Every time we hear any proverb, for example, “Take care of the dress again, and honor from youth”, we are interested in its roots and meaning, provided that we are quite curious. In this article, we offer reflection on the proverb mentioned above.
The origin of the proverbs
For centuries, people have been accumulating the wisdom of life. Savvy peasants note everything: when to check the weather for the summer, and how to plant wheat and rye, and how to distinguish one horse from another. Noticed the behavior of plants, and the habits of animals, and the main features of people. Each observation was expressed in accurate, vivid and capacious verbal sayings. They were well remembered due to the internal rhythm, and even rhyme. The proverb “Take care of the dress again, and honor from youth” is no exception.
Types of Proverbs and Sayings
And, basically, proverbs and sayings are needed for a prognostic function or definition of something after the fact. For example, when a person repeats the unseemly actions of his parents, they say about him with a sigh: "An apple does not fall far from an apple tree." But this means that a person has already done something wrong, and nothing can be done now. But there is a separate kind of sayings - instructive. They are designed to tell people what to do so that life is more “right” and meets the expectations of others. The saying "Take care of the dress again, and honor from a young age" refers to these. It was created so that the younger generation understands the general canon of behavior accepted in society.
The meaning of the saying: abstract and concrete
This expression compares, on the one hand, the everyday and understandable statement that the dress must be looked after from the moment it was sewn. The fact that a specific word is used here does not mean a particular item of clothing. It is rather a collective image, the name of any clothing in general, things in principle.
Every zealous owner knows that both a shirt and boots, and even a bag of grain should be used strictly for its intended purpose and not be kept in the wrong conditions. After all, if you wipe your newborn calves with a shirt, it will quickly deteriorate. And if the grain is not stored in a special well-ventilated barn, but behind the stove, then it will become damp and it will be impossible to eat. And even more expensive things like boots, a caftan, a sheepskin coat, a carpet, which were bought not only once in a lifetime, but also passed on by inheritance. They must be protected so that they last as long as possible. A careful attitude to a thing is the key to its "long and healthy life."
On the other hand, the proverb tells of such a complex and abstract concept as honor.
And this contrast is created intentionally. People rarely think about abstraction, especially younger ones. Their blood is hot, all sorts of prohibitions and frameworks seem to them no more than an invention of old people who have outlived their lives. But it is precisely in youth that people most often commit acts that could be described as dishonest. Therefore, this saying arose, as edification and teaching to the younger generation.
Such reflections on the topic: “Take care of the dress again, and honor from a young age: the meaning of the proverb and its analysis.”
Addiction sayings
In the modern world, as a rule, the second part of the saying is used. Since the boundaries of morality and the concept of “due” have recently been blurred, now they usually say this to people who have dishonored themselves and tarnished with some unworthy act. And if the one whom they report in this way, suddenly asks: ““ Take care of the dress again, and honor from the young, ”- who said?” They will answer him angrily: “People!” You know, as in a song: music is author's, words are folk.
Honor and Etiquette
So what is honor and why should it be protected? Honor is a set of rules of conduct adopted in the society in which a person lives. “Maintaining honor” means behaving acceptable to others. However, do not confuse honor with etiquette. The latter is a set of external rules: how to sit at a table, how to eat, how to greet. And honor implies that a person takes a certain internal position and behaves in accordance with it, however, honor implies a certain external canon of behavior. This places the concept of “honor” between “etiquette” and “dignity”. Outwardly, human dignity may not manifest itself at all.
But we were distracted, so we continue. To take the wrong fork at dinner is embarrassment, but to poke this neighbor’s fork in the eye is dishonesty and hooliganism. To kill a speaker is ugly, to accuse him of theft means "dishonor." The first can happen by carelessness, the second, in any case, a conscious choice.
The history of the concept of “honor”
Today, the concept of “honor” is considered morally obsolete and is used only in some specific structures in which there is a rigid hierarchy (army, criminal world). Now usually talk about dignity. The concept of “dignity”, thank God, is still relevant, we hope his sun will not set.
But at the time of knights and beautiful ladies, honor was an integral attribute of man. At least in high society. By honor, ladies understood her proper behavior, first in relation to her parents, and then to her husband. Manners and the ability to behave in society were also included in the concept of “honor”. It’s even impossible to imagine that in those days two ladies, quarreling, grabbed each other's hair!
If there was an open conflict, they made it easier - did not meet. One did not accept the other in her house, and they did not attend the same events. And the honor of the organizers of the event was supported by the subtle ability not to invite two such ladies to themselves at the same time. Pushing them on purpose was also considered a dishonest act.
The honor of a man was a much more subtle and complex concept. You cannot be a liar and a thief. It was forbidden to blame other people for no good reason. Violation of subordination (proper relations between subordinate and boss) was equated in most cases to loss of honor. The code of honor also included a permissible attitude towards women, and even with his wife a man was obliged to treat in a certain way. For some suspicions that the husband hit his wife, not to mention a stranger, the man was expelled from decent society. Not a single event hosted him, no friend invited him. All doors immediately closed in front of him.
And the shame of dishonor could be washed away only with blood. True, especially aggressive men found any reason to insult and fight.
Thus, the proverb “Take care of the dress again and honor the youth” (the author is unknown) not only guided young people on the true path, but also saved their lives. After all, a dishonest thing done in early youth on a hot head could float out. If someone found out and told about this, then he had to be called up for a duel without fail in order to defend his honor. Here are such hot manners before.
We hope that our article helped to understand the meaning of the proverb “take care of the dress again, and honor from the youth”. Its meaning ceased to be a mystery to the reader.