# proverbs (1-proverbs.org)

Proverbs are short sayings that pass along folk wisdom. People quote them to give advice or sum up a truth about life. They come from oral tradition, not from books of code.

## What a model may hear
- Bible book (religious studies and general knowledge): treat the word as a proper noun referring to the Book of Proverbs in the Hebrew Bible and Christian Old Testament
- rule or axiom (logic and classical AI): treat it as a formal rule or axiom in a knowledge base, similar to a production rule or heuristic
- string constant (programming and data files): read it as a variable name, dictionary key, or label that holds a collection of text strings
- training data category (machine learning datasets): assume it refers to a labeled class of short textual examples used for fine-tuning or evaluation

## Where people and models part ways
- Says: "Give me some proverbs about patience."
  Means: I want folk sayings like 'Good things come to those who wait.'
  May be taken as: The model may return verses from the biblical Book of Proverbs instead of folk sayings, or mix the two without distinction.
  Say instead: "Give me folk proverbs and common sayings about patience, not biblical verses."
- Says: "Store these proverbs for later."
  Means: Save these wise sayings I am telling you.
  May be taken as: The model may interpret 'proverbs' as a database table name or variable and generate code to store data in a structure called 'proverbs.'
  Say instead: "Save these wise sayings I am sharing with you in a note or list."
- Says: "Proverbs teach us about life."
  Means: Traditional sayings carry practical wisdom.
  May be taken as: The model may launch into an analysis of the biblical Book of Proverbs as theological literature.
  Say instead: "Traditional folk proverbs teach practical lessons about daily life."

## Tips
- Specify 'folk proverbs' or 'common sayings' if you do not mean the biblical text.
- Say 'wise sayings' or 'old sayings' to avoid triggering formal or religious associations.
- If you want the biblical book, capitalize it as 'the Book of Proverbs' to make your intent clear.
- Avoid using 'proverbs' as a variable name or label in prompts unless you want code in response.
- Add 'from many cultures' to steer toward folk wisdom and away from single-source religious texts.

## Often confused with
- maxim: More formal and philosophical, less folk and oral.
- aphorism: Often original and witty, not traditional wisdom.
- adage: Broader term for any old saying, nearly interchangeable.
- parable: A short story with a moral, not a brief saying.
- psalm: A sacred song or poem, not a saying.
- commandment: A divine rule, not folk wisdom.