How to Read “No poverty can catch up with earning”
Kasegu ni oitsuku binbō nashi
Meaning of “No poverty can catch up with earning”
“No poverty can catch up with earning” means that if you keep working and earning income, you won’t become poor. In other words, no matter how much you spend, if you earn more than that, you won’t struggle financially.
This expresses a simple yet powerful truth about life.
This proverb is used for people who worry about financial hardship or feel anxious about the future. It often carries an encouraging message: “Don’t worry, as long as you work and have income, you’ll be fine.”
Sometimes people use it to respond to concerns about overspending, saying “It’s not a problem because I’m earning money.”
Even today, the essence of these words remains unchanged. In our modern world where ways to earn income have diversified, many people still relate to the idea that having the ability to earn continuously brings economic stability.
This is practical wisdom that clearly expresses the value of work and the importance of earning income.
Origin and Etymology
There don’t seem to be clear written records about the origin of this proverb. However, people believe it came from the everyday experiences of common people during the Edo period.
When you break down the expression “No poverty can catch up with earning,” you notice something interesting about its structure. The word “catch up” is used because poverty is viewed as something chasing you from behind.
It’s as if poverty is closing in on you. But the structure shows that if you have the act of earning, poverty can never catch up.
The Edo period had a strict class system, but it was also a time when townspeople’s culture flourished. Merchants and craftsmen made their living with their own skills and business sense alone.
Among these people, this expression likely spread as words that explained the importance of working and earning income.
This era also saw many famines and disasters. Many people couldn’t even manage their daily lives. In such circumstances, this saying resonated with people’s hearts as words of hope.
It showed that by working steadily, they could escape poverty. A positive view of work is condensed into these brief words.
Usage Examples
- Thanks to starting a side job, “No poverty can catch up with earning” and I now have more financial breathing room
- He’s someone who has worked without rest since his youth, believing in “No poverty can catch up with earning”
Universal Wisdom
The proverb “No poverty can catch up with earning” contains a fundamental truth about human life. That truth is the power of taking action.
Everyone experiences financial anxiety. Worries about tomorrow’s living, next month’s payments, future life. These concerns never disappear, no matter how times change.
Interestingly, when people feel anxious, they often become unable to move. Worries grow larger and larger, and they become paralyzed. This is one of humanity’s essential characteristics.
However, this proverb teaches the most reliable prescription for that anxiety. It is the action of “earning.” Not overthinking, not continuing to worry, but simply working and earning income.
That simple action keeps all poverty at bay.
Our ancestors realized something important. Many of life’s problems can actually be solved through action. And regarding financial difficulties especially, the concrete action of earning is the most effective solution.
This proverb has been passed down for so long because it’s not mere idealism. It’s a truth that has been proven through practice.
When AI Hears This
According to the second law of thermodynamics, everything left alone moves toward a disordered state. Rooms get messy, machines break down. These are all natural flows where entropy (the degree of disorder) increases.
Actually, household finances are governed by exactly the same physical law.
Money as a resource will certainly dissipate if you do nothing. Living costs like food, utilities, and housing continuously flow out of your wallet, just like heat flows toward the cold.
In other words, “poverty” is a high-entropy state in the economic system. It’s a state where resources have scattered and become unusable.
What’s important here is that life and society need to take in energy from outside to maintain order. Just as plants photosynthesize with sunlight, humans take in economic energy (income) from outside through labor.
This act of “earning” physically corresponds to creating negative entropy, or a flow that generates order.
What’s interesting is that it’s not a simple story where you can maintain the status quo if your earnings match your spending. In reality, the pressure of increasing entropy constantly fluctuates with unexpected expenses, inflation, and asset deterioration.
That’s why the continuous verb “catch up” is used. To maintain order against the laws of the universe, you have no choice but to keep injecting energy without stopping.
Lessons for Today
What this proverb teaches you today is the simplest and most reliable answer to financial anxiety. It’s the importance of continuing to have the power to earn.
In modern society, money worries never end. Rising prices, anxiety about the future, unexpected expenses. However, this proverb teaches us something valuable.
When you feel crushed by such worries, what matters most is maintaining and improving your ability to earn income.
This doesn’t mean you should work recklessly. It means polishing your skills, thinking about new income sources, and increasing your value.
If you continue such efforts, you can definitely overcome financial difficulties. This is a message of hope.
What’s important is not to stop because of anxiety. If you have time to worry, use that time to improve your earning power.
Such a positive attitude will keep you away from poverty. This wisdom left by our ancestors should serve as a reliable guide for you living today.
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