How to Read “Those who have glory must have decline”
えいがあるものはかならずしょうすいあり
Meaning of “Those who have glory must have decline”
This proverb expresses a fundamental law of life. No matter how prosperous someone is now, a time of decline will inevitably come.
It teaches that eternal prosperity doesn’t exist. This applies to people with power, those who built wealth, and those who gained fame.
People use this saying in several ways. It serves as a warning to those at the peak of success. It explains what happened when someone who once enjoyed glory actually declined.
People also use it as a personal reminder. When they succeed, it helps them stay humble and not forget their place.
We see this truth everywhere in modern life. Companies rise and fall. Celebrities gain and lose popularity. Athletes’ careers have ups and downs.
This proverb reminds us of something important. Don’t get carried away by success. Always stay humble and look ahead.
Origin and Etymology
The exact source of this proverb isn’t clear. However, it likely reflects Buddhist philosophy and the concept of impermanence found in Chinese classics.
The structure uses two contrasting words. “Glory” means prosperity and splendor. “Decline” refers to becoming worn out and weakened in body and spirit.
These two words connect with “must,” a strong assertion. This powerfully shows the law of rise and fall.
The word choice is interesting. Instead of simply “decline,” it uses a stronger term that means becoming completely worn out. This emphasizes the great distance someone falls from the peak of glory.
From the Heian period to the Kamakura period, Japanese people witnessed the rise and fall of aristocratic society. During this time, the sense of impermanence took deep root.
The Tale of the Heike famously begins with words about impermanence. “The sound of the Gion temple bells echoes the impermanence of all things.” The idea that even the most prosperous must perish became deeply carved into Japanese hearts.
This proverb likely emerged and was passed down within that historical context.
Usage Examples
- That major corporation built an empire once, but “those who have glory must have decline”—now it’s a shadow of its former self
- He was a star in his youth, but you know what they say: “those who have glory must have decline”
Universal Wisdom
This proverb has been passed down because humans face a contradiction. We instinctively seek “eternity,” yet reality offers only “impermanence.”
When we succeed, we fall into an illusion. We think that state will last forever. Those who gain power feel invincible. Those who acquire wealth assume they’re secure. This is natural human psychology.
But history tells a different story. Every dynasty has fallen. Every financial empire has declined. Every hero has grown old.
Our ancestors witnessed this universal truth repeatedly. And they realized something important. The problem isn’t decline itself. The problem is becoming arrogant without expecting decline.
The deep wisdom of this proverb lies in what it teaches. By accepting rise and fall as unavoidable facts, we can actually find peace of mind.
Those who remember decline during times of glory maintain humility. They don’t forget gratitude to others. They can prepare for the next generation.
Recognizing that life always has waves actually becomes the foundation for the most stable way of living. This is why the saying has been passed down through the ages.
When AI Hears This
From a physics perspective, glory is a “low entropy state.” Entropy measures the degree of disorder. An organized room has low entropy. A messy room has high entropy.
As a law of the universe, things left alone always move toward disorder. Rooms never clean themselves. They always move toward messiness.
Maintaining a state of glory requires constant energy input. For example, feudal lords in the Edo period maintained order by continuously extracting energy from peasants through taxes.
For companies, this energy comes from customer revenue. For nations, it comes from tax income.
What’s interesting is that this “energy inflow” has physical limits. Territory size, market scale, and population create constraints. There’s an upper limit to the energy that can be extracted.
Even more important is this fact. The cost of maintaining order itself increases exponentially as organizations expand. Larger organizations consume enormous energy just for internal coordination and management.
Eventually a critical point arrives. Energy inflow falls below maintenance costs. Following physical laws, the system rapidly collapses into a high entropy state—decline.
The inevitable decline after glory isn’t a moral issue. It’s a thermodynamic necessity.
Lessons for Today
This proverb teaches modern people something crucial. We should be most careful precisely when we succeed.
Today’s culture encourages showing off success on social media. People get arrogant from temporary achievements. In this environment, these words become even more valuable.
What matters is what you do during times of glory. Don’t become arrogant then. Don’t forget gratitude to others. Prepare for the next change.
People who can do this have power. Even when decline comes, they can stand up again.
Actually, accepting the cycle of rise and fall as natural creates mental space. It gives you room to breathe.
If you’re succeeding at something now, that’s wonderful. But know at the same time that it won’t last forever.
On the other hand, if you’re struggling now, this too won’t last forever. Life repeats ups and downs like waves.
Don’t let the waves toss you around. Instead, understand the waves and learn to ride them. That’s the true strength this proverb teaches.
Comments