# Proverbs in your worlds.



## King_Cagn (May 28, 2014)

To me sometimes it's the words of a culture or religion that makes a people quite interesting in a book, show or movie. With reading GoT, "Valar Morghulis" is a known proverb used regularly by the people.

So what are known proverbs in your worlds? 

For the still to be named tribe that one of the MC's is from : "May the Great Eagle guide your flight" - is a common proverb.

"Let the Crows be unto your flesh and Ravens your Spirit" - this is common amongst the tribes especially when one tribe goes to war with another. 

"Yeux Suel" - Amongst the elves (especially the eldest) this is a proverb which simply means, "Stars guide your ways"

I've got others but mostly have forgotten them, so what are your world's most common proverbs?


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## Jabrosky (May 28, 2014)

Those sound less like proverbs than blessings of goodwill. A proverb usually states some form of wisdom. "An apple a day keeps the doctor away," for instance.


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## King_Cagn (May 28, 2014)

Hmm... Meh, proverbs, sayings, quotes... Meh.


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## Caged Maiden (May 28, 2014)

Yeah, I don't have proverbs of any sort, but here's the closest thing I could come up with:

One, two, three… the numbers ticked by in her head.  It was Lazaro Marcello, who taught her to count before striking.  “Patience,” he always said, “is Rada’s greatest virtue.  If you want the gods to guide you, give them a chance to intervene.”


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## Devor (May 28, 2014)

There is one thing my characters say a lot.  Government officials are known as scholars, so you get:

"Only children and scholars care about foreign fashion."

Where the underlined part could be just about anything that isn't relevant to day-to-day life.


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## Queshire (May 28, 2014)

Mmm... Well I like using rot as a general curse, go rot for example, but considering that I'm thinking about having my latest setting feature floating islands over a sea of clouds. The lower islands within the cloud sea would be darker due to the eternal mist, full of monsters, and barbarian tribes, so I might do something with cloudy/misty being associated with darkness/evil while clear skies attributed with goodness.

Other than that, I have no real plans for sayings.


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## Shreddies (May 28, 2014)

I think I had a throwaway proverb that went something like: 'Don't kick the Flumph'.

But I'm pretty sure I never explained what a Flumph was.


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## Lunaairis (May 28, 2014)

I have a couple sayings of good will for my tezre world. things along the lines like;"May your shadow be black and it engulf the world.", "Where ever you walk, may the south wind follow."

Negative sayings tend to revolve around being sun baked, sand, or sand storms. Its not uncommon to hear "He travels with the north wind." or "The north winds are howling." which is in reference to the fact when the north winds are blowing there will be a sand storm. so Its associated with bad luck. 

"Never take a forestash when you can ride a Romarrow."  This is a funnier one. Forestash are the common mounts of the world, they are like camels crossed with turtles. They are big hulk like creatures which are kind of slow but reliable. Since they are common its come represent the "lower" class of society. Romarrow on the other hand are large deer like animals. They are fast, elegant, rare, difficult to train but in a moment the can make all the difference in a battle. They are associated with nobility, and common folk may only come across one, once or twice when in peace times. 

This saying is applied more to receiving a job, "take the rare one which you may never see again, then stick with the same old, same old. "


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## ThinkerX (May 28, 2014)

Hmmm...one I'm using in a current tale is.

'Elves are all crazy, and all half-elves are half-crazy.'  

Something the human MC thinks about fairly frequently because his mentor is a half elf.


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## Creed (Jun 1, 2014)

I think most author's fail to use the power of proverbs and sayings, at least in most of the books I read. I thoroughly enjoy the proverbs of The Prince of Nothing, and definitely in the Dragon Age universe (the Qunari and their language is so intriguing). Their inclusion can be wonderful little treats for a reader like me.
Some I use are:
"Ice puts us in our place" by the men of High North, describing the harshness of their winters (and their value of hardship).
"Luck changes with the tide" on a world with several moons and large, fast, unpredictable tidal changes.
"Where there are bones, something has died" by nomads in the Korseki subcontinent. My version of 'Where there's smoke, there's fire'.
"(Don't speak too soon) The wheel is still spinning" a reference to Bob Dylan (the wheel's still in spin) and to a religious belief regarding the wheel of stars as a force of fate, as in of your name being pulled.
I also employ the use of real world proverbs.


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## Terry Greer (Jun 1, 2014)

I like building multiple meanings out of world elements in my worlds as I think it gives it richness.

For example:
I have a number of phrases in my Jangada saga that relates to a particularity nasty carnivorous mount (A sort of giant weasel-like thing that is part horse, part Rottweiler).
They hunt as siblings, and there are between 3 and 5 in a litter.

Several sayings have therefore grown up around Lopes:

A hand of lopes (i.e. 5 lopes - you don't want a hand of lopes on your trail).

A children's joke: 
Q - 'What's the best way of riding a Lope?'
A - On the outside.

Lopes are dangerous and difficult to ride so:

'Riding a Lope' has become an expression used when describing a situation that you don't like, but which you have to just hang on and see what happens because to stop is certain failure/doom/death.

There is also a well known phrase that 'if a lope is on your trail you are already dead'.


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## Nagash (Jun 1, 2014)

The way I see it, sayings and proverbs are often cultural productions narrowly associated to a monolithic reference, i.e. the Bible in the Roman-Catholic world, out of which several iconic quotes spawned. In this regard, i've actually worked on a few of my own ever since i began my WIP, most of them being extracts from the canonical collection of writings related to the most influent religion i've imagined so far. Here are a few, mostly under the form of mottos :

"Obey when you can, fight when you should, die when you must..." ~ A very popular saying amongst the military

"We prevail..." ~ A very popular motto, mostly used in the same context as the real-life, presidential "God bless America"

"Naa'ha Jehir" (litt. "[For you] _we shall perish_") ~ Another common saying in the military, used as a solemn greeting, and referencing an important psalm in The Book of Serkam : "For thee, great one who births the sun and swallows the sea, we shall perish..."

"With Syleh on your side" ~ A casual, and frequently used expression, one usually says to a departing traveler; Syleh is the quintessential God of Wind, and a popular figure in several cultures. As such, this saying is seen as a blessing, for it brings good luck to those going out at sea.

"Ãœrr da Zaare" ~ A proverb meaning "Hate the Snake" or "Hate the Sehras" (reptilian people worshiping a serpent god), which is a symptom of radical racism within a specific society (Khalaani) which has suffered greatly at the hands of said Sehras.


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## Queshire (Jun 1, 2014)

Hmmm.... not sure if I agree with the monolithic reference bit. I mean, what about proverbs like an apple a day keeps the doctor away and other folk wisdom like that?


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## Lace (Jun 1, 2014)

I can't think of too many proverbs I use right off the top of my head. I did use "a broken heart is what you'll get when you choose to love a dragon," in a short I hashed out a while back. 

I do tend to use elements in my world when cursing or in exclamations like "under the suns" in a world with two suns. It is definitely a cool thing to have in your story, now I want to incorporate more into my current WIP.


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## JourneyToTheWest (Jun 11, 2014)

Well, so many of them coming to me if I am writing with Chinese. Here I try to translate one:

"Fallen is the well-trained horseman, drowned is the experienced swimmer, drunk is the good drinker, and killed in battle is the elite warrior."

And if you need any other, just let me know, I am willing to help.


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## D. Gray Warrior (Jun 11, 2014)

"May the Phoenix Rest!"- This is used by clerics of the Phoenix Cult. The world has no sun, so instead a Phoenix lights the world. Worship of the Phoenix is what keeps it alive. Every night it goes to sleep, and awakes again at dawn. 

The clerics believe if the Phoenix dies, the world will come to an end, a new Phoenix will be born, and new creations will roam the world, so the clerics want to keep the Phoenix alive for as long as they can.


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## gowph3ar (Jun 20, 2014)

"Some men were carved from stone, some shaped from clay and other were scraped from the boot of God and made to serve as slaves." A saying from my story about the races of men.


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## Gurkhal (Jun 20, 2014)

"Every season...

...end with another

...turns to another

...is necessary for the next

...etc." 

various version of saying that changes are part of nature.


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## Gryphos (Jun 30, 2014)

"Never trust a man who's been twice to Sofea." - Sofea is the holy city in my world, and a place people are encouraged to go at least once in their life. The proverb is saying how a person who's been there again has some reason to confess, and so should be watched.

"A quiet horse is too easily forgotten." - In reference to the powerful and aggressive nation of Cabalion, the symbol of which is a horse. Basically saying how even when a former enemy goes quiet and passive, their past acts shouldn't be forgotten.

The tribal Curg people in my world have a belief that they're only guests upon the land, and that when they die they "go home". They don't actually have any blunt word for dying. For example, on their deathbed a person might say "I am going home" or "Home beckons me".


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## Gurkhal (Jun 30, 2014)

Here's another

"Every leaf will fall."

Meaning that everything will one day come to and end, but also that from that end something new will eventually grow.


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## A. E. Lowan (Jun 30, 2014)

We have a couple of things that come up repeatedly.

_"Life is long, and love is love is love"_ is a saying, mostly among vampires, that basically means gender is meaningless in the face of love.

_"Getting some cottontail"_ is a rude term for having relations with a therian rabbit.

Seahaven, Washington, our fictional city, is called "The City of Peace."  But many locals call it "The City of Pieces" and frequently vandalize the _Welcome To Seahaven _sign to reflect this.


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## Svrtnsse (Jun 30, 2014)

"A man's gotta listen to his stomach. He'll carry it around for the rest of his life." - Anfylk saying.


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## Lvl20wizard (Jul 5, 2014)

Creed said:


> "Luck changes with the tide" on a world with several moons and large, FAST, unpredictable tidal changes.



That's a pretty cool proverb. I think a proverb needs to be something catchy as well, something that is crisp in the mouth to say. 

And I think you are absolutely right, adding proverbs to a world strenghtens its reality, it's human nature to do so and often it is, as you also say, linked with the environment they live in. 

So far I have only managed to invent a few, such as: "The living will grieve, and the dead will delight." This one is from a burial rite. 

On the bat I'm thinking stuff like: 

"Letters are the tracks of a writer." 

"What is written cannot be silenced." 

"Fear is the paralysation of reason." 

"Logic is the sharpest of swords." 

"Knowledge is merchandise." 

"A coin in the hat is better than ten in the gutter." 

This brainstorm is linked to my WIP, featuring a world with a homungously large city of many mages, guilds and scribes.


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## Gryphos (Aug 1, 2014)

I have a few related to the religion of my world, the Saintry. Each Saint has Words which they are known for and in some way represent them. For example, the Words of St. Brigunson, Patron Saint of the sky and aeronauts, are...

"Which is the greater view? The sky from below, or the earth from above?", the words spoken by him in his early life as he gazed up at the sky. This holds some significance in the story as throughout it various people give their take on Brigunson's question, which reveals aspects of their personality.

There are some little proverbs that relate to Saints, such as "Pardinam paid the bills." a shortening of "Umbria mused in the comfort of lodging, but Pardinam paid the bills."

St. Umbria is the Patron Saint of spiritual prosperity and fulfilment, while St. Pardinam is the Patron Saint of material prosperity and wealth. The quote is essentially saying how spiritual fulfilment means nothing if a person can't survive. So a person deciding to skip a Saintry service in order to work extra hours would justify himself simply by saying "Pardinam paid the bills."


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## Nihilium 7th (Aug 1, 2014)

"Ad'maic frem'ach Unis" Amongst those from the Adamaic regions in my WIP that phrase roughly means "May Adams seed be blessed". It is used as a greeting and a farewell amongst those who identify as a descendant of Adam (The forefather of an entire ethnic group and religion) and those who follow their faith.  The phrase "Ad'maic frem'ach Ged'Unis" is also used but only in times of war it is roughly translated to "May Adams seed be blessed (in violence)". The former phrase has been used as a war cry and a deceleration of dissonance against a perceived enemy.


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## SaintPandemonium (Jan 12, 2015)

A proverb common among certain groups of older people in my world is, "truth is the crown on the heads of those who despise her".


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## Surad (Jan 13, 2015)

I didn't invent much proverbs or sayings, but I do have some made up so far. "He's got the scars." This means his courage is beyond question and been proven many times. "Take the heat off our skins" is either something done to actually cool a place down  (like turn on an air conditioner) or one way of getting out of trouble.

For the military, I did develop a variant of the 'Thousand Yard Stare' for the Air Force, I call it the Cloud Piercing Gaze. I also had a character call out 'For Onlei's sake' in frustration. Religion isn't common for that character's society, but he does worship a goddess called Onlei. How devote he is, however, is pretty questionable.


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## Tom (Jan 13, 2015)

My favorite proverb from my world is "A foolish man writes verse on cherry-blossom petals". It warns against saying or doing something that will fade out of memory and importance with time--in other words, doing something useless.

Here's a saying of my Barlandic culture: "The oath binds tighter than any cords." The Barlanders take oaths very seriously, and any oath taken--whether a marriage oath, an oath of fealty, or an oath of emnity--is believed to bind its swearer until his or her death and beyond. An oath broken or left unfulfilled is considered a sin, and a blight on the individual's and family's honor.


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## Nagash (Jan 13, 2015)

_"Truth is a poison the strong thinks best to give away, and the weak, to drink greedily"_

_"Mankind is the worst specie of all, except for all the others."_

_"He was always dead and never born, he who never fought under the flags of his nation."_

_"Torture is best used to confess lies than truth."_

_"He who takes the sea never return - for the land is always richer elsewhere."_


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## Svrtnsse (Jan 13, 2015)

_"Go easy on yourself and the goddess goes easy on your world."_


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## WooHooMan (Jan 13, 2015)

This is honestly one of the most interesting threads I've seen on this forum for awhile.  At least, I think so.

_"Two trees make a forest"_ - As long as you have one person by your side, you're not alone.  Unity/loyalty is an important theme in this story.

_"What is, was once and will be again"_ - History repeats itself and all events are connected.

_"Three times makes it true"_ - When an event happens once, it's an occurrence.  Twice and it's a coincidence.  Three times and it's a pattern/habit.

_"You boat it, you float it"_ - If you mess up, you have to deal with the consequences.  Alternatively, if you succeed, you can enjoy the rewards.  This proverb is usually said ironically.

_"An ocean ain't nothing but a whole bunch of drops"_ - The whole is worth exactly as much as the sum of its parts and all parts are equally important.  Nothing is futile if it contributes to a whole.


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## ChasingSuns (Feb 4, 2015)

Here's a couple of poverbs/sayings in the story that I'm currently working on.
_
"Ill weather brings ill news."_
This is a superstitious saying usually said during a storm, although it has it's origins in warfare. In this world, when a great warrior dies, the sky rains blood. So soldiers originally said this in response to the sight of the blood storm.

_"May your will be as strong as your blade."_
This is a sort of "may the force be with you" statement. It is used specifically by the members of a group of sellswords who believe that will is what makes up the core of the self, and that all virtues stem from it.

There's more that I have used as well but can't seem to think of at the moment.


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