I just came across a collection of rather profound sayings, and you could even say they’re “insults” that leave others speechless because they hit people’s weak spots with precision.

There are sayings like “People see the benefit but not the harm; fish see the bait but not the hook”—this kind of expression really makes many people stop and think. And “A good horse has no deep ruts in front; a coward has only wobbly ground in front,” it states the truth that everything we end up facing is created by ourselves.

I’m especially impressed by sayings about life. For example, “An ocean without storms isn’t really the sea—it’s just muddy swamp”—it points out that hardship is what makes life valuable. And “If you weren’t born with the fate of a princess, then you must step on the blade of a knife and move forward”—this expression is truly an insult that leaves others speechless, because it doesn’t give anyone any chance to reassure themselves.

There’s one thing I think is very true: “First there must be talent, then there can be assets; only then can you rest assured and enjoy poetry and far-off horizons.” How many people take the order backward, and then complain about their fate. Or “Everyone is a unique existence—be brave and live as a singular, one-of-a-kind oddity”—it says you don’t need to be like anyone else.

As for hardship, there’s a saying: “Suffering comes to make people wake up, not to make them cry; it comes to make people wise, not to make them regret.” These kinds of insults that leave others speechless leave you unable to deny it.

I also really like “Creativity is wine that’s aged from loneliness and pain—strong wine is not something everyone can drink.” It explains why successful people have to go through so much loneliness. And “Don’t always feel that others are fake—actually, when you’re sad, everyone is the same”—it reminds us of the falseness in society.

There’s a pretty deep observation: “I studied for more than twenty years about right and wrong, only to find that reality is really just about winning and losing.” Those are the kinds of sayings that make you stop and reconsider your whole life.

The saying “There will be opportunities later” has made how many people lose real opportunities. I think this is one of the cruelest sayings, because it silently destroys so many people’s lives, and they don’t even realize it.

When it comes to happiness, there’s a saying: “One of the reasons we aren’t happy is that we don’t know how to be quiet in the room—to stay calm and harmonize with ourselves.” It points out that we’re running away from ourselves.

Finally, “Learning should be like bees—gather lots of flowers, so you can brew honey. Many people don’t understand, and so they keep being lazy toward themselves.” These kinds of insults that leave others speechless are meant to show that laziness isn’t a nature—it’s a choice.

Overall, these sayings aren’t meant to hurt people, but to awaken them. They’re so accurate that you can’t deny them—and that’s also why they have such power.