Norwegian Proverbs

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Introduction
Selected Norwegian Proverbs T

Introduction

FEW THINGS are as entertaining as sound and decent proverbs. They enable us to centre better at times, and quite often too. Below are some Norwegian proverbs not far from British ones in such as tone and attitude.

We should make good and skilled use of the proverb that makes the wind blow somewhat to our favour.

THE FOLLOWING parade of conventional Norwegian proverbs in the English language, is centred around the giant Viking Rollo from More. It lies on the west coast of Norway. Rollo got Normandy from the French king Charles the Simple in three consequitive grants, and set up the dynasty that later took over England, Scotland and Wales after 1066 AD.
Parts of this essay-looking medley of proverbs may also talk of the Norse King Sigurd the Crusader. [Check]
What you could get is some existential light thrown on the doings of both, for that is the value of hard-looking proverbs. They are not the least bit sentimental.
Translated proverbs often become a bit "sided": they could easily be translated along other lines too, because the original ones often tend to be enigmatic, ambiguous or cryptic. That's why.
Metaphoric language makes proverbs rich sources of new interpretations, new linkages. Costly proverbs reach figurative style and some make us happy for it.
These fresh renditions are middling ones, and were chosen among very many alternatives. Some can be smarter than these ones. Don't jump to rash conclusions. In the Atlantic coast culture they tie in with, enigmatic "moderating elements were rather customary and presupposed: You are to add such as "it depends" - "maybe" - "some time or other" etc. to each and any of them. The meaning is they don't always fit, and very much depends on a setting. Still they may bring significant assistance. Confer the standard set of reservations built into the recent helping set called "mind the upstrokes" - something like that. [LINK]
You may find they follow suit with a large part of British proverbs. And one of the British books of proverbs I do like is edited by Rosalind Fergusson. [Dp]
These are from the first national collection of Norwegian proverbs. The famous and brilliant Moring I. Aasen travelled about for a long time during parts of the 1800s and took them down, along with more important work. [Oa]
We have learnt how to glue together a lot new sayings and maxims aligned to the old ones, and present ten here. They are marked with an asterix, a star (*). It will be up to you to ascertain their value or usefulness, and at your own expense. Find them among the others - Sayings in headlines and a caption come in addition.

Selected Norwegian Proverbs

Gross neglect is often due to neglect of wisdom inside one's own heritage

MANY BRILLIANT-LOOKING novelties may get outdated and others fall short for other reasons, such as too speculative use, a use that involves exploitation. Even brilliant-looking counsel needs to be inspected from more than one angle. And there is more than one way to get sound. What is not heart-warming and too far from little children so that they neither like to hear it and hardly comprehend anything, may not be best, no matter what it looks like. Humour is often fit in more than one way.
What we find is this: Blend for first-class all-round results from the start, or otherwise smart-looking and isolatedly seen "good and sensible" use of big novelties could demand a better human race - at least more good guys - Or for the lack of it - far less bad ones around.
For the lack of good conditions, much serious may turn worse - bad may happen before you think it will! That's a part of the Christian teaching, and this: It's a bad fare we are in.

Proverbs can be very fit for endearing little childen too

MANY LITTLE and tender ones can benefit greatly from well selected and smartly arranged sayings - or from good and savoury sayings in their upbringing.

Wild-looking sayings can all the same contain much heart-warming counsel, and useful as well

Even wild fruits can be gathered and made use of.

Given counsel is all the same hard to take.*

Things very often take a bad turn for shameless guys that are running free.*

Need sells. [Oa 152: incomplete)]

Climbing the fence at its lowest point is not shame if you have to.*

It's too bad to want a thing and not be allowed it. [Oa 135]

Make deft use of what you learn to the degree you can gather. [Oa 153]

You don't have to put out the fire when all is burnt out. [Oa 188]

What's good is often forgotten, what's bad is often hidden. [Oa 70]

Good reckoning forms decent friendship. [Oa 164] (2)

It is impossible to be the friend of everyone for long. [Oa 241].

Rather free in a foreign place than slave back home. [Oa 62]

Shameful deeds bring on revenge. [Oa 89]

The headless army can be in for a hard time. [Oa 95]

The best fruits hang highest. [Oa 62]

The summer moments always pass quickly. [Oa 203]

To make good and useful novelties is not for dunderheads

Exposing yourself to danger by weapons in hand, is bad. [Oa 130]

Poor thanks is of the way of the world. [Oa 231]

There is no shame in clothing you have not cut yourself. [Oa 111]

When the glacier sees the spring sun, he weeps. [Oa 103]

Who marries too hastily can regret it too constantly and wistfully. [Oa 70]

Make skilled use of the good things, it's all the same hard.* (4)

Rather a bit correctly than much incorrectly. [Oa 164]

The lowest fence it the easiest to get across. [Oa 69]

Headless army runs away when the goings get rough.*

It's no shame to look into the warm spring sun and regret a lost limb.*

It's bad to be ashamed for something very well done. [Oa 183]

It's hard to talk in front of empty pews. [Oa 210]

When you're not given it, you don't have to thank anyone either. [Oa 66]

To be given fair counsel is a lot more fit where the new trail starts than when it ends

Who marries in too great haste ends up as a half-slave at his place.*

Everybody's friend is true to none. [Oa 241]

It's better to remain with a little shame than to come home again with a great one. [Oa 181]

Hid away hardly means forgotten. [Oa 82]

Who little ventures, little gains. [Oa 250]

You can give a piece of advice, but not good luck along with that. [Oa 171]

It's hard to condemn others, being guilty yourself. [Oa 44]

It's bad to get ashamed over a thing well grasped.*

Dire revenge comes after not being allowed decent entry and fair play.*

Anyone has to live on top of good customs where he is settled. [Oa 130]

To be without money is better than to be without honour. [Oa 160]

The lame runs if he has to. [Oa 83]

It's best to search while the trail is new. [Oa 125]

The shame you cannot lift away, you had better let lie. [Oa 197] (6)

A weeping suitor, a barefoot smith, a runaway horse and a stammering minister, who do you prefer? [Oa 218]

If the glacier perceives a headless army is clumsy, it feels a sort of emphatic guilt, I dare say.*

To gather and spare can last long. [Oa 193]

In a nutshell

A good homily plumbed might save your breath if not future efforts. You are advised to look at summaries before looking into the texts they derive from.

Any "nutshell summary" on-site contains (a) a training program in budding; (b) a parable of its kind; and (c) elegant sayings that we may not be fooled by. The homily purports to give a summary of a preceding New Wave essay that is arranged very smartly; you can win help from it, and that's not all. One may derive pinpointing free verse on top of the gist, it is designed for that too. Things in the preceding text (survey article) are pinpointed in the homily. It gives "nutshell teachings" - i.e. gist. It reveals a plan, a design for upbringing and tentative probings too. Much else is involved. IN SUM

The pieces of advice within proverbial sayings may look wild and weird - such counsel fairly often needs to be inspected and pondered. Wild- looking sayings can all the same contain much heart-warming counsel, and useful counsel as well.
To engage in great novelties are not usually what philosophers are best at. And technology may fall short eventually, due to lack of philosophical considerations from the start. To make good and useful novelties is not for dunderheads and purely speculative philosophers; something more and better is needed if cooperation will not do the trick.
If fair counsel ends, lots of good things end. The essence of wide- looking and long-range concerns and mere technological ones need to be blended for successful, allround results. And to be given fair counsel is a lot more fit where the new trail starts than when it ends.

SO: Even given counsels need to be inspected from the start, and the use of them in any undertaking. Maxims and bon mots are often used to steer enterprises in our days too. First seek as experienced and as successful men as can be, next seek their counsel if they trust you, and maybe you have a good chance to apply some of it your way. Much depends on chances given.

Literature
Oa: Aasen, Ivar: Norske ordsprog. 3rd ed. Vestanbok. Voss, 1982.

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