How to Read “Those who have virtue always have words”
toku aru mono wa kanarazu gen ari
Meaning of “Those who have virtue always have words”
This proverb means that people with virtue always possess admirable words.
“Virtue” here refers to character, morality, and inner richness as a human being. “Words” means the quality and content of what that person says.
When someone has truly excellent character, their inner fulfillment naturally shows in their words.
Words born from deep thought, warm words that care for others, advice based on sound judgment—such a person’s words carry weight and persuasive power.
These are not intentionally decorated words. They flow naturally from daily self-cultivation and experience.
This proverb is used as a standard for evaluating people. The idea is that you can understand someone’s character by listening to their words.
It’s also used for self-reflection. It teaches that to become someone who can speak admirable words, you must first accumulate virtue.
Origin and Etymology
This proverb is believed to come from a passage in the ancient Chinese text “Analects.”
In the Xianwen chapter of the “Analects,” Confucius says: “Those who have virtue always have words, but those who have words do not necessarily have virtue.”
The first half of this statement came to Japan and took root there.
Confucius was a thinker who deeply contemplated the relationship between a person’s inner and outer self.
He taught that people who truly possess virtue naturally express their inner richness through words.
The “words” here don’t mean mere chatter. They refer to words with the power to guide, encourage, and convey truth.
What’s interesting is that Confucius continues with “those who have words do not necessarily have virtue.”
This is a warning that people who say admirable things aren’t necessarily virtuous.
The teaching contains wisdom for distinguishing between people who are merely skilled with words and people who truly possess virtue.
In Japan, this proverb spread from the Edo period onward as Confucianism became popular.
It came to be frequently quoted in character education. It has been passed down as a teaching that expresses the core of Eastern philosophy about the deep connection between words and character.
Usage Examples
- That teacher says “Those who have virtue always have words,” and it’s true—the words of a person of character really do have the power to move hearts
- His advice is always accurate and warm; “Those who have virtue always have words” describes this perfectly
Universal Wisdom
“Those who have virtue always have words” is a deep insight that recognizes the inseparable relationship between a person’s inner and outer self.
Why has this teaching been passed down for thousands of years? It’s because humans constantly have a desire to distinguish the “real” from the “fake.”
Every day we encounter many people’s words. Among them, some words resonate with our hearts while others feel empty.
Where does this difference come from? This proverb shows us the answer.
The depth of character behind the words is what gives words their weight.
Humans instinctively have the ability to sense “something” behind words.
No matter how beautiful the words, if they’re superficial, they cannot truly move people’s hearts.
Conversely, even simple expressions have the power to change people when they’re born from deep experience and sincere living.
This truth doesn’t change across time. That’s because humans are beings who constantly seek “trustworthy people” and thirst for “genuine wisdom.”
The desire for words and character to match is a fundamental human wish.
That’s why this proverb continues to resonate with us today.
When AI Hears This
Words spoken by virtuous people actually have a characteristic called “costly signaling.”
In information theory, there’s a principle that signal reliability is proportional to its transmission cost.
For example, a peacock’s flashy feathers prove health to females precisely because they pay the cost of being easily spotted by predators.
Virtuous words have the same structure. To continue making consistent statements requires that your entire daily behavior supports them.
In other words, the cost of maintaining consistency between words and actions is very high.
Hypocritical words appear to have low transmission costs, but contradictions actually accumulate over time, and reliability decreases exponentially.
Information theory calls this noise amplification.
What’s interesting is the observer’s learning mechanism. The human brain extracts statistical patterns from repeatedly encountered information.
When you observe a virtuous person’s words over time, prediction errors remain small and information entropy stays low.
In other words, the judgment that “this person’s words are trustworthy” can be quantified as high prediction accuracy in the brain.
This proverb empirically captures the selection mechanism where only true signals survive in the information marketplace.
Lessons for Today
What this proverb teaches modern people is that if you want to polish your words, you should first polish yourself.
Now that anyone can be a communicator on social media, many people learn only the techniques of words.
But words that truly move people’s hearts don’t come from technique.
Think back to when someone’s words moved you. Those words resonated with your heart because that person’s way of living and experiences were embedded in them, right?
Conversely, no matter how skillful the words, if they contradict that person’s actions, we feel something’s wrong.
That’s why small daily choices matter. Living honestly, caring for others, learning from difficulties.
Such accumulation enriches your inner self and eventually naturally appears in your words.
You don’t need to rush to find admirable words. First, try to become an admirable person.
If you do, the necessary words will naturally flow from within you when needed.
That’s the hope this proverb shows us.
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