Proverb / Kotowaza
遠慮無ければ近憂あり
If you do not plan for the distant future, you will certainly face trouble in the near future.
If there is no distant consideration, there will be near sorrow.
Quick Answer
If you do not plan for the distant future, you will certainly face trouble in the near future.
- Literal Image
- If there is no distant consideration, there will be near sorrow.
- Closest Equivalent
- Look before you leap
- How to Use It
- Used to advise someone to develop foresight or to criticize a situation where a lack of planning led to immediate hardship.
Meaning
Long-term stability requires looking far ahead. If you focus only on the present and fail to make future plans or preparations, you will inevitably encounter problems and worries much sooner than you expect.
Literal Image
If there is no distant consideration, there will be near sorrow.
Equivalent Proverbs
Look before you leap
While both emphasize foresight, the English version focuses on immediate action while the Japanese emphasizes long-term planning.
How to Use It
Used to advise someone to develop foresight or to criticize a situation where a lack of planning led to immediate hardship.
Tone
Formal and advisory with a cautionary nuance.
Examples
老後の備えをせずに浪費を続けていた彼は、退職後に経済的に苦しくなった。遠慮無ければ近憂ありとはまさにこのことだ。
Because he continued to waste money without preparing for his old age, he faced financial hardship after retirement. This is exactly what 'if there is no distant consideration, there will be near sorrow' means.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
The proverb uses 'enryo' in its archaic sense of 'foresight' and includes the literary term 'kinyu' (near sorrow), along with a classical verbal structure.
遠慮
えんりょ / enryo
distant consideration; foresight
近憂
きんゆう / kinyu
near sorrow; immediate worries
無ければ
なければ / nakereba
if there is not
Usage Profile
Usage note: Note that 'enryo' here means 'thinking ahead,' not the modern meaning of 'restraint' or 'holding back.'
Misread Risk
Do not confuse the 'enryo' in this proverb with the modern usage of being polite or reserved; here it specifically refers to long-term thinking.
Search As
Related Proverbs
Origin
This expression is derived from the Chinese classic "The Analects of Confucius" (Lunyu). The original passage states: "If a person has no distant thoughts, they will certainly have near worries" (人にして遠き慮り無ければ、必ず近き憂いあり). It serves as a teaching on the vital importance of long-term planning and preparation.
Index
Topics, Situations, and Tags
Topics
Situations
Tags
Source Note
Where did this entry get its data from? The reference links are listed below. To understand how to read this section, see Data Sources.