Middle-earth Maxims

[Lalwendë]

I don't think you can go far wrong with the advice in this couplet:

All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;

However my favourite phrase is one that isn't really advice, more of a heavily veiled compliment, and one I've still to find an occasion to use despite it coming to mind most days:

I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.