Under a ragged coat lies wisdom.~ Romanian Proverb ~
I'm not really sure how to interpret this proverb. For one, it sounds a lot like Lao Tzu's depiction of a sage who leads a simple life. For another -- and this could tie in with the first -- the proverb could be suggesting that the person more likely to wear a ragged coat is someone who has had it for a long time; an older person who has gained wisdom over the years.
What say you? What do you think it means?
What say you? What do you think it means?
The ragged coat could also be the body...not necessarily old, but well worn and seasoned by life's lessons.
ReplyDeleteComplete non sequitur, but this proverb reminds me of my uncle. This was a guy who saved everything, was extremely frugal, and would attempt to recycle everything long before recycling was p.c.
ReplyDeleteOne of his favorite items of clothing was his army jacket. Considering he was in the army in the 40’s, and he wore the dickens out of it, you can imagine by the 80’s and 90’s what it looked like! “Ragged coat” indeed!
What most people never suspected was that my uncle was extremely wise in his investments. And consequently quite wealthy. He told how he loved to go to Tiffany’s with his wife (yes—the one in New York) and would purposely wear that jacket. The salespeople would look down their noses at him, and ignore him, and he would sit there and smile.
He said when it came time to pay, they figured no way could this ragged dressed man come up with the funds. Yet he managed to have the cash.
my take is simply that we shouldn't judge by outward appearance.
ReplyDeleteLike a rolling stone gathers no moss. (I was never sure whether the moss was supposed to be a good thing or not.)
ReplyDeleteThis is the wonderful thing about sayings: different people can explain the meaning in different ways. Personally, I like each one of your explanations.
ReplyDeleteI agree with shinzen proverbs should not be read literally,it might mean under a poor or destitute situation [ragged coat] there is wisdom or in suffering much their is wisdom.
ReplyDelete