How to Read “The dyer the day after tomorrow, the blacksmith tonight”
Asatte konya ni konban kajiya
Meaning of “The dyer the day after tomorrow, the blacksmith tonight”
This proverb describes promises you cannot trust. Someone gives you specific deadlines like “the day after tomorrow” or “by tonight.”
But these promises are almost never kept. The words sound concrete, but they mean nothing.
You use this saying when someone keeps postponing their deadline. Or when someone always talks but never follows through.
For example: “His delivery dates are like the dyer the day after tomorrow, the blacksmith tonight. Don’t take them seriously.”
It warns you not to trust someone’s promises completely.
What makes this proverb interesting is how it works. It doesn’t just say “lie” or “broken promise.”
Instead, it combines specific occupations with specific times. This creates a vivid picture of someone making excuses over and over.
Even today, you can use it to describe people who miss deadlines. It perfectly captures the unreliability of someone who makes empty promises.
Origin and Etymology
No clear written records explain where this proverb came from. But we can learn a lot from how the words are put together.
A konya (dyer) was a craftsman who dyed fabric. A kajiya (blacksmith) was a craftsman who forged metal tools.
Both jobs were essential to everyday life during the Edo period. The interesting part is how these occupations pair with time words.
“The day after tomorrow” and “tonight” represent opposite time frames. One is distant, the other immediate.
Both dyers and blacksmiths had reputations for missing deadlines. The nature of their work made this unavoidable.
Dyeing depended on weather conditions. Blacksmithing depended on fire temperature and metal quality. Things often didn’t go as planned.
A dyer would say “I’ll finish it the day after tomorrow” but take many more days. A blacksmith would promise “by tonight” but not finish until the next day.
Common people found humor in these craftsmen’s habits. As these stories spread, they became a proverb.
The phrase has a light, rhythmic sound. It’s easy to remember and fun to say.
Using specific occupation names made the expression more vivid. It brought the image of unreliable promises to life.
Usage Examples
- His “I’ll definitely pay you back next week” is like the dyer the day after tomorrow, the blacksmith tonight, so don’t get your hopes up
- Another deadline extension notice arrived. This is exactly what the dyer the day after tomorrow, the blacksmith tonight means
Universal Wisdom
The proverb “The dyer the day after tomorrow, the blacksmith tonight” reveals something sharp about human weakness. Why do people make promises they cannot keep?
The answer lies in our desire to escape uncomfortable situations. We don’t want to disappoint others or make them angry.
We don’t want to damage our reputation. So we say “I can do it” or “I will do it.”
In that moment, we might truly believe our own words. But reality is harsh.
Difficulties we didn’t see when making the promise appear one after another.
This proverb has survived through generations because human nature doesn’t change. It doesn’t just criticize people who break promises.
It also warns us about the temptation to take shortcuts that exists within ourselves.
At the same time, this proverb offers wisdom to those receiving promises. Don’t take people’s words at face value.
Look at their past actions and current situation. Trust isn’t built with words.
It’s built through consistent actions over time. Our ancestors understood this truth deeply.
Making and receiving promises are both moments that test our character. This proverb teaches us that fundamental lesson.
When AI Hears This
The dyer says the day after tomorrow is fine. The blacksmith says tonight is urgent.
This contrast reveals a mathematical law about how humans discount time based on distance.
In behavioral economics, the hyperbolic discounting model shows something interesting. Humans don’t discount future value exponentially.
They discount it hyperbolically. The difference between tomorrow and the day after tomorrow feels small.
But the difference between today and tomorrow feels huge. Consider the math.
Someone who values one day from now at 0.7 might value two days at 0.65. But they value today at 1.0 and tomorrow at 0.5.
This nonlinear discount curve explains why the dyer can casually promise the day after tomorrow.
Even more interesting is how this proverb captures “planning fallacy.” Kahneman’s research shows something clear.
People view distant tasks optimistically. They underestimate required time by an average of 40 percent.
Work due the day after tomorrow feels manageable. But work due tonight reveals real constraints.
The dyer mentally compresses the dyeing process. The blacksmith accurately calculates the remaining hours tonight.
This double structure is fascinating. Time distorts value, and estimation accuracy changes with distance.
Together, these factors make promise reliability predictable along a time axis.
Edo-period common people understood through experience what modern cognitive science proves with equations. They spotted the thinking bug in human nature.
Lessons for Today
This proverb teaches modern people that trust comes from matching words with actions. We live in an age of easy promises through social media and email.
That’s exactly why we need to think about the weight of each promise.
First, think about yourself. Before casually saying “I can do it,” estimate whether you really can.
Set deadlines with buffer time. If something might not be possible, have the courage to say so honestly.
One broken promise can destroy trust built over many years in an instant.
Second, think about relationships with others. When evaluating someone’s promise, don’t judge by beautiful words.
Look at their track record. But this doesn’t mean becoming suspicious of everyone.
People can change. Someone who once broke promises can work hard and become trustworthy.
In the end, this proverb teaches the value of sincerity. Steady execution beats flashy promises.
Small actions matter more than big words. This kind of sincerity becomes your most reliable asset in life.
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