How to Read “Life comes before everything else”
Inochi atte no monodane
Meaning of “Life comes before everything else”
“Life comes before everything else” teaches that only by staying alive can anything else have meaning. No matter how important your goals are, no matter how much wealth, honor, or status you have, they become worthless if you lose your life.
Life itself is the source of all possibilities. It is the foundation for everything else.
This proverb is used for people who risk danger to achieve something, or those who push themselves so hard they might ruin their health. It offers advice filled with compassion and practical wisdom.
The message is simple: “You don’t need to try that hard” or “Put staying alive first.” Even today, this saying is used to caution against excessive competition or reckless challenges.
With life as your foundation, dreams and hopes can become reality. This proverb reminds us of that fundamental truth.
Origin and Etymology
The exact origin of this proverb in historical texts is unclear. However, we can learn interesting things by looking at how the words are structured.
Let’s focus on the word “monodane” (seeds of things). This means “the source of things” or “the foundation from which things begin.” Just as seeds are needed for sprouts to grow, this word refers to the capital or resources needed to start something.
It represents the starting capital for business, the foundation of plans, and the beginning point of all endeavors.
This expression likely emerged from the practical Japanese view of life. From the Warring States period through the Edo period, people faced life-threatening situations regularly.
They deeply understood the importance of survival. No matter how excellent your plans, no matter how much wealth you have, they mean nothing if you die.
Our ancestors expressed this obvious but easily forgotten truth in simple words.
The expression “atte no” (with the existence of) is also important. It means “on the condition that something exists.” This emphasizes that life is the absolute prerequisite for everything.
In other words, this proverb spread among common people as extremely practical life wisdom. It teaches the absolute priority of life.
Interesting Facts
The word “monodane” is rarely heard in modern times except in this proverb. However, during the Edo period, merchants used it daily.
They called the funds and goods that served as business capital “monodane.” Losing this was fatal for merchants. But if they lost their lives, even that capital would become meaningless.
The practical values of merchants are strongly reflected in this proverb.
Some say this proverb has a continuation: “Life comes before everything else, and everything else comes before life.” This means life comes first, but you also need the means to survive.
It shows a more realistic sense of balance. However, this continuation is not commonly used. Only the first part emphasizing “life is the top priority” became widely established.
Usage Examples
- Let’s turn back instead of forcing ourselves to reach the summit—life comes before everything else
- He decided to quit his job because he realized life comes before everything else
Universal Wisdom
Humans are strange creatures. When we become absorbed in the goals before us, we lose sight of what matters most.
This proverb has been passed down for hundreds of years because this human trait never changes across time.
We have strong desires to succeed, be recognized, and accomplish something. That passion is wonderful. But when that passion runs wild, we sacrifice the foundation of our own life and health.
Warriors who risked their lives on battlefields and modern businesspeople who collapse from overwork fundamentally share the same human nature.
The deep wisdom of this proverb teaches us the essence of priorities. Life has various values, and each is important. But we cannot treat everything equally.
If the foundation of life crumbles, everything built upon it returns to nothing. Our ancestors saw through this harsh reality.
At the same time, this proverb contains deep kindness. The message “your life matters most” is a warm word of restraint for those who push too hard.
It teaches that your existence itself has value, more than results or achievements. It acknowledges human weakness yet explains the dignity of continuing to live.
This is universal life wisdom.
When AI Hears This
Survival is a state that maximizes what game theory calls “option value.” Option value is the benefit gained by waiting instead of deciding immediately.
For example, when you’re unsure about buying stock, you can still make that decision tomorrow even if you don’t buy today. But once you buy, that choice cannot be undone.
The core of this proverb lies in the fact that losing life is completely irreversible. Mathematically speaking, the expected value of being alive is the sum of “all future possibilities × their respective probabilities.”
You might win the lottery tomorrow, or have a wonderful encounter. The probability is low, but not zero. However, if you die, all possibilities and probabilities become zero.
Written as an equation, anything multiplied by zero equals zero.
What’s interesting is that this logic completely refutes the criticism that “protecting your life is cowardly.” In the investment world, maintaining all options is called “the freedom of holding no position.”
This itself is considered a valuable strategy. In other words, prioritizing life is far from passive. It’s the most aggressive strategy for securing infinite future value.
The more irreplaceable something is once lost, the more carefully it deserves to be handled. This is not emotional reasoning but a cold conclusion derived from expected value calculations.
Lessons for Today
Modern society constantly whispers to us, “Try harder.” Social media overflows with images of successful people. Competition only gets fiercer.
In such times, the teaching of this proverb shines even brighter.
If you’re desperately working on something right now, stop for a moment and think. Is that effort worth continuing even if it destroys you?
Should you pursue it by cutting sleep, harming your health, and damaging your mind?
This proverb teaches us the courage to retreat. Giving up is not losing. Surviving is the most important victory.
Even if you lose today’s battle, you can challenge again tomorrow. But if you lose your life, no second chance will ever come.
What matters is knowing your limits and having the strength to accept them. You don’t need to aim for perfection. Eighty percent effort is enough.
That you stay healthy, smile, and greet tomorrow—that is the source of all possibilities. Life comes before everything else.
Please receive these words as kindness toward yourself.
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