PAPOU’S PROVERBS

About the Book

Papou's Proverbs – 1001 Grecian Words Of Wisdom, by George H. Malouf, is a one-of-a-kind masterpiece—a treasured collection of cultural sayings and proverbs, of the Hellenic world, that is absolutely fascinating. These popular sayings, full of wisdom denoting the life styles and habits of the Greek world, have been preserved throughout the ages; and handed down from one generation to the next. Many, of these proverbs ("ðáñïéìßåò—pa-ri-mih-yes) were repeated on the tongues of such savants as Aristotle, Socrates, Plato and others. They are timeless and universal in their content, meaning and usage, as they echoe the mannerism and habits of the Greek people in their daily life. These sayings were born out of the very fabric of life’s hardships, experiences, and from the effects of a diverse Hellenic culture. They bring to life the very essence of the core values of a civilization that has contributed so much to our modern world. They tend to clarify (for us) and educate us, by unveiling the curtain of obscurity and mystery, surrounding the day-to-day life-styles of the ancients. In many instances, they are as relevant today, as they were thousands of years ago, as in: "Ðïéüôçò ðáÑü ðïóüôçò" (Pyoh-tis pa-rah po-soh-tis) -- "Quality before quantity." Many of these relate to good advice, ethics and judgement. They can be applied, in many instances, on a daily basis, as in: "ÐÝíôå ìÝôÑá, ìßá êüâå" (Peh-nde meh-tra, mih-ya koh-ve) -- "Measure five times and cut once," "Ì’Ýíá óÌðüÑÏ äýÏ ôÑõãüÍéá" (M'eh-na sbah-ro dhih-yo tri-ghoh-n-ya) -- "Two birds with one stone," "¼ëá êáëü, ôýëÏò êáëü" (Oh-la ka-lah, teh-los ka-loh) -- "All is well that ends well," and "Ðáí ÌÝôÑÏí üÑéóôÏí" (Pahn meh-tron ah-ris-ton) -- "Everything within its limits." As one continues to roam the pages of this wonderfully captivating collection, he/she will bear witness to the beauty in expression that continues to reverberate throughout the lives of the Hellenes. In the final instance, the reader will begin to comprehend the modern usage of these proverbs as they relate to today’s mannerism, wisdom and thought.

About the Author

George Hanna Malouf is a published author and poet. He was born in Jerusalem in 1946. In 1948, his family moved to Tyre, Lebanon, where he finished his elementary education. In 1959, his family moved to Texas. He is a graduate of Hereford High School and the University of Texas Tech at Lubbock. He married Yiota for whom he dedicated his first book of poems, The Lovely Blue. The pair now resides in Lubbock, Texas. They have three children: John, Constantine, and Katerina and seven grandchildren: George, David, Andrew, Constantine, Alex, Daniel, and Maya. Mr. Malouf continues to delve in poetry, history, genealogy, and translation work; he is a polyglot (versed in Arabic, French, Greek, Spanish, English, and Italian). His love of nature, humanity, peace, and reverence before God abounds in the melodious resonance throughout his poetry. “Malouf’s poetry soothes the heart,” writes Annie Polston of the Elkhart Truth, “a trip through the very soul of man.” His second book of poetry, Ethereal Moment of Truth, was published by Vantage Press of New York. His third book, Maloof—The Ghassani Legacy (the history and genealogy of the Maloof family) was published by Taylor Publishing of Dallas. George is now working on a book of proverbs in Greek and English (Lil Gus’ Words of Wisdom), and a poetry book (At the Heart of the Rose). Excerpts of his work have appeared in over one hundred publications including Our World’s Best Loved Poems (1984), Hearts on Fire (1984), Best New Poets (1988), World Treasury of Great Poems (1989), Who’s Who in Poetry (1989), and many others.