
The one with nine envies the one with one.
— Korean proverb; individual author and earliest origin unknown
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THE LIBRARY
Shared wisdom, with origins and meanings explored.

The one with nine envies the one with one.

Children's quarrels become adults' quarrels.

You cannot even drink cold water in front of children.

A pestle thrust out in the middle of the night.

You cannot easily defeat someone who knows the situation.

Save it too long, and it becomes dung.

Sow seeds, and a harvest follows.

You cannot disguise the seed.

Whoever sows must reap.

An arrow released and water spilled.

Even spoiled, a herring is still a herring.

Pouch money is pocket money.

Spilled rice can be gathered; spoken words cannot.

Stop quarrels and help bargains along.

Affection can grow after a quarrel.

In ten years, even rivers and mountains change.

No power lasts ten years, no flower ten days.

Ten years of indigestion finally relieved.