Amish Proverbs - Baker Publishing Group

IntroductionThe Amish in Their Own WordsMost every culture has proverbs that are unique to it.Whether called maxims, bromides, truisms, idioms,expressions, sayings, or just an old saw, proverbs aresmall, concentrated packages that let us peek into the window of apeople’s values and beliefs. They give us insight into a culture, itsfaith, folklore, history, language, mentality, psychology, worldview,and values. These pithy sayings are not meant to be universal truths.They contain general observations and experiences of humankind,including life’s multifaceted contradictions.“Proverbs,” radio Bible teacher J. Vernon McGee once said, “areshort sentences drawn from long experience.” 1The ancient Eastern world—Egypt, Greece, China, and India—is thought to be the home of proverbs, dating back to collectionsfrom as early as 2500 BC. King Solomon, who reigned in the tenthcentury BC, gathered many of them from other sources as well asedited and authored others. Over five hundred were compiled into11Suzanne Woods Fisher, Amish Proverbs, expanded editionRevell Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group, © 2012. Used by permission.