Editing Polish proverbs (section)

== History ==
The oldest known Polish proverb, dating to 1407, was written in [[Latin]] and [[Old Polish]]: "''Quando sø lika drø, tunc ea drzi''", which translates to "When [[bast fibre|bast]] can be torn, then tear it." This is analogous to "[[wikt:make hay while the sun shines|Make hay while the sun shines]]" or "[[wikt:strike while the iron is hot|Strike while the iron is hot]]". The oldest Polish proverb thus reminded peasants to seize the opportunity when the time was right – to harvest bast in the spring, which they would turn into [[bast shoes]], [[textile]]s, and [[rope|cordage]] in winter.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite book|last=Jarząbek|first=Krystyna|url=https://dokumenty.osu.cz/ff/ksl/paremie/sbornik2012.pdf#page=70 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210830042837/https://dokumenty.osu.cz/ff/ksl/paremie/sbornik2012.pdf |archive-date=2021-08-30 |url-status=live|title=Parémie národů slovanských VI: sborník příspěvků z mezinárodní konference konané v Ostravě ve dnech 9.-10. října 2012|year=2012|pages=70–79|language=pl|trans-title=Poles and Poland in Polish proverbs|chapter=Polacy i Polska w rodzimych przysłowiach}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-05-14|title=Przysłowia ludowe mądrością narodu|url=https://nikidw.edu.pl/2020/05/14/przyslowia-ludowe-madroscia-narodu/|access-date=2021-08-30|website=Narodowy Instytut Kultury i Dziedzictwa Wsi|language=pl-PL}}</ref><ref name=mlyn>{{Cite journal|last=Młynarczyk|first=Ewa|date=2015|title=Językowo-kulturowy obraz łyka w świetle dawnych frazeologizmów i przysłów|url=https://www.ceeol.com/search/article-detail?id=752401|journal=Annales Universitatis Paedagogicae Cracoviensis. Studia Linguistica|language=Polish|issue=10|pages=120–129|issn=2083-1765}}</ref>

Some Polish proverbs have been medieval translations of [[Latin]] classics. Thus, "''Oko pańskie konia tuczy''" – "The master's eye fattens the horse" – comes from the Latin "''Oculus domini saginat equum''"; and the latter Latin proverb was likely translated from a still older [[Persian language|Persian]] one. Other proverbs have taken their origin from other European languages.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite book|last=Szpila|first=Grzegorz|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ENMbAQAAIAAJ&q=Oko+pa%C5%84skie+konia+tuczy+%C5%82aciny+Oculus|title=Krótko o przysłowiu|date=2003|publisher=Collegium Columbinum|isbn=978-83-87553-63-0|pages=16|language=pl}}</ref> 

Many proverbs have been popularized by [[Polish literature]]. For example, the popularity of "''Oko pańskie konia tuczy''" has been attributed to its inclusion in [[Adam Mickiewicz]]'s [[epic poem]], ''[[Pan Tadeusz]]''.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Krzyżanowski|first=Julian|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kyk4AAAAIAAJ&q=%22Oko+pa%C5%84skie+konia+tuczy%22+krzy%C5%BCanowski|title=Madrej glowie dość dwie slowie: Dwie nowe centurie przysłów polskich|date=1958|publisher=Państwowy Instytut Wydawniczy|pages=219|language=pl}}</ref>