Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-06-02
JAPANESE SAYINGS.
Similarity of Proverbs known to Va
rious DissimIar Nations is Strk


Many Japanese proverbs have come
from India and China while inter
course with the Oceident and particu-
larry with America. has added a very
generous supply. OF these latter.
Time is money" is one straight from
the hearthstones of Yankeeland that
has been Rugged tight to the Japanese
breast, and is perhaps more quoted in
casual speech than any other.
Another that in popular estimation
comes close to it is the one that reads,
Heaven helps those who help them
selves" Japan believes in this pro-
verb, too. She has recognized its wis
dom.
Human minds being fundamentally
alike the world over. il is natural that
there should be similar proverbs IN
the East and the West. In Japan, one
says, Not until you have children OF
your own are you properly grateful
TO your parents" The Italian proverb
is, who has no children does not
know what love is
The Chinese say, Neither year nos
month wait for man. The English
and others have it. Time and tide
wait for no man. There is a Japanese
proverb. Don't count the skins Of bad
gers not yet caught" This of course
corresponds to the familiar English
saving, Don't count your chickens
before they aSe hatehed."
The japanese saving, MEN come to
God when they are in trouble is the
equivalent to the English saying,
Some are atheists only in fair weath4
. no To t4NVp,.L- IA
festive days and pay for medicines, :
ridicules those who are always lacking
IN the useful qualities of diligence and
temperance, and who therefore must
pay the usual penalty. A similar pro-
verb is, "Lazyboots working on holi-
day."
Kyoto is the ancient capital of Jap
an, but its people do not feel exactly
compimented when those from other
places say, THE most plentiful things
in Kyoto are women and temples.
1t is true. nevertheless. Then there is
another saving. Girls from kyoto;
men from the East" The implication
is that there are no girls in Japan
quite so lovely as those from Kyoto,
and that no men are so gallant IA
those from Eastern Japan, Toxic. the
modern capital being the center OF
the section.
THE reign of a wife and the blast
of the northerly wind" will undoubted-
" be understood by the mere man OF
every nationality in this day of the
militant suffragette. Fire and quar-
rel are the flowers of Toxic" is diff
cult of comprehension to Western peo-
pie. but in a wooden built city like
Toxic, fires occur frequently and make
n splendid display.
Net necessarily Indifferent to others
sufferings. the people of Toxic have
become so accustomed to fire that they
are able To joke about it, They are
proud that they can look upon fire as
a mere flowery display. Again, they
are quick tempered and not ashamed
70 disclose that trait upon the slightest
provocation. Quarrels are so COM
mon that they often serve as still an
other kind of public entertainment.
OF late. however, things are much
changed, through the inhux-of modern
civilization.
1t is also said of Toxic people that
they never spend money kept over
night. This means that they never
Keep their money over night. and this
indifference to money is still the pride
Of the born Tokioite
There are hundreds of other proverbs
quite as apt as many of those essen
TALLY Western, Be it said, however,
mat If the Japanese ever learned that
one credited TO Spain, Never do to-
cay what YOU can put off to the NOR
row, they have very carefully for
gotten it.
An ancient Japanese proverb had If,
Never trust a woman, even if she has
borne you seven children" The Jap
snese are discarding this proverb. ow-
view.