting bored. I advised her to learn some music or painting. After all, Art is long,
life is short. 

8. Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater – Be careful to not throw away good things with bad while
cleaning. 

She deleted some useful files also along with the useless ones while cleaning her computer. I had advised
her to be careful and not throw the baby out with the bathwater. 

9. You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours – If you help me, I’ll help you. 
America is pushing the Indian government for FDI in retail. Indian government will get the foreign currency
while America gets a big market for its goods. The principle is simple – You scratch my back, I’ll scratch
yours. 

10. Beauty is only skin deep – Never judge by appearance – A good looking woman may not necessarily
be good by character. 
My daughter-in-law is very beautiful but very cunning – Beauty is only skin deep. 

11. As you make your bed, so you must lie in it. – Be prepared to face the consequences of your wrong
actions. 
To full his dreams, he had left his parents alone in their old age. Now his son wants to go abroad with his
wife and settle there. He has made his bed, now he must lie in it. 

12. Honesty is the best policy – Being truthful saves you from many problems. It is the best thing to do. 

You may make a quick buck with dishonest means but ultimately you may not get a good night’s sleep.
Honesty is the best policy to follow for a happy life. 

13. Beggars can’t be choosers – A needy person should accept what is offered without complaining. 

She was complaining about the amount of money they had sent. I asked her to accept gratefully what she
has got – Beggar’s can’t be choosers. 

14. Big is beautiful – Large size is advantageous. 

One way to separate good fruits from bad is the size. Big is beautiful. 

15. Birds of a feather flock together – People with similar qualities, seek each other’s company. 

I am sure she must be a genius doctor. She is a close friend of Dr. Ram, who referred me to her – Birds of a
feather flock together. 

16. The early bird catches the worm – The quicker one/ first in line gets the opportunities. 

He reached first and picked up the best deal. The early bird caught the worm. 

17. Once bitten, twice shy – From experience, we learn to avoid situation causing trouble or distress. 

Its three years since she divorced her husband. Everyone is forcing her to re-marry but she doesn’t want to.
Once bitten, twice shy is the situation she is in. 

18. There’s a black sheep in every family – One member in every family doesn’t fit into the characteristic
of the family. 

My son is the black sheep of our family. All of us are very talkative while he is very reserve. 

19. Two blacks don’t make a white – You can not justify something wrong you have done because
someone else has also done it. 

You can not justify your late night parties just because your friend attends them. Two blacks don’t make a
white. 

20. If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall- If a person lacking in some expertise leads others, all of
them shall fail. 

They mistook me to be a great singer and sent their children to learn singing. If a blind leads the blind, both
shall fail. 

21. In the country of the blind, the one eyed man is king – The person with a little ability in a group of
those with absolutely no ability is at an advantage. 

In the whole group, Marie is the only one who knows the basics of coding. She is like that one eyed man
who is a king in the country of blind.
22. There are none so blind as those who will not see – It is useless explaining those who do not want to
understand. 

Her son usually misbehaves with the relatives but she doesn’t find anything wrong in him. There are none
so blind as those who will not see. 

23. Blood is thicker than water – Family relationship is stronger than others. 

His brother was aware about his life threatening ailment but he did not call up even once to inquire and they
say blood is thicker than water. 

24. Half a loaf is better than no bread – Be grateful for what you get rather than complaining for what you
don’t have.

Judiciously use the money your father sends you rather than complaining for the things he can’t afford. Half
a loaf is better than no bread. 

25. You can’t make bricks without straws – You can’t accomplish something without the right material. 
Of course, you need to study hard to win a gold medal. You can’t make bricks without straws..   

26. Don’t cross a bridge until you come to it – Don’t try to deal with anticipated problems. Let them
become realities. 
The team captain was asked if he believes there are any match fixers in his team and would he like to drop
them. He replied, I don’t think so about any of my boys. We have to wait for that bridge to come to cross it. 

27. If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it – If something is working well, don’t try to improve upon it. 

He has already made a name for himself in the society. His new campaign was absolutely un-required as
the results tell us. I had told him, if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.

28. A new broom sweeps clean - A new person at a new position implements an aggressive and
enthusiastic reform. 

The new Marketing manager got a new advertising strategy implemented for a complete makeover in the
brand image of the company. The results are awesome. The new broom has worked for them.

29. Let bygones be bygones – Forget you past complains and start over afresh. 

There’s no way you can save your relationship with your brother unless you let bygones be bygones.

30. If the cap fits, wear it – Accept the words of criticism if you think they are correct. 

There was a major goof up in deal. The boss said, the cap fits me and I am ready to wear it. Let’s get on to
fix the problem now. 

31. Don’t count your chickens before they are hatched – One should not assume himself to be
successful, unless the actual result is out. 

The deal is not final yet, we don’t want any publicity for it right now. So, keep the information confidential
and let’s not count the chickens before they are hatched. 

32. Every cloud has a silver lining – Look for positivity in every tough situation. 
The silver lining to the cloud is that untimely high tide will help all the debris of ship wreck to be thrown out to
the sea shore in next few hours.

33. Cut your coat according to your cloth – Adjust your expenditures according to your income. 

She wanted to buy the biggest house in the area but the mother advised her to cut her coat according to the
cloth. 

34. Comparisons are odious – Comparing once person with another make them feel offensive. 
Mark pulled up this project way better than Phillip could was the boss’s statement in the meeting. Phillip felt
belittled – obviously comparisons are odious. 

35. You’ve got to be cruel to be kind – For the benefits in long term, you may need to do something
unpleasant at present. 

To instil the virtues of good behaviour and discipline in your children may need you to be cruel to be kind. 

36. Desperate diseases demand desperate remedies – Big problems need bold and extremes steps to
solve them. 

Terrorist attacks in the country city were on the rise. Realising that desperate diseases require desperate
remedies, the home ministry ordered a death sentence to the two most deadly terrorists. 

37. Speak the truth and shame the devil – Avoid speaking lies to save any future problems. 

You seem to be not so serious about your relationship with her. I’m sorry if it offends you but being her
friend, I have got to speak he truth and shame the devil. 

38. Love me, love my dog – If you love me, you must accept me as I am. 

Knowing that her love for boxing will consume most of her time, he married her. She had already told him,
for a successful relationship if you love me, you have got to love my dog. 

39. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket – Redistribute your resources. Don’t keep all your hopes on
one. 
The boss re-structured the team and re-distributed the accounts. He did not want to put all his eggs in one
basket. 

40. The eye is bigger than the belly – The visual appeal of the food tempts us to eat more even when we
have no appetite. 

Delicacies from all over the world were served in the party. I had had as much as I could but couldn’t resist
eating the ice cream as the eye is bigger than the belly. 

41. Forbidden fruit is the sweetest - If something is forbidden, our attraction to do that increases all the
more. 

If you prevent your child from eating chocolates, he will be all the more attracted to eat them. Forbidden
fruits are often the sweetest ones. So, limit them but don’t ban them. 

42. Man proposes but God disposes – We may make plans but can’t control the outcome. 

They had got their tickets reserved for the pilgrimage but had to cancel it due to heavy snow fall. God
disposed their proposal. 

43. All that glitters is not gold – Everything that looks good is not necessarily good. Don’t judge things by
looks. 

My colleague was very good and polite to me on face but he kept complaining about my every small mistake
to the boss. All that glitters is not gold. 

44. The grass is always greener on the other side – Applies to people who are always dissatisfied. 

She always thought her friends were extremely happy in foreign countries but in reality they were just
making the ends meet. Her husband told her that grass is always greener on the other side. 

45. Beware of Greeks bearing gifts – Be careful of rival’s kindness. 

They are biggest political rivals in the area but James speaking good of David’s plan to combat terrorism
made Dave suspicious of John’s Greek gifts. 

46. Handsome is as handsome does – Deeds define a man’s character. 

My father was a man of principles and he always lived up to them. Since childhood, he taught us, your
actions speak for you because handsome is as handsome does. 

47. Give a man enough rope and he’ll hang himself – If you give excess freedom to someone they will
eventually make themselves fall in trouble. 
He gave his children a lot of freedom. However, the younger one got into a bad company and became a
drug addict. He hung himself with the enough rope his father had given him. 
48. Make hay while the sun shines – If you get an opportunity, you must try to take immediate benefit out
of it. 
The world renowned physics scientist was visiting the college. Trying to make the hay while sun was
shining, I decided to show him my research papers and ask him for an opportunity to work under him. 

49. The road to hell is paved with good intentions – Without actions, good intentions are useless. 

The idea to build a network joining all the water bodies in the country was a great one but the road to hell
was paved with them never being put into action. 

50. A swarm of bees in May is worth a load of hay – Right activity in the season produces good yield. 

The paddy crop was a major failure this year. It did not rain sufficiently at right time – A swarm of bees in
May is worth a load of hay.