Swedish Proverbs (Penfield Press/Penfield Books proverb series) - Softcover

If you want to know people, study their proverbs. Sweden's rich literary heritage is full of homespun philosophy, simple truths, bits of collective wisdom, and good old common sense. Scholars define a proverb as "a short wise saying used for a long time by many people." The Swedes put it another way, "a proverb says what all men think." The Swedish people love beauty, and even their most practical, everyday items are works of art. So, too, are their proverbs. The illustrations for this book come from early twentieth-century travel guides to Sweden, and beautifully accompany these traditional words of wisdom and advice. So enjoy these pithy statements from a centuries-old culture, and perhaps you will find that the wisdom of our ancestors still speaks to us today. Some exapmles of Swedish Proverbs: "Even the smallest of stars shines in the darkness." "What is hidden in snow comes forth in the thaw." "We should remember to think well and speak well of one another." "A wound never heals enough to hide the scar." "Better to suffer for the truth than to be praised for lies." --Philosophy and Simple Truths