Wisdom has built her house;
she has hewn her seven pillars.
—Proverbs 9.1
* * *
My mother loved proverbs—short, pithy lines that pack a lot of wisdom into a few words (also known as aphorisms or adages). A lot of bad experiences and missteps lie behind adages, she told me.
Just consider how many ruined garments lie behind: A stitch in time saves nine. How many broken legs lie behind: Look before you leap. How many calamities behind: Beware of Greeks bearing gifts.
One of her favorite proverbs is: The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice. (Proverbs 12.15) And here’s another: As a dog returns to its vomit, so does a fool return to his folly. (Proverbs 26.11)
My mom was down on folly.
At an early age my mother urged me to read one chapter from the Old Testament book of Proverbs every day and repeat each month. (Conveniently, for that discipline, Proverbs has 30 chapters.) She hoped that exercise might eventually make me wise, or at least less foolish.
I discovered many gems.
Laughter is the best medicine. Go to the ant, you sluggard (slacker), consider her ways and be wise. As a door turns upon its hinges, so does a sluggard turn upon his bed. (Get it? Neither goes anywhere!) A good name is to be chosen over riches. A simple meal with love is better than a feast with hatred. Pride goes before a fall.
My mother favored aphorisms over sermons and lectures because, as she said: People remember “Stop, look, and listen” or “Haste makes waste.” Nobody remembers a 30-minute sermon on prudence.
She had a pocket full of aphorisms. From Poor Richard’s Almanac: He that lies down with dogs, shall rise up with fleas.
From a McGuffey’s Reader: A kind word is like a seed sown in the ground. It will bring forth fruit.
And this (unfortunately) from her favorite television guru, Dr. Phil, a dear friend of the president: You can’t put feathers on a dog and call it a chicken!
Some she just plain made up. Education is a great thing as long as you don’t let it go to your head.
(Try to get your head around that one!)
Above all. my mother told me: Keep it simple. Keep it short. A word to the wise is sufficient.
[In the comment window below, you’re welcome to leave memorable things your mother said to you.]
