How to Read “A donkey that goes on a journey doesn’t come back as a horse”
roba ga tabi ni deta tokoro de uma ni natte kaette kuru wake de wa nai
Meaning of “A donkey that goes on a journey doesn’t come back as a horse”
This proverb means that your essential abilities and nature don’t change easily. You might gain superficial knowledge or skills by changing your environment or having new experiences.
However, it shows the reality that you can’t change your fundamental qualities, personality, or the limits of your abilities that you were born with.
People use this saying to show a realistic perspective to those who expect dramatic change from easy environmental shifts or short-term experiences.
For example, it serves as a warning to people who try to change only their title or position without real ability. It also applies to those who think they’ve grown by changing only their appearance or environment without making essential efforts.
Today, self-improvement and environmental change tend to be overemphasized. This proverb teaches us the importance of first facing our essential selves and building up steady effort.
Origin and Etymology
This proverb is not originally Japanese. It’s believed to be a Western saying that was translated into Japanese from Europe.
In English, it’s expressed as “A donkey that goes traveling comes back still a donkey.” In French, it’s “Un âne qui voyage ne revient pas cheval.” This expression has been widely used throughout Europe.
The background of this saying relates to medieval European social structure. Back then, horses were noble animals that knights and aristocrats rode.
Donkeys, on the other hand, were working animals that common people and merchants used to carry loads. In other words, horses and donkeys weren’t just different animals. They symbolized social status and position.
Going on a journey was a great adventure in medieval times. It was considered a life-changing experience.
People who traveled far for pilgrimage or business probably expected to gain something special through their journey. However, this proverb vividly expresses the reality that no matter how far you go or how many new experiences you have, your inherent nature doesn’t change.
It uses the contrast between donkeys and horses to make this point clear. The saying was likely introduced to Japan after the Meiji period, along with the influx of Western culture.
Usage Examples
- I thought studying abroad would make me fluent in English, but I realized that a donkey that goes on a journey doesn’t come back as a horse
- The reason I don’t see results despite changing jobs repeatedly is probably because a donkey that goes on a journey doesn’t come back as a horse
Universal Wisdom
This proverb has been passed down for so long because it sharply points out the gap between a deep human desire and reality.
We all have the urge to change ourselves and become better. We tend to hope that if we just change our environment or go to a new place, we can transform ourselves too.
However, human history teaches us a harsh truth. External changes alone don’t alter our inner essence.
No matter how far you travel or how much you place yourself in new environments, the core part of yourself comes along with you. When you change environments as if running away, you eventually face the same problems. This happens because this truth is at work.
But this proverb doesn’t speak of despair. Rather, it teaches the importance of not relying on superficial changes.
Instead, we should sincerely face our true nature and steadily polish our inner selves. A donkey can remain a donkey and still become a better donkey.
Rather than forcing yourself to become a horse, the path of accepting who you are while growing leads to true human maturity. This deep wisdom is contained in this proverb.
When AI Hears This
The difference between donkeys and horses isn’t just about ability. It’s a difference in developmental programs. The blueprint that creates an individual from a fertilized egg is fundamentally different.
In biology, this basic design is called a “body plan.” Remarkably, these body plans were established during the Cambrian period about 500 million years ago. Almost no new patterns have emerged since then.
Consider whales as an example. Whales evolved from land mammals about 50 million years ago and completely adapted to ocean life.
They look just like fish, but when you dissect them, they breathe with lungs, retain limb bone structures, and give birth to live young. In other words, the basic mammal design hasn’t changed at all.
While surface forms can change to match the environment, the core of the developmental program cannot be rewritten. This is called “developmental constraint.”
Why can’t it be rewritten? Because the developmental program is a complexly intertwined network. Changing one gene affects hundreds of other genes in a chain reaction.
For example, if you try to change the basic body segment structure of vertebrates, you’d have to rebuild the nervous system, circulatory system, and digestive system all at once. Such major reconstruction leads to fatal results.
A donkey doesn’t become a horse no matter what experiences it has on its journey. This isn’t due to lack of effort but biological necessity.
Living things have learned over hundreds of millions of years where the boundary lies between what can change and what cannot.
Lessons for Today
This proverb teaches modern people the importance of having the courage to accept your true nature.
Every time we see someone’s glamorous transformation story on social media, we might feel anxious. However, deeply understanding who you are is the first step toward true growth, rather than chasing superficial changes.
You might be a donkey, but that doesn’t mean you’re inferior. Donkeys have their own strengths.
Even if you can’t run as fast as a horse, you might have the power to climb steep mountain paths reliably. What matters is not comparison with others but finding a path that uses your own characteristics.
Modern society tends to glorify dramatic changes in short periods. But real growth is steady and unspectacular.
Changing your environment isn’t bad, but it should be a means to find a place where you can express yourself better, not to run away from your true nature.
Know yourself deeply, then build up steady effort on that foundation. Such an honest way of living is the most valuable teaching this proverb gives us.
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