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 [1835], trad., translated by John Martin Crawford, edited by Elias Lönnrot, Kalevala, poem XII:

     Hyvä on laulu loppuvasta, lyhyestä virsi kaunis

     Fine the singing quickly ending, Good the song that quickly ceases