Two parts of a proverb

Proverbs are popular sayings which contain advice or state a generally accepted truth. Most proverbs have their origins in oral tradition, they are generally worded in such a way as to be remembered easily and tend to change little from generation to generation, so much so that sometimes their specific meaning is no longer relevant. For instance, the proverb "penny wise, pound foolish" is a holdover from when America was a British colony and used the pound as currency. Proverbs function as "folk wisdom," general advice about how to act and live, and because they are folk wisdom, they are often strongly reflect the cultural values and physical environment from which they arise. Proverbs are used to support arguments, to provide lessons and instruction, and to stress shared values.