He that keeps malice harbors a viper in his breast

Most religions and many schools of psychology teach the importance of forgiveness. The problem with bearing grudges is that they can distort the personality and over time make a person prone to depression and ill health.

Now, it seems to be counter intuitive to be totally forgiving, and commonnsense does seem to bear out that if you are weak you are more likely to be attacked. It follows that the knowledge that you have the capacity to retaliate and are prepared to do so if neccessary will often deter an enemy from attacking you. Speak softly and carry a big stick.

But sometimes you have to be wise for two. If you can rise above knee-jerk retaliation, and have an inside understanding of a situation, and the reasons for the attack, you might be able to see that by understanding and forgiving your enemy you could turn them into a friend. It might just pay you to take a loss and prevent a tit-for-tat escalation.

This requires judgement and insight and is a mark of true wisdom.

He that is silent, gathers stones

At first reading this might seem nonsensical. Further thought builds a picture of an angry person suppressing their rage while gathering stones to throw at his enemy. In days gone by, people without weapons found that freely available stones were a pretty effective way of attacking a group of opponents.

The "stones" in the modern world will probably refer metaphorically to verbal weapons of attack. This brings the old saying "Sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me" to mind. Schoolchildren often chant this when they suffer verbal bullying but the truth is that slanders and evil gossip can cause trouble and harm.

So, if you have enemies who are sullen and silent, it might be wise to remain alert for possible attacks.

He that swells in prosperity will shrink in adversity

When things go well for you, you begin to think you must be clever. People look up to you and you get a thrill from their envious stares. They obviously recognise how important and successful you are. They try to imitate you but you can leave them standing.

Sometimes success is false. You imagine it is your own effort and ability that has brought it about. But what if circumstances change? And they often do. Can you adapt or is the new situation beyond you. The masters of sailing ships who could win any race were confronted by steam. All their skills and experience were suddenly valueless.

Suddenly you are no longer cock o' the walk but an old has been. A source of amusement to the eager young men with their newfangled machinery. It is a big comedown.

We are being told here not to get too conceited "pride comes before a fall" so make sure your success is firmly based and take nothing for granted.

Every hill has its valley

It is hardly news that ups tend to be followed by downs but perhaps it is wise to pause and think about it occasionally.

When everything in your life goes smoothly does that mean you are heading for a fall? Not necessarily but a sudden rise is likely to have a correction after it and in the long term things tend to revert to the mean.

The path through hilly country is often more enjoyable than that through a plain, so life is more interesting if it doesn't run too smoothly. We often don't understand or appreciate things unless we have experienced the opposite. So bad times are not necessarily all bad.

We enjoy the changing seasons and look forward to the various pains and pleasures they bring. Summer is delightful but an excessively hot day is oppressive. Winter snow can be fun with sleigh rides skiing and snowball fights but cold frozen feet and hands have us longing for spring.

Variety is the spice of life so take it as it comes and enjoy the ride.

Every inch of joy has an ell of annoy

No, this is not a misprint; an "ell" is a measurement based on the length of a man's arm. An inch was based on the thickness of a thumb.

A lot of life is boring and tedious but it is the moments of joy that reward us and they are usually fleeting. The donkey trots along its stony path with great reluctance but is tempted to continue by the joyful anticipation of the momentary joy of eating a dangling carrot.

We will suffer and sacrifice and put up with all sorts of annoyances for that long dreamed about moment of satisfaction. Anticipation is nine tenths the pleasure.

Desires are nourished by delays

Any beautiful lady knows that arriving a little late for an occasion heightens anticipation. Comic timing depends on a delay to raise expectations before the punch line. There is also a saying: anticipation is nine tenths the pleasure.

When something you expect does not arrive on time it can be annoying but it does give you time to reflect, examine and evaluate the expected. A child not arriving on time can cause anxiety and when they finally do arrive there is great joy in the relief that they are OK.

Delays can annoy and upset people so being punctual is usually a good idea. The more important you are the more likely you will get away with a delay, deliberate or accidental.

The morning sun never lasts a day

This would appear to be a variation of "Make hay while the sun shines". The sun might last for a day but the morning sun is different from the midday sun or the evening sun. For a start, the range of temperatures varies considerably. We might also be more enthusiastic and energetic in the morning. "Well begun is half done" so it pays to get off on the right foot.

"The early bird catches the worm" so it knows the advantage of an early start. There are many sayings that stress the importance of the beginning. The rising of the sun heralds the start of a new day, the cock crows and a new round of activity commences. Be part of it.

Every horse thinks its pack the heaviest

Everyone Carries a burden of some sort: emotional, financial or relationship related. We feel the stress and strain and it hurts. When we're children we learn to keep many of our worries to ourselves. Nobody likes a whiner.

Our friends might be putting on a brave face and so we do not know that they also are suffering. We think it is only ourselves. Sometimes it is only when we reach breaking point and have a row that we learn of other people's difficulties. They might be having a more difficult time than we are.

A burden shared is a burden halved so learn to get on with others.

Elbow grease is the best polish

You can sit about for ages making great plans and forming great schemes but unless you take action nothing will happen. Having a clear idea of what you're going to do before you start is a good policy. Well begun is half done, but without steady effort there will not be a good outcome.

In order to motivate your self it sometimes helps to visualize the end result, to continue the metaphor, the effort of polishing results in the smart appearance of your shoes which might just tip someone's opinion of you to favorable. It is the carrot on a stick that keeps the donkey going.

So whatever it is you are planning to do roll up your sleeves and get stuck in.

Deep waters run still

We have all delighted at the sight and sound of a babbling brook. The foamy, silvery, bubbly water chuckles merrily over the pebbles. A deep pool is dark and mysterious. Perhaps fat trout lurk in its depth.

This is a simple, long used metaphor illustrating the different types of human mind. Some people chatter away and say very little. Other say little but convey a lot.

The chatterbox broadcasts every simple thought that occurs to them. The deeper person weighs ideas carefully and selects only the best. It is from them that we get "the fattest trout".

Debt is the worst poverty

If you are poor you are poor and you have to cut your coat according to your cloth, how ever poor that cloth might be. If you are in debt you have entered negative territory and someone else owns your coat. Any effort you put in to struggle free is absorbed by your debts. You cannot save a little to see you through. You cannot invest a little surplus to improve your lot.

Avoiding unnecessary debt is one of the first things a wise person should learn. The trouble is that governments have created a system of money based on paper that can be manipulated. It is possible for people to run up debt and then have it considerably reduced by inflation.

The common sense saver who prudently avoided borrowing feels cheated, as their savings lose value. In this unnatural situation the wise loose out to the witless. Is it a form of cheating or redistribution of wealth? How many times can you con people into working hard and saving if their spendthrift neighbor is the one who ends up with a big grin?

Second thoughts are best

We all tend to react to a difficult situation with emotion. Because of this our first response can be inappropriate. The expression " to sleep on it" tells us of the importance of taking time to consider our reaction.

Taking time to reply gives us the opportunity to reflect and use our powers of reasoning to decide the best ways to deal with the problem. Writing an E mail and firing it off in haste can get you into trouble.

The old saying " count to 10" makes a lot of sense. Without emotions we would not be human but discipline is necessary. So remember: first love and second thoughts are best.

To promise and gives nothing is comfort for a fool

The first thought that comes to mind when reading that is: politician. People in government usually know that by the time they leave office the promises they made will not have come to pass. But it will be someone else's problem.

Beware the Greeks bearing gifts is a very old saying that seems to apply to those whose business is government. The gifts handed out by politicians have been paid for by the people who get them. In return for this generous kindness they give themselves a pay rise.

To vote for a politician because of his promises is not a good idea. You have to judge their character from their track record. Perhaps those people who judge a politician by his suit are just as wise those who study their every word.

May you're shadow never grow less.

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The length of your shadow depends on your height. The shorter you are the shorter your shadow. This is of course referring to the height of your reputation.

Our standing in the eyes of others depends on how they assess us. This metaphor is a simple way of praising someone but at the same time warning of the dangers of diminishing themselves by the wrong actions.

People are often encouraged to walk tall in the metaphorical sense and this leads to the idea of a long shadow.

Crumbs are also bread

Everyone wants a decent amount of the things they desire. But you don’t always get what you want. The Scots, renowned for their thrifty ways, have a saying: Manys a mickle maks a muckle: Many small things make a great thing. The Americans talk of nickel and dime operations with disdain and like to identify with the big and bold.

Reality for many people means small pickings are the only ones going so they have to make the best of them. Some of the largest fortunes have been built by those with low priced products with small margins but selling regularly.

The advice here seems to be to have a little humility and be grateful for what you can get.

He that will thrive must rise at five

There are only so many hours in a day. If you want to get on there is no point in wasting your time luxuriating in bed. If you buzz with energy and activity while your dozy competitors reach for the toast you have a head start. The early bird catches the worm.

If your work goes well because you started early and you see good progress you go to bed with a clear conscience and a sense of entitlement to a good nights rest. You sleep better and awake early, refreshed and ready for the next days challenges.

In the countryside the cock acted as a natural alarm clock and awoke the people early. Now we have alarms of all types so there is no excuse - rise and shine!

On a good bargain think twice

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It might be impolite to look a gift horse in the mouth but when offered something at a bargain price there is a need for wariness. If it is too good to be true then it probably is.

It is not in the nature of acquisitive humans to give things away - we seem to have a built in instinct to grab and hold. Altruism is to some extent usually self serving, even if it is only to gain the feeling of pleasure in doing someone a good turn.

It follows that when being offered a bargain it is prudent to consider the flaws and pitfalls of acceptance. It might be that someone has an urgent need to dispose and will accept a lower price for the ready money or the object has a flaw or drawback that will soon prove to be the reason for the low price. The classic false bargain is buying a pig in a poke that turns out to be an unwanted kitten.

Caveat emptor - buyer beware is a good and ancient motto.

Good clothes open all doors

This saying will be music to the ears of tailors - and who knows - perhaps one of that ancient trade began it.

Do not judge a book by its cover is another old saying that seems to contradict the first.

What we are learning here seems to be that good presentation will catch the eye and start you off on the right foot. Having impressed someone with your appearance or with a book, drawn a potential reader to take a glance, the inner quality stands a chance of being recognized.

The thing to take away from this is: look smart to get a start then be smart and follow through.

Ready money is soon away

You will have heard people saying: money burns a hole in his pocket, so you are familiar with the idea that it is always a temptation to have ready money available. There are so many tempting opportunities to spend that it is easy to find an excuse to indulge if the cash is easily to hand.

This proneness to temptation means that it is prudent to save for a rainy day by putting your surplus funds to work for you in a savings account or other investment so that you have to put in a bit of time and effort to retrieve them.

Ultimately, money is for spending but there is nothing worse than an urgent, unexpected bill you can't pay, and the tormenting thought that last week you were throwing it away on fripperies.

He who has nothing can do nothing

A farmer with land can grow food; a carpenter with tools and wood can make something to sell; a person with education can teach and earn money.

This saying opines on the importance of what we have, material or intellectual. No doubt this originated in the days before social welfare when the poor were left to starve, but the lesson that can be taken from it is the importance of giving your children a good start. If you see to their education, training and possibly some savings to buy tools or start a business you help them to succeed.

It could be argued that anyone who possesses the will can succeed by hook or by crook. Even if you only have the gift of the gab by refusing to be beat you will find a way.