lyhyestä virsi kaunis

Finnish

Etymology

Literally, “out of brevity, [comes] a beautiful song”. The traditional proverb is used in the Kalevala (1835), but its further history is unclear.

Proverb

lyhyestä virsi kaunis

  1. brevity is the soul of wit; conciseness of expression is an essential characteristic of astute, perceptive, or witty remarks
    • 1888, trad., John Martin Crawford, transl.; Elias Lönnrot, editor, Kalevala, poem XII:
      Hyvä on laulu loppuvasta, lyhyestä virsi kaunis
      Fine the singing quickly ending, Good the song that quickly ceases
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