The Most Famous Religious Proverbs: Between Faith and Wisdom

God sees and provides: just one of the most famous religious proverbs. Let’s discover the others.

Don’t look in the mouth of a horse that was a gift. A word to the wise is enough. Strike while the iron is hot. The old hen makes good broth. When did we first hear these proverbs? Probably when we were too young to question their meaning. Often, they are peculiar phrases, seemingly nonsensical, yet each contains a truth, usually derived from experience, popular wisdom, and ancient traditions rooted in the history of a people, a culture, or even a religion.

Indeed, there are religious proverbs that convey profound meanings related to God, spirituality, and faith through maxims or metaphors. Proverbs also express a form of popular philosophy, often originating in rural settings and inspired by everyday objects, daily actions, animals, and seasonal changes. Among these rural proverbs, the figures of Saints frequently appear, often linked to the agricultural calendar, farming activities, and animal husbandry. In our country alone, there are thousands of proverbs connected to various regions and dialects.

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The truth expressed in proverbs is undeniable and well-founded. They affirm what people believe to be true, or in some cases, they validate commonly held beliefs. Their origin is deeply rooted in the history, customs, and traditions of the people to whom they belong, making them of historical, social, anthropological, and linguistic interest. To support the importance of proverbs in our culture, there is a specific field of study dedicated to examining their origins and the oral traditions and direct experiences they encapsulate: paremiology (from the Greek paroimía). Alongside this is paremiography, the collection of proverbs, with ancient and illustrious origins such as the Book of Proverbs from Jewish culture in the Bible, the “sentences” of Menander from the Hellenistic period, or sayings recorded and passed down by Aristotle. By the medieval period, there already existed a rich and extensive Corpus paroemiographorum.

There are two types of proverbs:

– Prescriptive, which directly or indirectly encourage certain behaviours (e.g., Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth);

– Descriptive, which describe behaviours to avoid or follow (e.g., He who keeps company with the lame learns to limp).

Let’s explore some of the most famous Christian proverbs and proverbs about saints, and how they overlap with popular wisdom, creating a fascinating blend of the sacred and the profane.

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Proverbs About God and Religion

We’ve highlighted some of the most well-known religious sayings, aiming to uncover their meanings.

God sees and provides

Derived from the Latin phrase: “Spes confisa Deo, numquam confusa recedit” (Hope placed in God never departs in confusion), this proverb is widespread in Italy with various forms. Its meaning is clear: a good Christian should fully trust in God and place their faith in Him. If someone harms us, it is God’s role to make them realise their mistakes and possibly punish them. It encourages not to lose hope and to rely on divine providence. However, it also implies that one should behave righteously while awaiting divine judgement. A variant of this saying is another religious proverb: “Help yourself, and God will help you,” which clearly advises against passively waiting for divine aid when facing challenges, urging personal effort alongside faith in higher support.

Among the proverbs encouraging resilience and trust in God, consider “The Lord works in mysterious ways,” which suggests relying on divine providence, as God may offer unexpected solutions when least anticipated.

Man proposes, God disposes

This ancient proverb appears in famous literary works and derives from the Latin: “Homo proponit, sed Deus disponit.” It conveys that no matter how hard one tries or how well one plans, the final outcome is determined by God’s will. Thus, while humans strive with good intentions, ultimately, God decides.

He who waits for God is well served

If we pursue our goals with patience, allowing things to unfold naturally without succumbing to haste and anxiety, God may intervene to ensure favourable outcomes.

What is done for good does not displease God

This implies that the end justifies the means, at least when actions are for a higher good. God is ready to forgive and overlook the methods used if they serve worthy purposes. This ancient popular proverb dates back to the Middle Ages. A related variant is: “Only what I enjoy and give for God can I truly call mine,” where material goods are the means to achieve good, such as helping others or performing acts of charity.

God sends only what we can bear

In other words, God gives each person only what they can endure and overcome, serving as encouragement not to be discouraged, as no problem is too great to handle, even if it seems insurmountable. This originates from the Latin: “Ultra posse viri, non vult Deus ulla requiri.”

Proverbs About Saints

There are many weather-related proverbs tied to the agricultural calendar and saints’ feast days, such as “By Saint Urban’s day, wheat becomes grain,” “Saint Martin’s summer lasts three days and a little more,” “Saint Lucy’s day is the shortest of the year,” “By Saint Benedict’s day, the swallow is under the roof,” and “For Saint Catherine’s day, either rain, snow, or frost.”

Other proverbs use saints as examples to encourage living closer to God.

Saints do not eat

Those with a rich and intense spiritual life, like a saint, do not need physical nourishment because their spirit is sufficiently fed. This is an ancient Tuscan proverb.

When God does not will it, the saints cannot

A variant of: “If God does not will it, no saint can intervene.” Only God’s will matters, and nothing can oppose it. Not even saints can intercede against His omnipotence.

Joke with soldiers but leave the saints alone

Meaning do not mix the sacred with the profane, and also a warning against blasphemy. It’s better not to joke about saints and sacred matters, though it’s acceptable to jest about secular and non-serious topics. This derives from the ancient Latin phrase: “Noli miscere sacra prophanis.”