A collection of Jewish proverbs that express the wisdom, but also the characteristic humor of this people. The Yiddish (or Judeo-German) is a Germanic language spoken by Jews originating in Eastern Europe, and which has its roots in the culture of Ashkenazi Jews (developed in the tenth century in the Rhineland and then spread throughout Europe).
As Isaac Bashevis Singer, a Yiddish-language author of Polish origin but naturalized American, writes:
Yiddish has not yet uttered its last word. It holds treasures that have not yet been revealed to the eyes of the World. It was the language of martyrs and saints, of dreamers and cabalists. Rich in spirit and memories that humanity can never forget. Figuratively speaking, Yiddish is the humble and wise language of us all, the idiom of humanity that fears and hopes.
1 If a man’s destiny is to drown, he will drown even in a glass of water.
Everything comes from GOD, but also everything will depend on our behaviors and actions in life.
2 I was unhappy about not having shoes until I saw a man without feet.
Be happy with what you have because if we open our eyes we will see many who are really suffering worse than us.
3 Youth is a mistake, middle age a battle, and old age a regret.
A wise interpretation of life’ stages.
4 A book gives knowledge, but it is life that gives understanding.
Books are really useful only if you then also experience the World, that is, the reality of things.
5 Believing in yourself is half of the victory.
Have confidence in yourself is one of the first factors that determine successful people.
6 the righteous fall seven times, they rise again.
A Biblical statement from the Book of Proverbs in Chapter 24 verse 16. The righteous man is not immune from falling, but destined to always get back up.
7 Sometimes the cure is worse than the disease.
Sometimes it is better to stay in pain than to try to be cured.
8 From happiness to suffering is one step, from suffering to happiness an eternity.
In happiness be careful, because the step to lose it is short, while to regain it extremely long.
9 It is easier to make money than to keep it.
Knowing how to be moderate and save money is a great treasure, but this does not absolutely mean that you have to be stingy, just prudent in your spending and careful about wasting.
10 It’s nice to have a job, but that interferes with free time.
Work is a virtue, but free time is also very important for one’s well-being and balance.
11 Everyone is made of the same dough, but not baked in the same oven.
Although everyone is created from the same substance, not everyone is born with the same privileges. This does not mean injustice, but only having different opportunities and trials to overcome.
12 The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Children deep down are never that different from their parents.
13 On the door of success you will find two signs: ENTRY and EXIT.
If you achieve success, remember that you will someday lose it, and if you can’t handle this tough test you will lose yourself.
14 It is better to be bitten by a friend than kissed by an enemy.
Better an hard word from those who loves you, than a good one from those who hate you.
15 Two Jews, three opinions.
Believers always demonstrate more knowledge than the mainstream, and therefore also show more dissimilar opinions.
16 If everyone were moving in one direction, the whole world would flip over.
There will always be different opinions and factions in the World, but that doesn’t mean that different views can’t work together for the common good.
17
People make plans and GOD laughs. (Or: When man thinks, GOD smiles).
Don’t make plans without first saying : “If GOD wills.“
18 He who donates quenches the fire of the ambition to possess.
By helping others you help yourself, because being greedy and attached to possessions is an awful evil that afflicts the the richest.
19 A bad peace is better than a good war.
It will always be better to be in peace, even if forced, than to be under the strain of war.
20 Sadness closes the gates of heaven, prayer opens them up, joy breaks them down.
Don’t be discouraged, have faith and live happily.
21 All brides are beautiful, all the dead are pious.
It is as easy to say in moments of celebration that all brides are beautiful as it is to say that people after death were all good during their lives that is now gone.
22 We worry about the past, we stress about the present, we get scared about the future.
These three times: past, present, and future must be approached in one’s mind with judgment, without letting ourselves be influenced by events that have already happened, that are happening, or that will have to happen.
23 Two cats keep a lion very busy.
Together we are stronger.
24 When a father helps a son, they both smile, but when a son needs to help his father, they both cry.
The first one is a blessing, the second one a misfortune.
25 The girl who can’ t dance says the orchestra can’ t play.
Like the fox who doesn’t get to the grapes and claims they aren’t good, those who don’t get to a goal and despise it demonstrate a lack of Spirit.
26 He who is down, cannot fall.
Never underestimate or despise those who are on the ground, because they can’ t go lower than that, and that can be a strength. If you’re on the ground see the positive aspect, you can’t go lower than that.
27 The shroud has no pockets.
In the Hereafter, your possessions do not matter.In the cloth that is placed over the dead there are no pockets.
28 Love goes away like a holiday, but the wife stays.
Love may pass if uncared for, but the true mate remains for life, so a good thing to choose wisely.
29
A good friend is often better than a brother.
He who finds a friend finds a great treasure, sometimes even better and more appreciated than what he inherited from the family.
30
If you have money in your pocket, you’re handsome, smart and you even sing well.
Money changes the way many people look at you.
31
To know nothing about suffering means not to be a real man.
Anyone who truly lives will have sufferings to endure.
32
An half-truth is a whole lie.
If you don’t tell the truth for what it is, it’s similar to telling a lie.
33
If you cannot be thankful for what you have received, be thankful for what has been spared from you.
Don’t desire other things because the ones you already have are a blessing. Gratitude and thankfulness must be engraved in the heart of every true believer and righteous person.
34
Knowing the Torah does not prevent you from sinning.
Knowing the Biblical precepts does not give you the certainty of not sinning, the work to be done to act correctly, however, remains continuous and much.
35
Better a Jew without a beard than a beard without a Jew.
In past times Jews had to make many compromises to safeguard their life and faith. Someone had to give up even his own loved beard in order not to be identified as a Jew, and this even if it has created sorrow, is to be considered always better than keeping the beloved beard, but risking to lose his life.
36
It’s all about bread and death.
Everything we do “under the Sun” centers around eating to live, and the actions we take in anticipation of death.
37
Meglio un dolore al cuore che la vergogna davanti agli uomini.
It is better to keep a pain in your heart than to expose it to others and then have not only that pain but also shame in front of people.
38
On the facade we show to others we manifest our potential; through our children we reveal our reality.
Appearances can be deceiving, but one’s “fruit” placed in the World speaks clearly about oneself.
39
Women can speak two languages: one before marriage and antother after marriage.
Women after marriage tend to change, it’s good to always remember when you were young and engaged even as the years of living together increase.
40
You can’t control the wind but you can adjust the sail.
There is always something about the events that you have some control over.
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