The collection / 847 fragments
Explore passages mentioning wisdom, wise. Topic suggestions use transparent word matching, not scholarly classification. Editorial meanings and lexical matches are discovery aids, not independent authentication of a quotation.
Meaning: No individual possesses every useful insight. The saying encourages listening to other people’s understanding, especially when confidence or status makes one person assume that further contributions have nothing to offer.
Meaning: Truthfulness does not require saying every true thing at every moment. The proverb concerns timing, relevance and consideration, while leaving a clear distinction between discretion and concealment that harms other people.
Meaning: Keep an alternative available when a plan depends on something that may fail. Two strings represent a reserve option, encouraging preparation rather than confidence that one route will always remain usable.
Meaning: A person’s purpose and direction matter more than the equipment they possess. The archer’s aim represents considered intention, while the arrows represent resources that cannot determine a worthy or effective purpose on their own.
Meaning: Something unwanted can impose a cost even when its price is low. The saying asks whether an acquisition serves a real purpose, instead of letting a bargain alone determine what is worth having.
Meaning: Silence can leave observers with an impression of wisdom that has not been tested. The saying questions quick judgments about another person’s understanding, while allowing that listening quietly can itself be a thoughtful choice.
Meaning: A favourable manner or appearance can create an initial advantage before someone’s abilities are known. The comparison asks how presentation influences introductions, while leaving competence and character to be assessed through further evidence.
Meaning: An impressive outer covering can conceal something poorly suited to its purpose. The sword and scabbard contrast practical effectiveness with attractive presentation, encouraging attention to what an object or proposal can actually do.
Meaning: A pleasant covering may make something disagreeable easier to accept. The sweetened pill represents how presentation can soften a difficult message, while raising the question of whether the underlying substance remains clear.
Meaning: Chosen solitude can contain rich thought rather than an absence of company. The paradox values a person’s engagement with reflection, while distinguishing welcome time alone from loneliness that someone does not want.
Meaning: Recognising a danger early creates an opportunity to reduce it. Awareness is part of prevention, but the word half is an encouraging estimate rather than a measured guarantee of safety.
Meaning: One arrangement will not fit everyone. Differences between people may require different provisions, just as feet of different sizes cannot all use the same shoe comfortably.
Meaning: Admitting an earlier mistake can show that you have learned, rather than merely expose a weakness. Revising a judgment in response to better understanding is a sign of progress.
Meaning: A poor initial arrangement can shape the finished result. Crooked placement in the oven stands for a mistake made before a process has properly begun.
Meaning: Something desirable can seem unpleasant when a person has already had too much. The full blackbird’s response to cherries illustrates how satisfaction changes appetite.
Meaning: Friendship with powerful people may offer temporary protection. The passing shadow suggests support that can disappear as circumstances or interests change.
Meaning: A modest source of help can be easier to use comfortably than a grand one. The little fountain suggests accessible benefit without the demands of a crowded or imposing setting.