Which came first? Proverbs as a pithy saying or the Book of Proverbs in the Hebrew Bible. I would expect the saying came from the book as it was translated into Greek and Latin and has been around for more than a thousand years.
Considered wisdom literature, this was a widespread genre throughout the ancient Near East, and shares common ground of what was considered wisdom with Egypt and Mesopotamia.
Proverbs as expressions of advice are short and generally known by people. But have they become cliches over time - so overworked that they have lost their meaning?
So which are these? Proverbial sayings or cliches?
There are plenty more fish in the sea.
Think outside the box.
Grab the bull by the horns.
It goes without saying.
At the end of the day.
I've got my plate full.
Every cloud has a silver lining.
There's no “I” in team.
And these:
Don't throw out the baby with the bathwater.
The early bird gets the worm.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
A stitch in time saves nine.
A penny saved is a penny earned.
A drop of honey catches more flies than a hogshead of vinegar.
Don't count your chickens before they've hatched.
The second set seem less precious, don't you think?
Blue flowers abound in spring - these are grape hyacinths.
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