Better a flawed diamond than a perfect pebble

Better a flawed diamond than a perfect pebble

Financially this is perfectly obvious as even a diamond with a fault will be worth much more than a flawless piece of rounded stone, but taking it as a metaphor we can consider human personalities.

The ordinary person who abides by the rules and gives offence to no one is a worthy citizen but will probably be regarded as predictably boring. The rough diamond type who rubs some people up the wrong way and might not be too fussy about rule breaking seems exciting to most people. The heroes in most novels and stories are those who take risks and bend the rules to their advantage - the maverick cop is a recurring staple of TV.

But you bend the rules at your own peril - in real life the dodger usually gets caught eventually.


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More are slain by suppers than the sword.

More are slain by suppers than the sword.

Feasting in bygone days was an unselfconscious affair: people would eat till they literally burst. Henry the VIII died of a surfeit of lampreys as no one would dare to tell a king to stop being so silly

Today we have a constant stream of media information warning against overeating and what to, and what not to, eat and drink. Yet despite this cornucopia of good advice people are more obese than ever. How many people do you know who are digging their own graves with a spoon?

Death by a sword stroke was a reality for our ancestors so perhaps they liked to "eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow you might die" but as most healthy people can now expect to reach 90 it makes sense to pace yourself and avoid binges - enough is better than a feast.

You must spoil before you spin well.

You must spoil before you spin well.

A few generations ago most of our maternal ancestors would have spun wool as part of their contribution to the family budget. This is where the term spinster came from as unmarried girls would be proving their worth to their parents and siblings with the very useful commodity of wool yarn.

The value of wool revenue in England was such that the Chancellor of the Exchequer sat on the woolsack. Our ancestors would have learned that the process of acquiring skill at spinning meant making many mistakes before proficiency was achieved. The basic principle of the saying applies to most human activities then and now.

Do not be afraid of making mistakes when tackling a new project as this is a part of the learning experience. "The man who never made a mistake never made anything".

Keep no more cats than will catch mice.

Keep no more cats than will catch mice.

Being over-equipped for a task can be a waste of resources. The farmer who has too many cats will have a barn free of mice but a big bill for cat food.

How many of us have too many tools for the tasks we must perform? Too much time spent on education detracts from the time spent applying what we have learned and earning the fruits of labour. A businessman who over-invests will ended up with assets that produce no meaningful returns. A healthy athlete should be lean and fit, carrying no excessive fat or muscle that is not needed to reach optimum efficiency for their chosen sport.

Acquire the assets or tools you need and invest your time becoming proficient in their use and you will reap the rewards.

A Diligent Scholar and the Master is Paid.

A Diligent Scholar and the Master is Paid.

This probably gives an idealised image of the schoolmaster of a bygone age, but proverbs should contain eternal truths, so what are they?

Job satisfaction is an important part of any occupation and the fruits of a schoolmaster's labours is a well educated, well rounded, young person equipped for life and able to be a worthy part of their community. These are noble ideals but no doubt many young people reading them will snort in disgust - old so and so only does it for the money!

Exceptional teachers are by definition exceptions but most will seek to help their students and gain satisfaction when they get a positive response. Teachers and pupils must work to learn and learn to work. Success will then come to all.

A lean dog shames its master

A lean dog shames its master

If your dog's bones are showing it is likely that you are either cruel and negligent, ignorant as to the proper foodstuffs or very poor. Whatever, you really need to do something about it.

This old Japanese proverb tells us a lot more than that though. Apply the basic ideas to any walk of life or situation and it is teaching us the importance of looking after your responsibilities properly. If you neglect your children's education and it shows in bad behaviour it is to your shame. If your work is skimped and shows a lack of attention and care it reflects on you.

Do right by those you have a duty to or it will soon become apparent to your peers that you are not worthy of respect.

Lend your money to a city but never to a man.

Lend your money to a city but never to a man.

This is an old Japanese proverb that echoes the sentiments of "Don't put all your eggs in the one basket". Spreading your risk to allow for the fact that disasters and difficulties will always hit some members of a group is generally regarded as a good thing to do. Insurance works on the same principles of shared risk. Unit trusts were invented with the same idea - spread the risk of calamities amongst enough people, and for a small sum you get the opportunity of recompense when a loss occurs

On the other hand, if you are willing to take a risk and back a talented individual you might get spectacular gains that do not have to be shared with others. But if it goes wrong you might very well lose everything. High reward usually involves high risk.

The good seaman is known in bad weather

The good seaman is known in bad weather

In the romantic days of the old sailing ships when the tea clippers raced for home through mountainous and stormy seas this would have been a very powerful image for a universal truth: The true worth of a person is only really apparent when difficult times stretches them to the limit.

On the eleventh of the eleventh 1918 the Great War came to an end. It had killed and maimed millions of people but had also revealed the heroism and endurance of special individuals who had risen above the fear and carnage to perform heroic deeds of courage and valour. Many of them went unrecognised and unsung but their comrades knew and praised them.

Hard times bring forth heroes and heroes end hard times.

Every man is a fool or a physician after thirty.

Every man is a fool or a physician after thirty.

In youth we take good health for granted and often test our strength and stamina to their limits. People trek to the north pole, cross deserts, climb mountains and endure all manner of deprivations in pursuit of adventure or glory. We assume that the body will recover after a little rest and nourishment.

Perhaps today we might think that the age here should be forty, and in the near future fifty, but there comes a point in all lives when we realise that we are not invulnerable and really ought to look after ourselves a bit better. This is when we start reading the adverts on how to stay young and fit. Or we continue our mad ways and drink, smoke and overindulge in all lives' excesses and rush thoughtlessly to an early grave.

Who really regrets the wild times and excesses of youth? If we lived in cotton wool all our days, as a doting mother might wish, our lives would be insufferably boring; but those who have reached the age of aches and pains sometimes wish they had been a little bit more sensible when young, perhaps striven a little less for unimportant goals, and kept more in reserve for an enjoyable seniority. Basically you make your choices and accept the consequences. After all, science might find a cure for everything - one day!

A good archer is known by his aim, not his arrows.

A good archer is known by his aim, not his arrows.

You can buy all the fancy equipment in the world but if you can't make use of it to get a result it is money down the drain.

Have you ever known a would-be artist who spends a fortune on brushes and paint and goes on course after course but still churns out rubbish? Spending money on equipment that you are just not talented to use well won't do you much good. If you have potential to develop a skill then work on it and find the training and tools that you really need. Flashy expensive stuff might impress the impressionable but anyone with sense will see through the glitz to the real or lack of talent that you have.

There is no point in flogging dead horses or buying them fancy saddles for that matter. If you haven't got what it takes find another activity where you might make the grade. Get your life on target.


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Better an ass that carries than a horse that throws.

Better an ass that carries than a horse that throws.

Who would not wish to own a fine thoroughbred stallion full of fire and haughty pride? But if it always threw its rider you would not go very far. In life people are often attracted to the glamorous and showy - be it cars, careers or companions; but how many live to rue the day?

If we get above ourselves and desire the impractical we are often set for a tumble. The ass is an ungainly, ugly beast of burden but will patiently plod along in all sorts of adverse conditions getting you and your load to the desired destination. Similarly, if you are prepared to consider the practical and available goods in your life you might be better off in the long run rather than choosing the high maintenance, showy, expensive alternatives. "Cut you coat according to your cloth" is another way of putting it.


Darts with an Old West theme:
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If you have two loaves, sell one and buy a lily.

If you have two loaves, sell one and buy a lily.

We struggle to earn our daily bread, sometimes muttering to ourselves that "Half a loaf is better than none" when things are not too good. We seek inspiration to carry on when everything seems uphill from sayings such as: "Where there's a will there's a way" or "Rome wasn't built in a day". Through history humans have had a hard job getting enough of the necessities of life.

Today the pursuit of material possessions has become an obsession for many and they have achieved a lot more than two loaves. Indeed, obesity is fast becoming a major problem. This proverb is telling us that we need more than goods that satisfy the physical side - we need to find happiness in beauty. You can't eat a lily but when you are adequately fed search not for further consumable pleasures but seek satisfaction for the mind and soul.



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It is too late to cast anchor when the ship is on the rocks.

It is too late to cast anchor when the ship is on the rocks.

In other words take action before a disaster, not after. This is a recurring theme in proverbs and wise sayings - the importance of remaining alert and taking precautions to avoid the unpleasant consequences. "It is too late to lock the stable door when the horse has bolted" is much the same idea.

"A stitch in time saves nine". "Be prepared". "Have not your lamp to light before the dark". All tell us of the importance of foresight and preparation - know what you have to do and be sure and see that it is done because "There is no point in crying over spilt milk".

"There is no time like the present" - so no more excuses - do it now!


Improve your english
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If you run after two hares you will catch neither

If you run after two hares you will catch neither.

Most readers of this blog will never have chased hares and probably have no desire to do so, but probably all of us have pursued more than one goal at the same time and come unstuck through lack of time and resources.

Focussing on the most important objective and making secondary forfeits is often the road to success. Avoiding unnecessary distractions means greater economy of energy and less time wandering off the true path. Just make sure that the "hare" you are chasing is really the one you want and don't waste your life pursuing a goal that eventually turns out to be not worth the effort.



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He will burn his house to warm his hands

He will burn his house to warm his hands.

Very short term thinking might induce a lunatic to do this but how many times does the ordinary person do the equivalent through a lack of understanding?

How many politicians make it impossible for themselves to govern well by betraying their principles in order to win an election? How many men risk a good marriage in order to have a brief, unimportant fling? How many young men risk their lives in the pursuit of a passing thrill of daredevil excitement and end up dead or crippled?

This saying warns us of the folly of a short-sighted action that will gain a little advantage but cost greatly in the long run. We are being urged to show some forethought and judgement in our actions lest they cost us dear



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He that hath some land must have some labour.

He that hath some land must have some labour.

Most of us are descended from people who worked on the land a few generations ago. Some would have been farm owners and some labourers and they had to co-operate to produce the harvest so that everyone could eat. A small farm would be worked by a single family. After the industrial revolution vast numbers of people were forced off the land and had to find employment elsewhere.

A generalisation from land and labour leads us to the idea of capitalists and workers and how to generate income. Capital takes many forms: money, land, machinery, buildings and even mental capital i.e. a good education or skill. But the thing all of these have in common is that they need to be used.

This saying is reminding us of the need to put in the effort and use our assets to best advantage.


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When fortune smiles, take advantage

When fortune smiles, take advantage.

Have you ever fished a spot many times and some days you catch nothing others your first cast is rewarded, and you soon have as big a catch as you wished for?

Chance or good luck plays its part in human endeavours - when the time is right it is easy to succeed. As Shakespeare said, "Their is a tide in the affairs of man which taken at the flood leads on to fortune". Being in the right place at the right time is often the key to success.

However, a fisherman without the right tackle and some experience in using it plus the accumulated wisdom of years is unlikely to catch any supper - even if the conditions are fortuitously ideal.

So it is important to be prepared and wait for the right moments to come along - when fortune smiles, be ready.


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A dead bee makes no honey.

A dead bee makes no honey.
Well, that is pretty obvious so just what is this saying trying to tell us? Bees are renowned for their industriousness, and people who work hard are often described as being "busy as a bee". Hard workers are generally praised, and very popular with their bosses, but is it an entirely good thing? Japanese people are regarded as some of the hardest-working people on the planet but in their vocabulary we find a word - Karoshi - meaning to work yourself to death. Dead workers, like dead bees, are not productive. So, perhaps this saying is telling us not to overdo things. "Moderation in all things", says another proverb and "A little goes a long way" is another. The conclusion would appear to be that work is good but should not be excessive - too much honey is probably bad for you anyway!

Bees are good in the garden
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In much corn there is some cockle.

In much corn there is some cockle.
The corn cockle is a weed identified with the Biblical tares. No doubt our agricultural ancestors would have been satisfied with this statement at face value being happy to see a good yield even if the crop had a drop of weeds among it. They might then have gone on to observe that persons of outstanding ability often had flaws, faults and follies that went with their greatness and realise the generality of what they had learned in the cornfield. It is rarely in life that anything is all good there is usually a downside that you have to put up with in order to get the benefits. In a modern field the weeds might have been suppressed by weed killer, but we then have to worry about pesticides in our food. It seems that perfection doesn't exist this side of Heaven.


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Labour as long lived; pray as ever dying.

Labour as long lived; pray as ever dying.
If you take this saying to heart you will always give of your best, knowing that effort today means reward tomorrow. People coming close to retirement might lose heart and wonder why they bother but this is likely to lead to depression and carelessness. Thus their standing with colleagues will diminish and much of the good work done in earlier years will be forgotten, and who knows, perhaps someone had them earmarked for an exciting opportunity in their leisured future.

For those who are religious this saying is probably easier to follow than those who see nothing beyond the grave. But we should all learn to think of the importance of the survival of the family, the tribe, the country, and the human race, and contribute to it as long as we can, knowing our work will be carried on by someone else. This way your declining years will still have hope and meaning.



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"Pray as ever dying" suggest the importance of being prepared for the eventuality of demise and putting your affairs in order. Follow this saying and you will fade away gradually and without remorse, like a glorious sunset.