Proverbs
Don't get carried away even if you ride a horse.
One should be careful not to get caught up in sweet talks or clever words, as it can lead to terrible consequences. It is important to be cautious of convenient stories.
Even a demon has a buddha within.
Even among those wicked people who are called demons and are merciless, there are those who possess a heart as gentle as that of a Buddha.
grit one's teeth
Enduring and persevering through pain and suffering.
Buffalo and kokyu (Japanese string instrument)
Playing a string instrument to a water buffalo is meaningless. By extension, it is a metaphor for something (or someone) that is pointless no matter how much you say it.
Good medicine tastes bitter, and advice goes against the ear.
It is often difficult to accept words of advice, but they can be beneficial to oneself.
You reap what you sow.
If you are the cause, then take responsibility yourself.
Not valuing what you have and lamenting what you have lost.
You only realize how important something was after you have lost it.
Those who pay can request music.
Those with power can control the situation.
Badmouthing doesn't hang around your collar.
If you ignore insults, they won't hurt or bother you. Others' gossip is just words, so don't let it get to you.
Etiquette is prohibited before the act, and the law is enforced after the fact.
Etiquette prevents events from occurring in advance, while laws are enforced after events happen.
The pudding I baked for the first time turns into a lump.
Everything fails the first time.
The idle innkeeper bought a piglet.
I went out of my way to take on trouble myself.
It's better to say "thanks to God" than "please, God."
Prefer certainty over uncertainty.
If your face is distorted, don’t be angry at the mirror.
When you are pointed out the truth, it is misplaced to get angry at the person who pointed it out. It can't be helped because that's the way the facts are.
Even the walls help me at home.
There is no better place than my home.
Do not talk about ropes in the house of someone who committed suicide by hanging.
Don't bring up topics that the other person doesn't want to touch on.
You cannot catch fish from the pond without hard work.
Nothing can be gained without effort.
Those who make choices experience suffering.
"The freedom to choose comes with hardships."
If the rider is of no use, it's the horse's responsibility.
blaming others
The more you eat, the hungrier you get.
Desire is endless.
Dirty laundry must be washed by the family.
The meaning is "Do not show family troubles to others."
It is better to grab poop than gas.
Having it is better than not having it.
How do you do your face and skin?
Beauty is merely skin deep.
I think, therefore I am.
One can doubt the existence of everything in the world, but cannot doubt the existence of oneself who is aware of such doubts.
Harmonize without conforming
Be friendly with others, but do not feel compelled to agree with everything.
Even the best swimmers can drown.
Ruin oneself by overestimating one's own skills.
Even thin arms have bones.
Even the weak should not be underestimated because they have aspirations.
to peel off the skin
Exposing the true nature of those who brazenly act as if nothing is wrong.
The eyes speak as much as the mouth.
Even without words, feelings can be conveyed to others through the expression in one's eyes.
Older than the pine cone.
The pine cone, known as "matsukasa," grows significantly as it ages, symbolizing the importance of growing older. In other words, it emphasizes the significance of wisdom and maturity that come with experience and age. It suggests that individuals can gain deeper understanding and insight through aging, which holds great value in life. Therefore, it is considered important to respect age and experience.
Time passes easily for those who do not wait.
Time flies by quickly when you are not waiting for anything, but when you are waiting for something, it doesn't seem to pass at all.
An amateur who enjoys something they are not good at.
Something that people without skills unthinkingly like.
A bad painter's thoughts are like resting.
It is a waste of time to deliberate for a long time without good wisdom.
There is nothing better than old friends and old wine.
Wine tastes better when aged, and old friends understand each other well and can rely on one another.
To establish a close inner circle.
To express one's true feelings without hiding anything.
There is no such thing as bad food when you're hungry.
When you are hungry, you can eat anything deliciously.
One wise man is worth more than three fools.
It's better to have several foolish people gather and think together than for a wise person to think alone.
People may do evil, but we do good.
As long as I'm fine, it doesn't matter if others face misfortunes.
Man shall not live by bread alone.
It means that living is not only about material things, but also requires spiritual support.
People don't say it, but I say it.
To keep a secret means to be careful not to let it slip from your mouth.