Proverb, PROV urb, is a brief saying that presents a truth or some bit of useful wisdom. It is usually based on common sense or practical experience. The effect of a proverb is to make the wisdom it tells seem to be self-evident. The same proverb often occurs among several different peoples. True proverbs are sayings that have been passed from generation to generation primarily by word of mouth. They may also have been put into written form. The Book of Proverbs in the Hebrew Bible, or Old Testament, is the most notable collection of such sayings. They include: