Wisdom of life is part of every culture. They are, so to speak, reflections of the prevailing circumstances and views and are passed on from generation to generation, often as centuries-old traditional oral traditions. In Germany there are numerous proverbs, wisdom and good advice for all situations in life. Numbers also play a central role in many traditional sayings. Some of these wisdoms have become particularly popular and are used very often. Here we have collected some of them and researched their backgrounds:
"The world is a village"
This saying originally comes from Italian, but has also become established in Germany. In Italy they say “Tutto il mondo è paese”. The saying “The world is small and you always meet twice in your life” is similar. The saying is self-explanatory. Everyone has experienced it - you are in a place where you would never expect to run into someone you know. Suddenly you see a familiar face in the crowd. The world is just a village.
"The first impression counts."
According to the website b.dress, it only takes about 100 milliseconds for us to assess a person. Then we know whether we can tolerate them or not. Even if this first impression changes after meeting someone, it can be difficult to correct it. We have had this instinct for millions of years. It helps us assess who is a friend and who is an enemy, writes b.dress. So the first impression actually counts.
"All good things come in threes."
Surprisingly, many people in the UK say their lucky number is not 7, but 3. According to a survey by Betway, only 25% said their lucky number was 7. A full 67%, on the other hand, attributed their lucky streaks in life to the 3. It doesn't seem to be any different in Germany. The proverb appeared as early as 1867 in the German Proverbs Lexicon by Karl Friedrich Wilhelm Wander (1803-1879).
"Practice makes perfect"
Malcolm Gladwell got the internet talking with his 10,000-hour rule. According to his theory, it takes 10,000 hours of focused practice to master a skill, no matter what field it may be. Regardless of whether the number 10,000 is accurate or not, it is true that it takes a lot of practice and discipline to master anything. Although this can be difficult at times, discipline can also be very straightforward, as many activities at a certain point simply require repeating regularly until they become consistent.
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“Rome wasn’t built in a day”
In keeping with “practice makes perfect” and the theme of discipline, this saying advises patience. Rome was actually not built in a single day. The capital of Italy was founded in 753 BC. Before that, the area had already been inhabited for a long time, Woxikon describes the emergence of the most powerful city in antiquity. As the various settlements merged in the 8th century, more and more people flocked to Rome, it goes on to say. “Residential houses, city buildings, palaces, streets, aqueducts, the Colloseum and the Circus were built. Every ruler came up with something for the city.” A lot has changed since the 8th century. Today Rome is completely different and yet still fascinating and attractive. If Rome wasn't built in a day, then the renovation at home doesn't have to be finished that same afternoon and the new foreign language doesn't have to be mastered perfectly after the first lesson. However, if you take enough time, it is ultimately often more effective than putting pressure on yourself.
“Shards bring luck”
Shards bring luck - that's a saying that everyone who grew up in Germany has probably heard at least once in their life. But why actually? And why shards of all things? The saying originally comes from a custom that is traditional at many Jewish weddings. A glass is crushed by the groom at the wedding. This symbolizes the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, writes the site Mundmische . To ward off bad luck and attract good luck instead, the wedding guests shout “Mazel Tov,” which means “good luck!” means.
"Just wait and see"
Just like “Shards bring luck,” the saying “Wait and drink tea” is very well known in Germany. But exactly where the saying comes from is not entirely clear. It is said to be the story of a doctor or herbalist who specialized in herbs. He is said to have called on his patients to be patient by repeatedly saying “wait and drink tea”. In this case, the tea was the medicine for his patients. Today , the pharmacy survey, which lists numerous medicinal plants , would probably agree with the doctor.
There are many, many other proverbs, sayings, wisdom and the like that you can find on Allmaxx. All that remains is to choose the right one for the right situation!
