New at IWP Books: Arthur Guiterman, 1920, Chips of the Jade: Being Chinese Proverbs With More Folk-Sayings From Hindustan and Other Oriental Countries.

Eight Sailors; Seven want to steer.
That Junk won’t come to Port, I fear.

Fear not lest Men say Evil Things of you,
But fear to do the Ill they say you do.

This One Makes a Net,
 That One stands and wishes;
Would you like to bet
 Which One gets the Fishes?

Four Words upon the Prison Gate
 Are written: “These Repent Too Late.”

Since Riches lead to Vice,
 And Poverty to Theft,
Outside of Paradise
 Is any Virtue left?

Recorded Words are Fetters;
 When Angry, don’t write Letters.

The New will last perhaps a score
 Of Days; the Old, a Year or more.

The Street will be as clean as Heaven’s Floor
When Each Man sweeps before his Own Front Door.

A Day, or a Minute? A Year or a Moon?
Now, which does he mean when he says, “Pretty soon!”

Small Ills are the Fountains
 Of most of our Groans.
Men trip not on Mountains,
 They stumble on Stones.

“My Wisdom aids the World!” — How sweet
 That Secret Thought of Great and Small!
The Sea-gull sleeps with Upturned Feet
 To catch the Sky when that shall fall.

My Home is a Shell
 With an Empty Shelf!
Oh, bring me a Well
 And I’ll drown myself!

Avoid Suspicion: When you’re walking through
Your Neighbor’s Melon-patch, don’t tie your Shoe.

Who dares not hoist the sail till all agree
 That Danger’s dead, will never put to Sea.

I’ll make it Rain as soon as Men
 Will all agree and tell me when.