The nature of a proverb is to express wisdom in a form meant to call upon the listener's own effort to understand its meaning. Explaining a proverb to someone is almost as unrewarding as explaining a joke.
It's not quite the same thing as a Zen koan (What is the sound of one hand clapping?); still, personally wrestling with meaning and application is an important aspect of proverbs.
One more thing, a proverb expressed without consideration of timing and circumstance, may fall on deaf ears.