Proverbs, aphorisms, epigrams, sayings, maxims, and so on are the refined gems of wisdom of a culture. They are often so mundane they are invisible, yet they are the foundation of much of our culture. One does not understand a language, or a culture, until one knows its proverbs and stories. Proverbs are the whispers of the ancients, of our ancestors, down through time. They are bits of wisdom, observations of detail, pattern, and process, designed to spare people from painful experience, or to guide them towards success. This is a collection of proverbs from many parts of the world, though predominantly from Western culture. Proverbs are sorted alphabetically. I had no idea there were so many, when I started this project, it has taken 11 years to get this together. This is a book to be enjoyed at fireside, perhaps with cheese and crackers to the side, slowly, the way books used to be read.