Abstract
APHORISM LITERATURE AND MEHMED RECEB’S BOOK, “EMSAL-İ HAKİKAT”
This study focuses on Foreign Correspondence Assistant Director Mehmed Receb’s book, Emsâl-i Hakîkat (Words of Wisdom), published in Arabic letters in 1315 of hegira (1897 A.D.). The book consists of 76 pages, and there are 398 aphorisms in the book. In our study, principally tradition of writing/saying aphorisms in Turkish literature and in the world was briefly discussed, information was given about life of Mehmed Receb, and his book called “Emsâl-i Hakîkat” (Words of Wisdom) was taken into consideration that could be assessed in context of aphorism tradition.
Emsâl-i Hakîkat is “a book of counsels”. In this book, expressions belonging to each area of life were blended. Aphorisms were on many topics such as good and bad cases, virtues, social criticism, women, love, homeland, science etc. In other words, the book is life and human itself. Considering the fact that being human is a lifelong educational process, what the author wanted to tell today’s people and the future generations are worth reading many times.
Keywords
Mehmed Receb, Emsâl-i Hakîkat, Posy, Aphorism literature, Aphorism, value.