Young people often get offended by being called inexperienced and argue that wisdom and knowledge don't come with age. Someone in their 20s might have more experience than someone who has lived half a century. In rare cases, it may prove true. Yet, we should listen to older people, not because they are always right or have longer roamed this Earth and hence have more experience. Instead, we should respect them because they likely have more experience being wrong, and mistakes are man's best teachers.
Arguably, one of the most often heard, common English sayings is, "We all make mistakes." And while making mistakes and drawing lessons from failures is a path everyone must accept in life, there's plenty to learn from the mistakes and experiences of others. Common sayings are a legacy and a heritage from our ancestors that have remained true (or become outdated) over the years. Unlike history or scientifically proven truths, common sayings and phrases are accumulated wisdom and advice, rather than facts, shared by people whose life experiences proved them true.
The many common sayings about life are knowledge and practical advice put in a metaphoric form passed from generation to generation, much like an heirloom. Interestingly, the values and morals taught in common proverbs, whether those are African, Italian, or common British sayings, typically share numerous similarities with nations worldwide.
Below, we've compiled a list of proverbs from numerous nations that will ring true to many. Is there a common saying in your family that runs through generations? Also, do any of these words of wisdom originate from abroad yet are often said in your home country? Let us know!
#1
"Don’t sail out farther than you can row back." – Danish proverb
Meaning: know your limits.
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#2
"Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime." – Chinese Proverb
Meaning: skipping fundamental educational steps to attain short-term success will stunt progression and development in the long run.
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#3
"It’s not enough to learn how to ride, you must also learn how to fall" – Mexican Proverb
Meaning: learn from your mistake and don't be afraid to make one.
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#4
"Bend the tree while it is young." – Lithuanian proverb
Menaing: deal with a problem early on rather than leave it until it is too late.
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#5
"Good advice is often annoying, bad advice never is." – French proverb
Meaning: you're not always going to hear what you want to hear.
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#6
"A fault confessed is half redressed." – Zulu proverb
Meaning: admit your fault.
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#7
"Better alone than in bad company." – Spanish proverb
Meaning: sometimes we might feel pressured by society and settle for someone who is not right for us.
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#8
"The pillow is the best advisor." – Swedish proverb
Meaning: Sleep on the problem and see how you feel in the morning.
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#9
"Empty barrels make the most noise." – Icelandic proverb
Meaning: people who only talk a lot, don't usually know much.
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#10
"When the sun rises, it rises for everyone." – Cuban proverb
Meaning: never feel excluded from this world, if you weren’t meant to be here, you simply wouldn’t be here.
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#11
"It is darkest before dawn." – Swedish proverb
Meaning: after bad things always come good ones.
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#12
"The mouth is the source of disaster." – Japanese proverb
Meaning: sometimes, it’s better to not say anything at all.
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#13
"It’s better to light a candle than curse the darkness." – Chinese Proverb
Meaning: it’s no good to complain, and it’s far more effective to be proactive about your problems.
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#14
"However long the day, the evening will come." – Irish proverb
Meaning: this proverb is trying to say that no matter how bad something is, there is light at the end of the tunnel.
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#15
"Shared joy is a double joy; shared sorrow is half a sorrow." – Swedish proverb
Meaning: sharing one's suffering and receiving understanding makes the suffering more bearable and alleviates distress.
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#16
"The bear and the bear hunter have different opinions." – Norwegian proverb
Meaning: some disagreements cannot be resolved.
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#17
"Strike while the iron is hot." – English proverb
Meaning: you should take advantage of the moment.
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#18
"No trees grow to the sky." – Swedish proverb
Meaning: nothing lasts forever.
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#19
"A single arrow is easily broken, but not ten in a bundle." – Japanese proverb
Meaning: we can achieve more with a little support from others.
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#20
"Don’t spit in a well as one day you may drink from it." – Lithuanian proverb
Meaning: don't ruin something that we may need later.
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