Quote #03: Essays of Idleness (Part 2)
Title: Essays in Idleness (Tsurezuregusa)
Author: Yoshida Kenko
Translated by: Donald Keene
Part 1
79.
A man should avoid displaying deep familiarity with any subject. Can one imagine a well-bred man talking with the air of a know-it-all, even about a matter with which he is in fact familiar? The boor who pops up on the scene from somewhere in the hinterland answers questions with an air of utter authority in every field. As a result, though the man may also possess qualities that compel our admiration, the manner in which he displays his high opinion of himself is contemptible. It is impressive when a man is always slow to speak, even on subjects he knows thoroughly, and does not speak at all unless questioned.
80.
Everybody enjoys doing something quite unrelated to his normal way of life.
82.
"It is typical of the unintelligent man to insist on assembling complete sets of everything. Imperfect sets are better." In everything, no matter what it may be, uniformity is undesirable. Leaving something incomplete makes it interesting, and gives one the feeling that there is room for growth.
83.
The old adage has it, "When the dragon has soared to the summit, he knows the chagrin of descent." The moon waxes only to wane; things reach their height only presently to decline. In all things, the principle holds true that decline threatens when further expansion is impossible.
85.
It commonly happens than men, though themselves not honest, are envious of the goodness they observe in others. Occasionally, it is true, some exceedingly stupid man will feel hatred for any good man he may encounter and slander him in these terms: "That man refuses small profits because he hopes for big ones. He puts on a false front of virtue so that he may earn the reputation of being a man of integrity." The fool makes this criticism because the good man's nature differs from his own.
If you run through the streets, saying you imitate a lunatic, you are in fact a lunatic. If you kill a man, saying you imitate a criminal, you are a criminal yourself. By the same token, a horse that imitates a champion thoroughbred may be classed as a thoroughbred.
92.
A man studying some branch of learning thinks at night that he has the next day before him, and in the morning that he will have time that night; he plans in this way, always to study more diligently at some future time. How much harder it is to perceive the laziness of mind that arises in an instant! Why should it be so difficult to do something now, in the present moment?
93.
"People who hate death should love life. How is it possible for men not to rejoice each day over the pleasure of being alive? Foolish men, forgetting this pleasure, laboriously seek others; forgetting the wealth they posses, they risk their lives in greed for new wealth. But their desires are never satisfied. While they live they do not rejoice in life, but, when faced with death, they fear it-what could be more illogical?"
107.
In a world without women it would not make any difference what kind of clothes or hat a man wore; nobody would take the trouble to dress properly.
109.
Mistakes are always made when people get to the easy places.
110.
I once asked a man rated as a champion backgammon player the secret of success. He said, "You should never play to win, but so as not to lose. Decide which moves will lead to a quick defeat, and avoid them, choosing instead moves which seem likely to result in a slower defeat, if only by one throw of the dice."
116.
A craving for novelty in everything and a fondness for eccentric opinions are the marks of people of superficial knowledge.
Note: In 107, actually he used the rest of the section to show how low his opinions on women were. He basically said that they were stupid and unworthy and thoroughly inferior to men in every other regard. I guess the reason why I copied this particular sentence down is to remind myself that one doesn't have to agree in everything with someone else to learn a few things or two from that person. And I do admit myself to be afflicted by the same problem, only the other way around lol orz Besides, eh, he lived in the middle ages :P
Author: Yoshida Kenko
Translated by: Donald Keene
Part 1
79.
A man should avoid displaying deep familiarity with any subject. Can one imagine a well-bred man talking with the air of a know-it-all, even about a matter with which he is in fact familiar? The boor who pops up on the scene from somewhere in the hinterland answers questions with an air of utter authority in every field. As a result, though the man may also possess qualities that compel our admiration, the manner in which he displays his high opinion of himself is contemptible. It is impressive when a man is always slow to speak, even on subjects he knows thoroughly, and does not speak at all unless questioned.
80.
Everybody enjoys doing something quite unrelated to his normal way of life.
82.
"It is typical of the unintelligent man to insist on assembling complete sets of everything. Imperfect sets are better." In everything, no matter what it may be, uniformity is undesirable. Leaving something incomplete makes it interesting, and gives one the feeling that there is room for growth.
83.
The old adage has it, "When the dragon has soared to the summit, he knows the chagrin of descent." The moon waxes only to wane; things reach their height only presently to decline. In all things, the principle holds true that decline threatens when further expansion is impossible.
85.
It commonly happens than men, though themselves not honest, are envious of the goodness they observe in others. Occasionally, it is true, some exceedingly stupid man will feel hatred for any good man he may encounter and slander him in these terms: "That man refuses small profits because he hopes for big ones. He puts on a false front of virtue so that he may earn the reputation of being a man of integrity." The fool makes this criticism because the good man's nature differs from his own.
If you run through the streets, saying you imitate a lunatic, you are in fact a lunatic. If you kill a man, saying you imitate a criminal, you are a criminal yourself. By the same token, a horse that imitates a champion thoroughbred may be classed as a thoroughbred.
92.
A man studying some branch of learning thinks at night that he has the next day before him, and in the morning that he will have time that night; he plans in this way, always to study more diligently at some future time. How much harder it is to perceive the laziness of mind that arises in an instant! Why should it be so difficult to do something now, in the present moment?
93.
"People who hate death should love life. How is it possible for men not to rejoice each day over the pleasure of being alive? Foolish men, forgetting this pleasure, laboriously seek others; forgetting the wealth they posses, they risk their lives in greed for new wealth. But their desires are never satisfied. While they live they do not rejoice in life, but, when faced with death, they fear it-what could be more illogical?"
107.
In a world without women it would not make any difference what kind of clothes or hat a man wore; nobody would take the trouble to dress properly.
109.
Mistakes are always made when people get to the easy places.
110.
I once asked a man rated as a champion backgammon player the secret of success. He said, "You should never play to win, but so as not to lose. Decide which moves will lead to a quick defeat, and avoid them, choosing instead moves which seem likely to result in a slower defeat, if only by one throw of the dice."
116.
A craving for novelty in everything and a fondness for eccentric opinions are the marks of people of superficial knowledge.
Note: In 107, actually he used the rest of the section to show how low his opinions on women were. He basically said that they were stupid and unworthy and thoroughly inferior to men in every other regard. I guess the reason why I copied this particular sentence down is to remind myself that one doesn't have to agree in everything with someone else to learn a few things or two from that person. And I do admit myself to be afflicted by the same problem, only the other way around lol orz Besides, eh, he lived in the middle ages :P