"Proverbs, like the sacred books of each nation, are the sanctuary of the intuitions. That which the droning world, chained to appearances, will not allow the realist to say in his own words, it will suffer him to say in proverbs without contradiction.."

-- Unferth Silvertongue, Sage of Bor Tyressul

The expressions below are statements of common wisdom used in various parts of the Young Kingdoms.  Not all of them are universally known, but most are.

"A calm sea does not make a skilled sailor.": Nothing worth gaining is gained without difficulty.  Mostly used along the southern coast, especially among the Lemenari.  A variation on this is found in the heartlands is "A bad harvest teaches more than a good one".

"Anywhere a rat can go, you will find two Ostralis waiting.": A human expression meant to indicate the fact that Ostralis live everywhere that men do.  The Ostralis find it insulting.

"A wrinkled apple tastes sweeter.": A saying among the peasants and farm-folk of the heartlands, indicating the benefits of experience.

"Anyone can fancy his bed as a palace.": Believe what you want, because I know the truth.  Used mainly by the Jaris, this expression is usually said in response to someone else making an outrageous statement of fact that flies in the face of common wisdom or direct evidence.

"Better to be clever than to be thought clever.":  A person's reputation is useless if he can't back it up.

"Constant rain wears away stone.": A dwarven expression indicating the value of persistence.

"Dragons beget dragons, and lions beget lions, and the offspring of mice will know how to chew holes.":  A Jaris proverb meaning "accept that which is fated to be" or "you can't change the way the world works".

"Even a black lamb's wool is warm.": A Choyen proverb meaning "every cloud has a silver lining."  Black animals are generally held to be unlucky.

"Gold in the ground is yet rock.": A dwarven proverb used in the same manner as "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush".  The Lemenari use the phrase "A trout in the pot is better than a salmon in the sea."

"His beard is longer than his years.": A dwarven phrase used to indicate that a person is wiser than their age would indicate.

"If I knew where I was going to fall, I'd spread straw.": A common expression used to indicate a foolish wish for prescience.  Its used in the same manner that some people today use the phrase "If wishes were horses, beggars would ride".

"Lightning, then thunder.": All things happen in their own good time.

"The time to collect rainwater is while its raining.": Take advantage of opportunities when they come.  This one is used almost everywhere.

"The lion roars.  The snake hisses.  The stranger smiles.": A Rostok proverb taken to mean "take warning" or "be on your guard".

"Never injure your pride by substituting your axe for a smith's hammer.": A dwarven proverb meaning "the right tool for the right job."

"Never use up your arrows before the battle.":  Always keep your priorities straight.  This saying is used mostly in the Frontier Cities.

"No road is ever old.": A saying among the trading caravans meant to express the opinion that the only life is the traveling life.  A variant is "all roads lead to somewhere."

"Only a fool tests the depth of the water with both feet.": A Lemenari proverb indicating the value of thinking before acting.

"People die for wealth and birds die for food.": A Kuzko proverb that speaks to what is truly of value.

"Sorrow runs while joy sleeps.": This is an expression among the Chayk, indicating that a bad reputation will travel farther and faster than a good one.

"Talk gathers no firewood.": A farm-folk proverb on the virtues of doing rather than talking about doing.

"Empty armor clatters loudest.":  This phrase is usually used in response to braggadocio on the part of another.  Its use is similar to the real-world "Put up or shut up" or "Don't let your alligator mouth get your mockingbird ass in trouble".  A variant used in the Heartlands is "A tree is known by the fruit, and not by the leaves.", while the Ostrali say "Barking dogs seldom bite."

"The Gods look after fools, children, and drunkards... humans usually count for two out of three.": A Khazak saying that expresses their general opinion of the human race.

"There is no mud without rain.": Nothing goes wrong without a cause.

"The value of the water is only seen when the well runs dry.": You don't know what you have until its gone.  A Jaris proverb.

"Trust in the Gods, but row away from the rocks.": A Lemenari proverb that shows the wisdom of self-sufficiency.

"When the fight is lost, all that is left is to die gloriously.": A saying used by many warriors across Taranche.  It used in a similar manner to "it is better to die on your feet that live on your knees."

"Where the wolf howls, the goblin prowls.": Troubles almost never come alone.  This one is most often found in the northern reaches of the Young Kingdoms.

"A wolf whose belly is full will still hunt.": Don't assume that you know what another man's motives are.

"You cannot blame a mirror for a crooked face.":  This expression, common among the Taors, is a warning against blaming others for your own mistakes.

"You don’t know what is in the pot until you lift the lid.": An Aateni proverb meaning "the best way to learn is to act".