How to Read “Those who talk don’t know”
Shaberu mono ni shiru mono nashi
Meaning of “Those who talk don’t know”
This proverb warns us that people who talk a lot often lack real wisdom. Those who speak endlessly usually don’t have deep knowledge or experience. They try to hide this lack with many words.
People who truly understand something deeply know its weight. They don’t speak carelessly about it. On the other hand, people with only surface-level knowledge tend to talk confidently and at length.
This proverb helps us see through this human tendency. It teaches that how much someone talks doesn’t match how wise they are.
Even today, we see this pattern. In meetings, the person who speaks briefly but precisely earns more trust than someone who talks endlessly.
This proverb reminds us to value quality over quantity in words. It also teaches us to develop the ability to recognize who truly has knowledge and skill.
Origin and Etymology
The exact first written appearance of this proverb is unclear. However, it has been passed down through generations as traditional Japanese wisdom about how to live well.
The structure of the phrase is simple but powerful. It contrasts the act of “talking” with the state of “knowing.” This creates a memorable and striking expression.
This contrast reflects deep Japanese traditional values. In Zen philosophy and the samurai code, silence was considered golden. The saying “actions speak louder than words” was a virtue.
People who truly possess deep wisdom or skill don’t carelessly put it into words. They show it through their actions instead. This was the traditional way of thinking.
This proverb likely came from actual observation of human behavior. People noticed that talkative individuals often lacked substance. Meanwhile, truly skilled people spoke less.
This pattern gained widespread agreement and became established as a proverb. During the Edo period, it was widely used among townspeople to warn against people who were all talk.
While Japanese culture values the power of words, this proverb warns against relying on them too much. This message has continued to resonate with people throughout history.
Usage Examples
- That person always brags about their knowledge, but “those who talk don’t know,” you know
- He’s just a newcomer acting important and talking big, but “those who talk don’t know”—he can’t actually do the work at all
Universal Wisdom
The truth in this proverb relates to fundamental human anxiety and the need for recognition. Why do people speak as if they know things they don’t actually know?
It comes from a weakness we all share. We want others to recognize our value. We don’t want to be seen as ignorant.
People with deep knowledge become quiet for a specific reason. The more they learn, the more they realize how vast the unknown is.
The world of knowledge is endless. They understand through experience how difficult true understanding really is. That’s why they avoid making casual statements and choose their words carefully.
Meanwhile, people with shallow knowledge don’t even recognize what they don’t know. That’s why they can speak with such confidence.
This relates to what ancient Greek philosophers called “the knowledge of ignorance.” It’s a fundamental aspect of human nature.
This proverb has been passed down through ages because this human trait never changes. In every era and every society, both talkative people and silent wise ones exist.
Through this observation of human nature, our ancestors continue to ask us what true wisdom really means.
When AI Hears This
In information theory, a message’s value is determined by its unpredictability. For example, saying “the sun will rise tomorrow” has almost zero information value. Everyone knows this already.
On the other hand, an unexpected discovery from years of expert research has extremely high information value. In other words, truly valuable information requires fewer words.
What’s interesting here is that the more people talk, the higher their “redundancy” becomes. Redundancy refers to repeated content and unnecessary words that don’t affect the message.
Shannon’s research showed that English text is about 75 percent redundant. In everyday conversation, this rises even higher, sometimes exceeding 90 percent.
In other words, the essence of ten minutes of talking could be conveyed in one minute.
The signal-to-noise ratio is also worth noting. As speaking volume increases, the ratio of noise rises compared to essential information.
Noise includes hesitations, digressions, and emotional expressions. In information engineering, more noise makes it harder for receivers to extract the real message.
Talkative people’s words don’t stick in our minds because our brains exhaust their energy removing the noise.
People with truly deep knowledge have the skill to convey high-density information with minimal words. You could call them masters of information compression.
Lessons for Today
This proverb teaches modern people something especially important now. In an age where social media and presentations are emphasized, we must value the quality of our words.
In our information-flooded era, talking a lot has become easy. But truly valuable communication comes from carefully selected words based on deep understanding.
When you’re learning something, try to hold back the urge to immediately teach others. Take time to learn more deeply and digest it within yourself. This creates truly valuable words.
Also, when you meet talkative people at work or school, don’t be fooled by their volume. Develop the ability to judge the depth of their content.
At the same time, it’s important to occasionally reflect on whether you’ve become “one who talks.” Before speaking, pause and consider whether it’s truly worth saying.
Don’t fear silence. Value your words. This attitude will increase your credibility and nurture true wisdom.
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