Aphorism

aph . o .rism / noun/  a saying,  a maxim, an adage, a proverb, a pithy observation that contains a truth

  A    word fitly spoken

  Is like apples of gold

  In settings of silver.

           Proverbs 25:11          

Most of us like an idea that is  packaged well. The aphorism is good  packaging.  Aphorisms are like quality  fruit: appealing on the outside and luscious on the inside. When you take time to unpack its language, you find something satisfying and enjoyable.

Whenever I go to hear a speaker, I take notes, not to have evidence to incriminate the person, but to support my memory. What I like when I go to conferences with keynote speakers and seminar presenters is to find  something in the speakers’ presentations–a memorable few words–that I can return to and gather fresh insights long after the occasion has passed. The fly-leaf of my Bible is a favorite place for such jottings during worship services. Even  years later, I can turn to the fly leaf and find there, for example,  Ginny Allen’s words, “You can’t fly a kite without the wind,” and be reminded of her powerful delivery at a Women’s Ministries event. There I will also find Ruthie Jacobsen’s humorous remark,  “When you smile, people think you’re smarter than you really are,” something I need to read often to help me frown less. Another of Ruthie’s sayings that I have shared with my students is “Your mind takes seriously what your tongue tells it.”

Both of these women are excellent public speakers, but they may not be aware that they belong to a long line of individuals who can compress powerful ideas into a few memorable, provocative words on an aspect of life. You may know such sayings as maxims or proverbs; they are aphorisms, a kind of writing that we many times turn to for an interesting look into life’s meaning.

The term aphorism was coined by Hippocrates, who might be called “the patron saint of medicine.”  In  his book Aphorisms,  he dealt with the symptoms and the  diagnosis of diseases and the art of healing and medicine.  The first sentence of his book is often quoted: “Life is short, art is long, opportunity is fleeting, experience deceptive, judgment difficult.”  In one sentence, he has packed a dissertation on the meaning of existence here on planet Earth, at least, according to Hippocrates. And this is what aphorisms do. They condense volumes into a brief space.

King Solomon’s name is linked to proverbs, also called aphorisms.  He has given us the best known collection of aphoristic sayings on a wide range of topics, especially on wisdom, how to get it and how to  live wisely. He writes, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom and with all thy getting, get understanding” (4:7). For Solomon, wisdom is a preeminent value, and we should handle it well, not as some people do who confuse knowledge with wisdom and act as if all knowledge stopped with them.  Generations of parents have brought up their children in  the confidence implicit in this proverb: “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it” (22:6). And the Wise Man was ahead of today’s psychologists when he wrote, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth up the bones” (17:22).  Paul E. Larsen delved into  the wisdom in the Proverbs and prepared an instructive book, Wise and Live, in which he presents commentary suitable for contemporary living.

As a master of the literary form of the proverb, Solomon  was in a class by himself,  but others have left us some memorable sayings  as well.  Blaise Pascal, 17th century mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer, theologian, and philosopher, wrote adages that are not proverbs in the sense of Solomon’s, but they are wise sayings nonetheless, and have earned for Pascal a large and appreciative following today. He wrote, “There are only two kinds of men: the righteous who think they are sinners and the sinners who think they are righteous.” We can imagine Pascal writing those words with a knowing twinkle in his eyes.  He also wrote, “In faith there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadow  to blind those who don’t.” The imagery here is striking.

One famous American who knew how to say  a lot in a few words was Benjamin Franklin, who just about taught himself to read and write after only two years of formal schooling. Young Ben hungered for books and knowledge. The first book he read–a borrowed one–was Pilgrim’s Progress. He began writing at an early age, and in his lifetime gave to American literature what has been called “the plain style.”  He wrote in language everyone could understand. His Poor Richard’s Almanack, with its  terse wit, was widely popular  in his day, and thousands of his remarkable sayings  have been collected for us to enjoy today. Most of us know at least one of his sayings: “Early to bed, early to rise  makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” Here are a few others of Ben Franklin sayings:

*A light purse is a heavy curse.

* Fish and visitors smell after three days.

*God heals and the doctor takes the fees.

*Blessed is he that expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed.

* A good example is the best sermon.

*God helps them that helps themselves.

In our time, an aphorism made famous  by the British historian and moralist Lord Acton finds great resonance, given all that is going on in government circles. He wrote,  “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” The present political climate attests to the truth of Lord Acton’s words.

Many times, in speaking as well as in writing,  we take the long way around to say what we really mean.  Aphorisms teach us that less is more. Naturally, not everything can be distilled into a few brief words, but aphorisms show us that we can make a lasting impact with just a few forceful ones. Besides their brevity, they contain gems of truth that bring us inspiration and a new perspective on life here now, and hereafter.

Blessings,

Judith

*******

“Small acts can undo God’s work.”

June Masters Bacher