Unveiled are ancient sayings with long-lost endings hidden within their depths.

In the rich tapestry of human culture, proverbs serve as valuable repositories of wisdom, advice, humor, and observations. These succinct, traditional sayings have been passed down through generations, providing a means for people to communicate complex ideas in a concise and memorable manner.

"A person uses proverbs to adorn their speech"

This proverb emphasizes the use of proverbs in everyday conversation to make speech more elegant, wise, or authoritative. By employing familiar sayings, people can add weight, clarity, or flavor to their communication, making it more persuasive or memorable.

Variations:

"To a drunkard, the sea is up to his knees"

This proverb highlights the risk of overestimating abilities and making decisions leading to negative consequences. In a state of intoxication, one may perceive something vast and overwhelming as manageable or small, illustrating the skewed perspective that can result from impaired judgment.

"Two left shoes"

This proverb refers to something mismatched or out of place, such as wearing two left shoes, which is uncomfortable and impractical. It is often used to describe a situation, relationship, or pairing that lacks harmony or compatibility.

"Who remembers old wrongs, gets their eye poked out (and who forgets, gets two)"

This cautionary proverb advises against dwelling on past wrongs, as it can lead to problems, while forgetting them can lead to benefits. The violent image (eye poked out) symbolizes the painful consequences of lingering animosity.

"Eaten a dog"

This expression describes someone who has experienced a lot in life, is seasoned, or toughened by hardships. It means the person has "been through a lot."

"Tongue is not a shovel"

This proverb advises prudence in speaking, as the tongue (speech) cannot “shovel away” or retract words once spoken.

"Neither fish nor flesh"

This proverb refers to something ambiguous, mediocre, or indecisive; neither one thing nor the other, lacking a clear identity or quality.

"Hand washes hand"

This proverb expresses mutual help or cooperation. Just as one hand helps wash the other, people benefit from assisting each other.

"Fools' law is not written"

This saying encapsulates folk wisdom about folly being beyond codified norms or predictable patterns, indicating that foolishness does not conform to any rule.

Summary

Proverbs are a testament to the collective wisdom of humanity, encapsulating age-old insights, advice, and values. Each variation you listed is a proverbial expression that reflects different human experiences, attitudes, and values, often conveyed through vivid imagery drawn from everyday life, nature, or human interactions.

If you're interested, I can delve deeper into the cultural background or linguistic origins of any proverb, or share equivalents in other languages! For example:

"Hand washes hand" also means a cover-up, where people protect each other in some dishonorable matter.
"Neither fish nor flesh" can also imply a person's freedom who does not want to follow any rules, including church rules.
"Fools' law is not written" denotes someone who behaves as they please, ignoring existing norms and rules, with a more vivid ending: "if so - still a fool."
"Eaten a dog (and choked on the tail)" is used to describe an experienced person who knows all the intricacies of a matter, but may still encounter difficulties due to minor details.
"Neither fish nor flesh" originated from religious traditions, specifically from the Catholic Church's Lenten rules, but has transcended its religious context to characterize people who cannot make decisions or denote things that do not have a specific benefit.
Proverbs are grammatically complete sentences expressing folk wisdom in a didactic form.
The expression "Tongue is not a shovel" is often said about those with high expectations who want only the best.
The proverb "Two left shoes (both on the left foot)" describes people who are incredibly similar but may be different in reality.
The true meaning of the expression "Tongue is not a shovel" lies in the ability to evaluate and intuitively choose quality.

Using proverbs to enhance speech emphasizes the value of making communication wise, elegant, or authoritative.
The proverb "To a drunkard, the sea is up to his knees" serves as a warning against overestimating abilities and making decisions leading to negative consequences.
"Two left shoes" signifies a mismatched or unbalanced situation, depicting a lack of harmony or compatibility.
"Who remembers old wrongs, gets their eye poked out (and who forgets, gets two)" cautions against dwelling on past hurts, suggesting that forgetting them may yield benefits.
"Eaten a dog" denotes someone who has experienced a lot in life, symbolizing endurance and resilience in the face of hardships.
"Tongue is not a shovel" advises prudence in speech, warning against the inability to retract or undo words once spoken.
"Neither fish nor flesh" refers to something ambiguous, mediocre, or indecisive, lacking a clear identity or quality.
"Hand washes hand" symbolizes mutual help or cooperation, signifying the benefits of helping each other.
"Fools' law is not written" suggests that foolishness defies codified norms and rules, as foolishness is unpredictable and nonconformist.
"Neither fish nor flesh" in religious contexts may refer to a person who does not follow any rules or would not be deemed virtuous by the Church.
Proverbs, often grammatically complete sentences, encapsulate age-old insights, convey didactic advice, and uphold cultural values.
"Tongue is not a shovel" is a reminder to choose quality and be discerning when making choices and decisions.
"Two left shoes (both on the same foot)" alludes to people who are extremely alike but may have different realities.
The true essence of the expression "Tongue is not a shovel" lies in the ability to evaluate and make wise, educated choices.