Setting Forth the Nine Proverbs

from the translation of Gnarlen the Thunderous

From days ancient and forgotten, the Lod have depended on the Nine Proverbs to guide them through life. I have taken deep pains to set forth this wisdom so to share it with the younger races. In so doing, I have relied on a translations from the Graetish into common. Unfortunately, Graetish has some words that do not directly correspond into any other language of the Four Lands. In making this translation have had to resort to entire phrases and sentences where a single word would have sufficed in the original. In using too many words, some of the beauty and poetry of the mother tongue has been lost, but I preferred the meaning of the Nine Proverbs to remain intact.

1. Life, laughter, dignity, liberty -- these are both the purpose and the means.
2. True stature is found in the height of the mind and the work of the hand.
3. The making of a thing is more excellent than the unmaking of anything.
4. Kindness is owed to all; but trust must be earned by the tall.
5. Indolence and fear are the only real enemies of every soul.
6. A fat body has a slow mind, but a quick mind has a healthy body.
7. Water defeats everything because it respects neither order nor chaos, but is relentless.
8. Function precedes form; but beauty and elegance are the gateways to awe.
9. The worker is worthy of hire.

The Nine Proverbs are generally found with several of books of commentary expounding the deeper wisdom of these pithy sayings. If one desires that level of examination, I recommend the complete works of Begnym or Jinzic or even the third through fifth volumes of Zook.

It is often pointed out that the manner of the 9th Proverb departs from the tone and structure of the earlier eight. This is due to the Calamity which the Lod will never allow themselves to forget.