Japanese Proverbs Beautiful person, thin life. Gold coins to a cat. There are even bugs that eat knotweed. Nothing is more expensive than free. Even monkeys fall from trees. Dumplings rather than flowers. Work of self, obtainment of self. Rather than chase the cat, take away the plate. Not knowing is Buddha. An apprentice near a temple will recite the scriptures untaught. Ocean thousand mountain thousand. A cornered rat will bite the cat. Not seeing is a flower. It’s more important to not fail than to succeed. If the current sinks, it will rise (again). The separation between clouds and mud. Evil cause, evil effect. One who chases after two hares won’t catch even one. Child of a frog is a frog. Meeting person always separated. If you do not enter the tiger’s cave, you will not catch its cub. The weak are meat; the strong eat. Unless an idiot dies, he won’t be cured. If you take action, it will become. Spilt water will not return to the tray. One’s act, one’s profit. Pulling water to my own rice paddy. Our strong points are our weak points. Ten men, ten colors. Drunken life, dreamy death. One life, one encounter. Sheep head, dog meat. The relationship of dogs and monkeys. Heaven helps those who help themselves. A frog in a well does not know the great sea. Don’t let your daughter-in-law eat your autumn eggplants. The prime of your life does not come twice. Different body, same mind.