The summit of everything is loving well — the highest achievement in life is not wealth, power, fame, or knowledge, but the quality of love one has given and received. To love well — deeply, consistently, generously, and truly — is the ultimate human accomplishment.
This proverb is perhaps the most beautiful summary of Sicilian values in their most distilled form. After all the proverbs about caution and silence, about money and power, about distrust and survival, this one places at the very top of the human achievement — the 'summu di tuttu,' the summit of everything — not any material or social success but 'lu beni vuliri': the quality of loving. This was not romantic sentimentality but a deep philosophical claim: that a life evaluated by its capacity for genuine love was evaluated correctly. The grandmother who had loved her children and grandchildren with complete devotion had climbed higher than the baron who had wealth and power but loved nothing outside himself. It was the Sicilian spiritual final word, said at funerals ('ha amato bene'), at weddings, and in the quiet moments when life was assessed for what it had truly been.
The most philosophically elevated of all Sicilian proverbs, placing love at the summit of all human achievement. 'Summu' = sommo/cima (summit), 'beni vuliri' = voler bene (loving well/affection). The final word of Sicilian folk wisdom, transcending all its practical advice with this spiritual claim.
At the eulogy for a woman who had given her life to her family
Non era ricca, non era famosa. Ma ha amato bene — tutti i figli, i nipoti, i vicini. A summu di tuttu è lu beni vuliri — lei è arrivata in cima.
She was not rich, she was not famous. But she loved well — all the children, the grandchildren, the neighbours. The summit of everything is loving well — she reached the top.
Reflecting on what matters at the end of life
A ottant'anni guardi indietro e non pensi ai soldi che hai fatto. A summu di tuttu è lu beni vuliri — pensi a chi hai amato e a chi ti ha amato.
At eighty you look back and you do not think about the money you made. The summit of everything is loving well — you think about who you loved and who loved you.
A wedding toast
Auguri agli sposi. Abbiate tutto: la casa, la salute, il lavoro. Ma soprattutto: a summu di tuttu è lu beni vuliri — imparate ad amarvi bene.
Best wishes to the married couple. May you have everything: the home, the health, the work. But above all: the summit of everything is loving well — learn to love each other well.
Advising a young person on life priorities
Lavora, studia, guadagna. Ma non dimenticare: a summu di tuttu è lu beni vuliri — quando sei al traguardo, è quello che conta.
Work, study, earn. But do not forget: the summit of everything is loving well — when you are at the finish line, that is what counts.