How to Read “If I can hear the way in the morning, I can die in the evening”
Ashita ni michi wo kikaba, yūbe ni shisu tomo ka nari
Meaning of “If I can hear the way in the morning, I can die in the evening”
This proverb means that if you can learn the truth or truly important things, you would have no regrets even if you died immediately afterward.
It expresses the idea that the most valuable thing in life is not material wealth or longevity, but understanding the truth.
This saying is used when showing the determination of someone devoted to learning or seeking truth. It also expresses the joy of understanding something fundamentally important.
People use it in contexts that make us think about what really matters in life.
Today, we understand it as expressing the satisfaction of reaching an answer you’ve sought for years. It can also describe the fulfillment of finding meaning in life.
This proverb shows a life philosophy. It says that how deeply you touch truth during your life matters more than how long you live.
Origin and Etymology
This proverb is believed to come from the words of Confucius, the Chinese philosopher.
The most accepted theory is that it originates from a passage in the Analects. The passage “朝聞道、夕死可矣” appears in the “Li Ren” chapter.
In the China of the Spring and Autumn period when Confucius lived, the concept of “the way” held extremely important meaning.
The “way” here doesn’t simply mean a road or method. It includes deep meanings like the right way to live as a person, universal truth, and the fundamental principle that runs through all things.
In Confucian thought, understanding and mastering this “way” was considered life’s highest goal.
Confucius continuously taught his disciples the importance of seeking truth. His expression that if you could understand “the way” in the morning, you would have no regrets even if you died that evening shows how absolute the value of truth is.
Chinese philosophy came to Japan in ancient times. The Analects was widely studied, especially among the warrior class.
This saying also became established as a Japanese proverb. It has been passed down for generations as words expressing the attitude of pursuing learning and truth.
This phrase expresses the value of knowing truth through the ultimate contrast of life and death. It contains the sincere attitude toward learning held by our ancestors.
Usage Examples
- Through my mentor’s teaching, I finally understood the essence of my research. This is what “If I can hear the way in the morning, I can die in the evening” means.
- The moment my long-held question was answered, I truly understood the meaning of “If I can hear the way in the morning, I can die in the evening.”
Universal Wisdom
Humans are creatures with an instinctive desire to know. Why is the sky blue? Why are people born? How should we live?
These questions have been asked by humanity across time and cultures. This proverb has been passed down for thousands of years because seeking truth is part of human nature.
What’s interesting is that this proverb places “knowing truth” above “living long.” Survival instinct should be the most basic biological desire.
Yet humans can recognize value beyond that. This is a special quality that only humans possess.
Also, this proverb contains the concept of “dying satisfied.” People find peace of mind only when they accomplish something, understand something, or feel convinced about something.
In other words, no matter how long you live, your heart won’t be fulfilled if you don’t obtain what you seek.
Our ancestors understood this essential truth about human psychology.
The thirst for truth is a fundamental characteristic that makes humans human. As long as we keep seeking answers, we have meaning to continue living.
And when we obtain the answer, life reaches completion. This proverb teaches us this deep truth about human existence.
When AI Hears This
When we view life as an information processing system, this proverb touches on a surprisingly scientific truth.
In information theory, a system’s uncertainty is expressed by a value called “entropy.” For example, before flipping a coin, entropy is high (the result is uncertain). After flipping it, entropy becomes zero (the result is determined).
Living systems work the same way. We constantly carry “things we don’t know” as entropy.
What’s interesting here is that the living state of organisms is actually thermodynamically unnatural. Our bodies constantly use energy to maintain internal order.
In other words, we increase surrounding entropy while keeping our own entropy low. What’s the purpose of this work? It’s thought to be taking in information from the environment and reducing uncertainty.
What this proverb suggests is that if you obtain “complete information” as ultimate truth, the system’s purpose is achieved.
In other words, the moment you know everything you should know, the reason for the living system to maintain order disappears. That’s why “I can die in the evening” follows.
If life’s essential driving force is information acquisition, obtaining complete knowledge simultaneously means completing the purpose of existence.
Ancient sages may have intuitively understood that life itself is the process of seeking information.
Lessons for Today
In modern society, information overflows, but opportunities to truly touch “truth” in the real sense may be surprisingly rare.
Open your smartphone and countless pieces of information are available. But most are fragmentary and superficial. They rarely lead to deep understanding that truly satisfies your heart.
What this proverb teaches us is the importance of having moments when you can truly think “I’m glad I learned this.” It might be academic truth. It might be deep understanding about yourself.
Or it might be essential insights about relationships or work.
What matters is not accumulating superficial knowledge, but the attitude of seeking understanding that truly clicks deep in your heart.
It means digging deeply into one thing and having the curiosity to approach its essence.
Precisely because we live in an era when answers come easily, we should value time to think carefully and find our own truth.
What in your life makes you think “I’m glad I learned this”? The journey to find that leads to a fulfilling life.
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