CHAPTER V. PROVERBS AND PHRASES OF THE PEOPLE. Many proverbs and proverbial sayings-Expressions for what is impossible -Injunctions for avoiding the appearance of evil. THE proverbs and phrases current among a people reflect their character and modes of thought, and in so reflecting them tend to increase their permanence. Mr. Pfoundes, in his Notes,' Herr Knobloch, in the Transactions of the German Society of Japan,' and Mr. Griffis, have all helped to bring a number of Japanese proverbs and sayings into an accessible form, and from their collections I select the following, observing that in many of them there is in the original a play upon words which cannot be translated, but which sharpens the point of the phrase to the native. Impossibility is a good reason. Open lips make cold teeth. The mouth is the door of mischief. An ugly woman avoids the looking-glass. The fox who borrows strength of the tiger. To water your own field. Life is a light in the wind. To number the years of a dead child; i.e. probably, to do something that is quite useless. Illnesses come through the mouth. To give a sail to ability; i.e. to assist talent. Even the monkey falls from the tree. To cut a stick after the fight. Of whom we speak, his is the shadow; i.e. he of whom we speak throws his shadow upon us. Willow twigs dig no snow. Daughters-in-law become mothers-in-law; i.e. probably, the young and agreeable become old and disagreeable. Prophets know nothing about themselves. Covetous about one mori (a small coin), and neglectful of a hundred. Flowers on a dead tree. The devil's "Help, O holy Buddha!" i.e. like the devil crying to Buddha for help. To blow away the hair and find a wound. Like trying to seize a tai (a sort of perch); i.e. trying to seize an eel. Indolence is a powerful enemy. To give something more to a thief; i.e. to give your cloak to the stealer of your coat. To adapt the sermon to the hearers. Like going into the fire with an armful of bamboos. To submit is victory. A fallen blossom does not return to the twig. Sufficient dust will make a mountain. Even the fool has his art. The magnet can attract iron but not stone. Adapt yourself to the place you are in. Too much courtesy is discourtesy. He who holds a tiger brings trouble on himself. The bat of a village without birds; as we say, in the company of the blind the one-eyed are kings. The sea-eagle has hatched a falcon. Many captains, and the ship goes on to the rocks. Even two leaves of the spendan give forth perfume. The heart is the same at sixty as at three. The snakes know the paths of the dsha (a large species of snake). No fish in clear water. One crane's voice is better than (the chirping of) a thousand sparrows. A drunkard cannot deny (conceal) his real character. The heart is better than a beautiful face; i.e. to have a heart is better than to have a beautiful face. Rubbing salt into a wound; i.e. adding insult to injury. Listening to a child you fall over a precipice; i.e. attending to trifles and neglecting more important matters. Tears even in the devil's eyes. Poking out the eye with an insignificant twig. Overcome in words, in truth victorious. Pinch yourself and know how others feel. The dog bites the hand that caresses it. To reach the cub you must enter the tiger's den. The stomach will not allow itself to change places with the back. Burnt cheeks do not fear the sun. No door can be made for the mouth. Beware of beautiful women as you would of red pepper. The crows laugh at tales that are three years old; i.e. they are foolish enough to be amused with anything. To fall seven times, to stand the eighth. In evil times the hero appears. To buy misfortune at market. A firebrand is easily kindled. The frog in the well knows nothing of the high seas. |