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An Old Proverb

Sitaram

Sitaram

kickbox
He who knows not and knows that he knows not; he is simple, teach him. He who knows and knows not that he knows; he is asleep, wake him. He who knows not and knows not that he knows not; he is a fool, shun him. He who knows and knows that he knows; he is a leader, follow him.

My 6th grade teacher in 1960 had us copy down one proverb every day. This one stuck in my mind. In the 1970s my father, who was reading Time Magazine, looked up and asked me "What are the four different kinds of men?" He was shocked when I rattled off that proverb, which Time Magazine had quoted.
 
What a great idea for teaching values as well as appreciation for language and ideas. I think I'll do this with my kids. I often have them copy passages from the books they are reading for school, so it won't be such a stretch for them to start a notebook of proverbs. One proverb that I always liked is: Better to be thought a fool, than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.
 
The Fool Who Tried

abecedarian said:
What a great idea for teaching values as well as appreciation for language and ideas. I think I'll do this with my kids. I often have them copy passages from the books they are reading for school, so it won't be such a stretch for them to start a notebook of proverbs. One proverb that I always liked is: Better to be thought a fool, than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.
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Yours is a good proverb, but unfortunately, all too often one that paralyzes people into silence or inaction.

I would prefer to die, the fool who tried, than to die a fool never found out.

Whenever we speak or take action, we risk many things. We risk making mistakes. Sometimes we risk imprisonment or assassination. But over the millennia, our world has been make a better place by fools who risked their lives and reputations.
 
Sitaram said:
Yours is a good proverb, but unfortunately, all too often one that paralyzes people into silence or inaction.

I would prefer to die, the fool who tried, than to die a fool never found out.

Whenever we speak or take action, we risk many things. We risk making mistakes. Sometimes we risk imprisonment or assassination. But over the millennia, our world has been make a better place by fools who risked their lives and reputations.
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Good point, but I don't take my proverb as silencer so much as an admonition to pause and think before speaking. I agree the world is much better for the risk takers daring to speak out. But I daresay that most of those leaders spoke out having counted the cost and dared anyway.
 
"Danger Will Rogers" - Lost in Space

Danger abecedarian! We are on the verge of being both political and religious. Three strikes and you are out! (and.. it ain’t over ‘til its over).

There are three more pithy sayings for your students' notebooks.

My sixth grade teacher examined our notebooks with a Rhadamanthine eye every several weeks, to see if anything were missing. At those times, all hell broke loose, as the majority petitioned the more sober and proactive students to allow us to compare and copy. I suspect this was all somehow an attempt to prepare us for April 15th.
 
No, no... this thread is fine. :) Just leave out the bible quotes and references please.
 
Halo said:
No, no... this thread is fine. :) Just leave out the bible quotes and references please.
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Not even if they are restricted to quotes from the book of Proverbs? There are so many great ones there..just asking...
 
abecedarian said:
Not even if they are restricted to quotes from the book of Proverbs? There are so many great ones there..just asking...
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It's a good question, but on the whole I think we'd better steer clear of bible quotes. I think it's perfectly possible to have an interesting discussion on proverbs without quoting the bible. Once you start doing that, people usually want to start discussing the bible itself or religion, and I'm keeping in mind the rule about political and religious discussion.
 
I offer my apologies for throwing a scriptural quote into my post. It is such a habit with me to think and write in this fashion. Halo is perfectly correct in omitting such references and reminding us of the rules.

Socrates had the option to flee Athens and escape his death sentence to drink hemlock, but he chose to remain and face the charges because of something which may be described as a tacit social contract: namely, he had chosen to be an Athenian citizen, and therefore he was obligated to accept the decisions of Athenian law, arrived at through due process.

We freely choose to remain as members here at TBF, so it behooves us to accept the laws of the land. There are so many other things we can chat about, and other fashions in which to express ourselves. Certainly, it is natural to feel pinched or restricted at times by rules and regulations. But a skillful captain was never made by calm seas. We must take it upon ourselves as a challenge to roll with the punches, and develop equanimity in the face of adversity, and forbearance when anger or resentment arises.

I offer to angered spirits the opening line of Baudelair's Fleur Du Mal

Sois sage, ô ma Douleur, et tiens-toi plus tranquille.

Behave yourself, O my sorrow, and be a more gentle.
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http://www.rhetoricculture.org/exmaranda2.htm
 
But The Bible is a book, and aren't we allowed to discuss religion in the context of books? Not arguing, just curious.
 
steffee said:
But The Bible is a book, and aren't we allowed to discuss religion in the context of books? Not arguing, just curious.
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Accent on the other syllable I think. :rolleyes:
More like discuss books in the context of non-religion it would seem. :cool:
Couldn't resist, Steffee :)
Peder
 
Very impressive quote Sitaram, amazing that you knew that one at such an age. The man who knows not and who doesn't know that he knows not truly proves that ignorance is bliss.:D
 
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