Calamities Made By Heaven Can Still Be Avoided, But Calamities Made By Oneself Cannot Be Escaped: Japanese Proverb Meaning

How to Read “Calamities made by heaven can still be avoided, but calamities made by oneself cannot be escaped”

Ten no naseseru wazawai wa nao nogareubeki mo, mizukara naseseru wazawai wa nogarubeki karazu

Meaning of “Calamities made by heaven can still be avoided, but calamities made by oneself cannot be escaped”

This proverb means that natural disasters can possibly be avoided, but calamities caused by your own actions will definitely catch up with you.

Natural disasters or unavoidable misfortunes can sometimes be prevented or reduced through proper preparation and action. However, disasters that result from your own wrongdoing or mistakes will inevitably come back to you.

This is because they are the direct result of your own choices and behavior.

People use this proverb to warn those who commit wrongdoing or act unethically that consequences will surely follow. It also serves as a personal reminder about the importance of daily conduct.

Today, people quote it when explaining personal responsibility or the principle of cause and effect. It expresses a simple life truth: your actions always have consequences, and you cannot escape them.

Origin and Etymology

This proverb likely comes from the ancient Chinese classic “Book of Documents,” specifically from the “Tai Jia” chapter.

The original text reads “天作孼、猶可違、自作孼、不可逭” in classical Chinese. It was spoken by Prime Minister Yi Yin when admonishing King Tai Jia of the Shang Dynasty.

The character “孼” means calamity, “違” means to avoid, and “逭” means to escape. This saying emerged from ancient China’s “Mandate of Heaven” philosophy.

Natural disasters were seen as heaven’s will, but humans could possibly avoid them through humble behavior. However, calamities caused by one’s own wrongdoing cannot be escaped because they result from personal choices.

This teaching came to Japan along with Confucian thought. Rulers and the samurai class valued it as a warning. Confucian scholars during the Edo period used it as important moral education material.

This philosophy clearly distinguishes natural disasters from human-caused disasters and questions human responsibility. It influenced the formation of Japanese ethical values.

While the language itself is classical and difficult, its essence contains universal truths that apply even today.

Interesting Facts

The character “逭” that appears in this proverb is extremely rare in modern daily life. It means “to escape,” but carries a stronger nuance than the common character “逃.”

It implies “absolutely cannot escape.” This single character choice reflects the strong warning that you can never escape the consequences of self-inflicted disasters.

The character “孼” is also special. Originally it meant “shoots growing from a tree stump,” but came to represent “calamity” or “source of trouble.”

Like shoots that naturally sprout, calamities also arise naturally. This metaphorical meaning reflects deep philosophy within the character itself.

Usage Examples

• He gained profits through dishonest means, but as the saying goes, calamities made by heaven can still be avoided, but calamities made by oneself cannot be escaped—everything finally came to light
• I never neglect disaster preparedness, but I remember the proverb calamities made by heaven can still be avoided, but calamities made by oneself cannot be escaped, which reminds me that correcting my own behavior is even more important

Universal Wisdom

This proverb has been passed down for hundreds of years because it points to an inescapable truth about the relationship between human actions and their consequences.

Everyone has the psychological tendency to look away from the results of their mistakes and wrongdoings. People try to lighten their responsibility by blaming natural disasters, claiming bad luck, or pointing fingers at others.

But this proverb mercilessly points out the essence. You must reap what you sow. This is as certain as physical laws.

No matter how much you try to run away, no matter how many excuses you make, it will ultimately come back to you.

What’s interesting is that the proverb states that natural disasters “can possibly be avoided.” This gives people hope.

It shows there’s room to overcome difficulties through effort and wisdom. On the other hand, it declares that calamities caused by your own actions “absolutely cannot be escaped.”

This contrast highlights the weight of human free will and responsibility.

Our ancestors deeply understood the importance of people taking responsibility for their actions. Freedom always comes with responsibility, and choices always come with consequences.

This proverb conveys this universal truth concisely yet powerfully.

When AI Hears This

Control systems have two important conditions: “observability” and “controllability.” Simply put, it’s about whether a system’s state can be measured and whether that state can be corrected in a desired direction.

External natural disasters are like crosswinds hitting a moving car. As long as you hold the steering wheel, you can compensate for the wind disturbance with steering.

The control structure of the system itself isn’t broken, so the feedback loop of observing state with sensors and correcting with actuators still functions.

In control engineering, such disturbances can be handled with “robust control” methods. Mathematical proofs show that stability can be maintained within certain tolerance ranges.

However, failures caused by your own actions are like breaking the steering wheel itself. What control theory calls “destruction of the system’s internal structure” has occurred.

Even though sensors and actuators remain intact, the control path connecting them stops functioning. This is called “loss of controllability.”

No matter how excellent your control algorithm is, recovery is impossible. You can handle disturbances by increasing control gain, but a system with broken internal structure no longer qualifies as a controllable object.

This fundamental engineering difference brilliantly explains the core of this proverb.

Lessons for Today

What this proverb teaches modern people is the fact that you hold the steering wheel of your own life. In today’s society with developed social media, your words and actions are recorded.

They can affect your future in unexpected ways. What you post casually can remain forever. This is truly a modern version of “calamities made by oneself.”

What matters is paying attention to each small daily choice. If you act dishonestly when no one’s watching, or do something unethical thinking you won’t get caught, it will definitely come back to you somehow.

Conversely, by living honestly, you can protect yourself.

Don’t forget the positive message that natural disasters and bad luck can possibly be avoided. This proverb teaches that there’s room to overcome difficulties through effort and preparation.

But at the same time, only your own actions can and must be controlled by you. Understanding the balance between these two ideas is the key to living a fulfilling life.