Proverb - Confusing

Words that succinctly summarize the truth of life and are useful as admonition or advice. They are also called golden words, rules of conduct, or proverbs. In the Analects of Confucius, there is the phrase "maxims become law," and proverbs are wise sayings that should become law. Proverbs are things that are widely circulated among the masses and have been passed down since ancient times. The English word proverb is a simple and concise expression of rules of conduct. The French word maxim is a simple expression of morality or the principles of human behavior. In a broad sense, it also includes mottos and epigrams.

The general characteristics of aphorisms are simplicity, familiarity, didacticism, one-sidedness, and catchy sounds. The intention behind the compilation of Erasmus's "Aphorisms" in Adagia was that aphorisms that bring together the wisdom of the classical world would be useful in reviving a sense of history. Aphorisms are represented by saints such as Buddha, Confucius, and Jesus Christ, wise men such as Plato and Seneca, outstanding writers such as Shakespeare and Goethe, and men of penetrating insight such as Pascal and La Rochefoucauld. Another characteristic is the parallelism seen in the passage "A soft answer calms wrath, but harsh words stir up anger" from the "Proverbs" in the Old Testament. For example, the opposite expressions "Appearances can be deceiving" in contrast to "Even the groom's clothes are a sign of one-sided truth. Diversity due to differences in national character and customs is the subject of comparative cultural studies.

[Hideo Funato]

"Encyclopedia of Stories, Folk Beliefs, Proverbs" (1982, Shogakukan) "Complete Commentary on Stories, Famous Quotes, Proverbs" (1975, Jiyukokuminsha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

人生の真理を簡潔にまとめ、訓戒または助言として有用なことば。金言、処世訓、箴言(しんげん)などともいう。『論語』に「格言成法」の語があり、法となるべき至言を格言としている。俗間に広く流布し、昔から言い伝えられているものを諺(ことわざ)、俚諺(りげん)という。英語のプロバーブproverbは処世訓を平明・簡潔に表現したもの。フランス語のマクシムmaximeは道徳律や人間の行動原理を簡明にとらえたもの。広義には、モットーmottoや警句（エピグラムepigram）なども含まれる。

　全体的特徴は簡潔性、通俗性、教訓性、一面性、語呂(ごろ)のよさなど。エラスムス『金言集』Adagia編纂(へんさん)の意図は、古典世界の英知を結集する金言が、歴史感覚の復活に有用と考えたからである。格言は、釈迦(しゃか)、孔子、キリストら聖者、プラトン、セネカら賢者、シェークスピアやゲーテら優れた作家、透徹した洞察力のパスカル、ラ・ロシュフコーらに代表される。『旧約聖書』「箴言」の一節「柔らかな答は憤りを鎮め、激しい言葉は怒りを呼ぶ」にみられる対句表現も一つの特徴。たとえば「馬子にも衣装」に対し、「人は見かけによらぬもの」など正反対の表現に真理の一面性がみられる。国民性や習俗の違いによる多様性は比較文化論の対象となる。

［船戸英夫］

『『故事俗信ことわざ大辞典』（1982・小学館）』▽『『故事名言ことわざ総解説』（1975・自由国民社）』

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