Proverbial Wisdom Quotes

An epigram is only a wisecrack that's played at Carnegie Hall.

Oscar Levant

Proverbs are short sentences drawn from long experience.

Miguel de Cervantes

Anyone can tell the truth, but only very few of us can make epigrams.

W. Somerset Maugham

...the story of a man who saw three fellows laying bricks at a new building:He approached the first and asked, What are you doing?Clearly irritated, the first man responded, What the heck do you think I'm doing? I'm laying these darn bricks!He then walked over to the second bricklayer and asked the same question.The second fellow responded, Oh, I'm making a living.He approached the third bricklayer with the same question, What are you doing?The third looked up, smiled and said, I'm building a cathedral.At the end of the day, who feels better about how he's spent his last eight hours?

Joan Borysenko

Show respect for all men, but grovel to none.

American Indian Proverb, Shawnee

To touch the earth is to have harmony with nature.

American Indian Proverb, Oglala

White men have too many chiefs.

American Indian Proverb, Nez Per

Every animal knows more than you do.

American Indian Proverb, Nez Per

Talk to your children while they are eating;what you say will stay even after you are gone.

American Indian Proverb, Nez Per

They are like the clue in the labyrinth, or the compass in the night.

Joseph Joubert

Pithy sentences are like sharp nails which force truth upon our memory.

Denis Diderot

Epigrams succeed where epics fail.

Proverb

A proverb is the child of experience.

English Proverb

In modern life nothing produces such an effect as a good platitude. It makes the whole world kin.

Oscar Wilde

For proverbs are the pith, the proprieties, the proofs, the purities, the elegancies, as the commonest so the commendablest phrases of a language. To use them is a grace, to understand them a good.

John Florio

A short saying often contains much wisdom.

Sophocles

Walk tall as the trees, live strong as the mountains, be gentle as the spring winds, keep the warmth of the summer sun in your heart, and the great spirit will always be with you.

American Indian Proverb, unknown

A man must make his own arrows.

American Indian Proverb, Winneba

Silence has so much meaning.

American Indian Proverb, Yurok

After dark all cats are leopards.

American Indian Proverb, Zuni