How to Read “A sage values not a foot of jade but treasures an inch of time”
Seijin wa sekiheki wo tattobazu shite sun’in wo omonzu
Meaning of “A sage values not a foot of jade but treasures an inch of time”
This proverb means that truly wise people treasure even a small amount of time more than expensive jewels. No matter how valuable a treasure is, you might be able to obtain it again if you lose it.
But time is different. Once it passes, no amount of power or wealth can bring it back.
This proverb is used for people who are distracted by immediate material gains. It also reminds those who waste time of how precious it truly is.
It teaches that true wisdom means understanding not just visible value, but essential value that cannot be seen.
Even in modern society, we tend to chase obvious success markers like money and status. But this proverb reminds us that how we use our limited time is the most important factor determining our quality of life.
Origin and Etymology
This proverb is believed to come from ancient Chinese classics. “Sekiheki” refers to a large jewel measuring one shaku, about 30 centimeters.
In those days, only royalty and nobles could possess such precious treasures. Meanwhile, “sun’in” represents a shadow moving just one sun, a very short period of time.
In ancient China, people measured time with sundials. Shadow length was used as a unit of time.
“Seijin” refers to an ideal person with the highest wisdom and virtue. In Confucian thought, a sage transcends material values and has the power to discern what truly matters.
No matter how expensive a jewel is, it is just an object. But time, once passed, never returns.
This proverb teaches that true sages are not deceived by the value of visible treasures. They understand the preciousness of invisible time.
In an era when material wealth was often seen as life’s goal, this saying expressed the deep insight of ancestors. They taught the importance of time, an intangible asset.
Interesting Facts
In ancient China, sundials were widely used to measure time. They worked by reading the length and position of a shadow cast by a stick in the ground.
The expression “sun’in” refers to the time it takes for this shadow to move slightly. This shows how precisely people of that time were aware of time.
Large jewels like “sekiheki” were actually often used as tribute gifts to kings and emperors. Common people rarely had the chance to see them.
The persuasive power of this proverb, which taught that time was more valuable than even such precious treasures, must have been very strong for people of that era.
Usage Examples
- He continues to study steadily every day with the spirit of “A sage values not a foot of jade but treasures an inch of time”
- I worked overtime constantly to buy a luxury car, and missed watching my children grow up. “A sage values not a foot of jade but treasures an inch of time” is absolutely true
Universal Wisdom
Humans are creatures who easily feel value in visible things. Sparkling jewels, piles of money, impressive houses and cars.
These can certainly be touched and shown to others. But time is different. It has no form, makes no sound, and just flows away quietly.
That’s why people tend to overlook its value.
This proverb has been passed down for thousands of years because this human nature never changes across time. In every era, there were people who became obsessed with pursuing wealth and fame.
Before they knew it, they had lost precious time. Only later did they realize the weight of time that cannot be recovered.
A true sage is someone who doesn’t fall into this trap. They don’t succumb to the temptation of material wealth and understand the value of this present moment.
They know that truly meaningful experiences, growth, and bonds with people can only be nurtured within time.
A jewel remains unchanged for hundreds of years. But your today exists only today. How you use this once-in-a-lifetime moment determines the quality of your life.
Our ancestors conveyed this universal truth to us in simple yet powerful words. And they continue to pass it on.
When AI Hears This
Even if a jewel breaks, it remains completely intact at the atomic level. But time, the moment it’s consumed, disappears completely from the universe.
This is the fundamental asymmetry shown by the second law of thermodynamics.
In physics, energy is conserved, but entropy, or disorder, always increases. For example, when you drop a drop of ink into water, it diffuses but never naturally returns to a single drop.
This “arrow of time” is a basic law of the universe, meaning we cannot return to the past.
What’s important is that the quality of available energy continues to deteriorate with the passage of time. Water at 100 degrees cools to room temperature and loses its ability to do work.
The amount of energy hasn’t changed, but it’s no longer in a usable form.
Human life activity is the same. We use low-entropy energy obtained from food to perform orderly activities. But in the process, it’s inevitably converted to a high-entropy state as heat.
In other words, living time itself is the act of irreversibly consuming the quality of available energy.
Ancient sages didn’t know thermodynamics, but they intuitively understood that only time is an irretrievable resource. Jewels are exchangeable, but a passed moment, according to physical laws, never returns anywhere in the universe.
This recognition is scientifically completely correct.
Lessons for Today
Modern society is overflowing with temptations trying to steal your time. Infinite scrolling on social media, auto-playing videos, sale advertisements.
These are all businesses that profit by consuming your precious time. This proverb has even deeper meaning precisely because we live in such times.
What matters is not what you spend money on, but what you spend time on. Stop and think about whether working long hours to buy expensive things truly makes you happy.
Time with family and friends, time for your own growth, time for hobbies you truly enjoy. These should be more valuable than any jewel.
Today comes only once in your life. Some things can be done tomorrow, but many things can only be done today.
Put down your smartphone and face the person in front of you. Start something you’ve wanted to do. The accumulation of such small choices enriches your life.
Let’s use time, the greatest treasure, for what truly matters.
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