Year of the Sheep (91/01/01)
Happy New Year! I'm happy that you took time to call "Daily
Word" on this auspicious first day of 1991 and I hope you will
call many more times during the year. In traditional Oriental
thought, twelve animal signs are used to designate directions,
hours and years. According to that 12-year-cycle, this is the
year of the "hitsuji" in Japan. But how should we translate
"hitsuji"? Because the old Latin name for one of the 12
constellations means "ram", which is a male sheep, some people
call it the year of the ram. (Please note that the pronunciation
is different than "lamb", which is a young sheep). A female
sheep is a ewe, spelled e-w-e, but the Japanese word, "hitsuji",
does not indicate gender so I prefer to call it the year of the
sheep. A person born in the year of the sheep is said to be
creative and elegant, shy, but deeply dedicated and warm.
Unfortunately, such positive characteristics do not always apply
to people born in that year. In the 23rd Psalm, God is pictured
as a shepherd who cares for his sheep and in the 10th chapter of
the Gospel of John, Jesus is called the "good shepherd [who] lays
down his life for his sheep." May this year of the SHEEP be a
year of Success, Happiness, Enjoyment, Enlightenment and Peace.
(3444)
The Beginning (91/01/02)
In traditional Japanese thinking, these first days of a new year
are important in making proper beginnings. One's first visit to
the shrine, first dream, first writing, first bath, first sale,
first cargo, first sewing, etc. are all considered significant.
These "firsts" are indicated by the Chinese character which
combines a robe or clothes with a sword and is pronounced "sho",
"hatsu", "hajime" or "zome". Originally, this character denoted
the beginning of cutting cloth and then came to signify the
beginning of any activity. Various sayings emphasize the
importance of a good beginning. The Roman poet, Horace, who
lived in the 1st century B.C. wrote, "Once begun, a task is easy;
half the work is done." So we have the English proverb, "Well
begun is half done" and the Japanese axiom, "Hajime hanbun."
Those who may feel too old to make a new beginning should
remember the English saying that "It is better to begin in the
evening than not at all." The Bible begins with the words, "In
the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" and a key
verse in the book of Proverbs, found in the 1st chapter, is "The
fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge." I pray that
this is the beginning of a happy New Year for you. (3445)
J.R.R. Tolkien (91/01/03)
"Philology", spelled p-h-i-l-o-l-o-g-y, is derived from a Greek
word meaning "loving learning". It is now used to denote the
study of literary texts or linguistics. Today is the birthday of
an English philologist who became well-known as a novelist who
wrote "The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings" trilogy and
"Silmarillion". This man, J.R.R. Tolkien, was born on January 3,
1892 in South Africa. After graduating rom Oxford and serving in
the First World War, he became a philologist, specializing in
medieval English literature. As a professor at Oxford, he became
an authority on pre-Renaissance English literary and linguistic
traditions and published philological studies and translations of
Old and Middle English poems. His fame, however, rests on his
fantasy novels about the mythological kingdom of Middle Earth.
Many of the details of these fantastic stories are based on
Scandinavian and Germanic folklore. The following quotation from
The Fellowship of the Ring should be taken seriously by
researchers in both the physical and social sciences. Tolkien
wrote: "He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left
the path of wisdom." (3446)
A Frugal Man (91/01/04)
The word "frugal", spelled f-r-u-g-a-l, means thrifty. A frugal
person avoids unnecessary expenditures of money. The root of
this word is a Latin word meaning "success". Not all frugal
people are successful, but some people have become rich by being
frugal. Last month, a frugal man named Charlie Haines died in
the U.S. state of Washington. He was 72 years old. Haines
received a veteran's pension of $563 a month from the government.
The grimy apartment he rented in a flophouse in downtown Spokane
cost $80 a month. To save money, he did his own cooking and even
shaved his head to avoid having to pay for haircuts. According
to a neighbor, he "probably lived on $30 a month". His only
obvious possessions were a small color television, a collection
of hats and a footlocker filled with papers and pictures. Yet
police found over $11,000 hidden in coffee cans, boxes and
clothing. There was over twice that amount in a bank account
that hadn't been used in months. I don't know whether Mr. Haines
was happy or content, but in I Timothy 6:6, we read that religion
is profitable "to those who are content with what they have" and
Dr. Thomas Fuller has written, "He is not poor that hath not much
but he that craves much." (3447)
New Year's Dishes (91/01/05)
Even as there are certain special dishes prepared in western
countries at Christmas time, Japan has traditional foods that are
eaten at New Year's. So what are we eating in our home at this
time of year? For one thing, we continue to enjoy the Christmas
cookies my wife spent so much time making in the weeks before
Christmas. We even have some remains of the turkey we had at
Christmas which were frozen or made into soup. We also enjoy
some Japanese New Year's dishes although my wife has never taken
the time or made the effort to make "osechi-ryōri". Since she is
a full-time teacher and since genuine Japanese meals take too
long to prepare, most of our homemade meals are western or
semiwestern. We often have rice dishes, but the rice is not always
served in rice bowls. During the New Year season, we enjoy
"omochi" in various forms: in soups or toasted and dipped in
"oshōyu" or "kinako" or wrapped in "nori". "Shiruko", "zenzai" and
"zōni" are enjoyed along with the "osechi-ryōri" that others have
made, but we do not try to find the seven herbs to include in a
special rice gruel on January 7th. When I came to Japan, almost
forty years ago, I did not care for either boiled rice or green
tea but I have now come to enjoy both of them along with raw fish
and seaweed. But I confess that I still do not care for "nattō".
(3448)
The Good Shepherd (91/01/06)
According to the traditional Oriental system of reckoning,
this year of 1991 of the Gregorian calendar is the year of the
sheep. Since many of the books in the Bible were written in the
pastoral setting of ancient Palestine, there are many biblical
passages that are related to sheep. Israel's great Kind David
was a shepherd when he was young. He was also a poet and in many
of his poems, which are included in the Old Testament book of
Psalms, people are figuratively called "sheep". One
characteristic of sheep is that they are submissive and meekly follow a
leader. Therefore, it is important for people who are like sheep
to choose the right leader. Otherwise, they may be meekly led in
a dangerous direction. Probably the most famous of King David's
poems is the 23rd Psalm which pictures the Lord as our shepherd,
who leads us in the right paths. When following this Shepherd,
we have no fear, even in the face of danger, because he is with
us and protects us. In the New Testament, Jesus calls himself
"the good shepherd, who is willing to die for the sheep". [John
10:11]. During this year of the sheep, I pray that you will
experience the peaceful confidence that comes from committing
yourself to the care of this Good Shepherd. (3449)
Hara Hachibu (91/01/07)
In Japanese, 'hachibu' literally means eight-tenths, but in
the saying 'mura hachibu', it denotes social ostracism and in the
phrase 'hara hachibu' it signifies moderation or temperance in
eating. According to the Japanese saying, a stomach eight-tenths
full does not require a doctor, 'hara hachibu ni isha irazu'. It
is when we eat too much that we are likely to get sick. In
English, we have the maxim, "Moderation in all things" and in
regard to eating, in particular, we may say that "Enough is as
good as a feast". That is to say, we need not gorge ourselves at
the table to feel good. Eating a moderate amount of food is
sufficient. The greedy person is always looking for and desiring
more, but the person with a healthy faith, in keeping with the
admonition in the New Testament Letter to the Hebrews, chapter
13, verse 5, knows how to be content with what he or she has.
(3450)
Bible Class (91/01/08)
Today, January 8th, is the second Tuesday of this month. On
the first and third Tuesday evenings of each month, I teach a
Bible Class at the Nagoya City Kyōikukan at Sakae. During the
first hour, from 6:30 to 7:30, I explain the meaning of a Bible
passage in Japanese. During the second hour, from 7:30 to 8:30,
we consider the same passage in English. In that hour, I ask
questions, explain the meaning and usage of words and correct
pronunciation. You are invited to attend this class if you are
interested. Since we did not meet on New Year's Day, this month
we will meet on the third and fifth Tuesdays, even though the
third Tuesday is a holiday. On Sunday afternoon, January 20th
from 1:30 to 3:30, we will hold a meeting of listeners to these
telephone messages at the Nagoya YWCA on Nishiki-Dōri east of
Sakae. The theme for our meeting will be: "Hopes and Fears for
1991". This subject may be treated on a personal, national or
international level. Finally, if you wish to receive a copy of
these messages before they are spoken, send stamped, addressed
envelopes plus ¥60 in stamps for each week of messages desired
to: "Daily Word", Post Office Box 30, Moriyama Post Office,
Nagoya 463. (4351)
Quacks (91/01/09)
In Japanese, the sound made by a duck is 'gāgā', but to the
ears of English-speaking people, a duck cries "quack-quack".
People who make empty boasts or speak in a very pretentious way
may also be said to quack. As a noun, "quack" denotes a
charlatan, that is, a person who pretends to have knowledge of skill in
a particular field that he or she does not have. It is a
shortened form of "quacksalver" which was used of imposters in the
field of medicine who quacked about the ointments or salves they
sold to gullible people. In the early 1900's, many quacks were
selling patent medicines which were said to cure a great variety
of ailments. One such medicine, Lydia Pinkham's Vegetable
Compound, was said to effect a cure for illnesses ranging from
fatigue to cancer and a major promoter of this patent medicine
was a quack named Hubbard. In memory of this man, an annual
"Harlan Page Hubbard Lemon Award" is given by consumer groups in
the United States to companies that make deceptive advertising
claims. Companies receiving these awards last year and their
deceptive advertising will be noted in tomorrow's message.
Dishonesty that takes advantage of the distress of the desperate
is especially despicable. (3452)
"Lemon Awards" (91/01/10)
An English critic, John Priestly, once stated: "Living in an
age of advertisement, we are perpetually disillusioned." One
reason for disillusionment is that many advertisements are either
misleading or outright deceptive. The Center for Science in the
Public Interest in Washington, D.C., annually chooses
advertisements it considers "most misleading, unfair or irresponsible" and
presents "Lemon Awards" to companies that sponsor them. A lemon,
of course, is a sour-tasting fruit and, in informal English,
"lemon" indicates something unsatisfactory. One such award was
given to the Volvo Automobile Company for its ad that showed a
Volvo standing up to the crushing weight of a truck driven over
its roof. The car in the ad, however, had been specially
reinforced to survive the weight. A Philip Morris advertisement was
criticised for implying that smoking Superslims cigarettes can
help women stay thin. And a General Motors car was advertised as
"fuel efficient" even though it gets lower gas mileage than most
of GM's other models. Almost 2 1/2 centuries ago, Lord Chesterton
wrote in a letter to his son that "Without some dissimulation no
business can be carried on at all", but I hope and believe that
it is possible to be a completely honest and successful
businessman. (3453)
"Chilled Lamb" (91/01/11)
A male sheep is a ram, spelled r-a-m. A young sheep is a
lamb, spelled l-a-m-b. The meat of young sheep is also called
lamb and to keep this meat fresh longer, it is chilled. Last
month an airplane left New Zealand carrying 120 tons of chilled
lamb. The lamb was bound for Belgium, but it was being
transported in a Soviet plane. The plane route was altered to avoid
the troubled Persian Gulf region, but unexpected difficulties
were encountered after crossing the border of Afghanistan. There
it became the target of missiles apparently fired by Mujahedeen
rebels who had fought against Soviet forces for a decade.
Evidently, the rebels saw the Soviet markings on the plane and
showed their continued hostility. In dodging the missiles, the
plane burned extra fuel and just made it to an airfield in the
Soviet city of Tashkent, running out of fuel on the runway.
Seeing the content of the cargo, local airport authorities
refused to accept U.S. dollars for refueling the plane and demanded
five tons of meat instead. Negotiations resulted in lowering the
price to two tons of meat and the plane continued on to Brussels.
Westerners often complain of the high cost of meat in Japan, but
in the Soviet Union, meat is now considered of higher value than
American dollars. (3454)
"Daily Word" (91/01/12)
Looking back over the past year, a number of memorable
events occurred related to this "Daily Word" telephone service.
In January, a feature article about it appeared in the local
edition of the Yomiuri Shinbun. Three meetings of listeners were
held in Nagoya and three issues of "Daily Word" Echoes were
published. In June, for the first time, a gathering of listeners in
the Kantō area was held. My wife and I enjoyed having lunch with
them on our way to Narita Airport. On September 1st, this
telephone service celebrated its 10th anniversary. Around that date,
articles regarding the service appeared in local editions of the
Asahi, Mainichi and Chūnichi newspapers. Two of them included a
picture of the beautiful tapestry especially woven in
commemoration of that anniversary by a 73-year-old listener in Okayama
Prefecture. Articles also appeared in the English-language Asahi
Evening News and The Japan Times. On October 25th, a segment
related to "Daily Word" was included in the nation-wide broadcast
of the CTV program Zoom-in Asa. During October and November, I
gave lectures related to the telephone service to a Lions Club
and the Nagoya America-Japan Society and received citations from
the NTT Ozone Branch Office and from the Governor of Aichi
Prefecture for promoting international understanding.
(3455)
God's Character (91/01/13)
A famous Japanese novelist has complained that the Westernized Christian doctrine of God is too masculine for Japanese people to easily accept. He maintains that the strict and powerful concept of God as a father should be softened by the more tender and loving qualities of a mother-like god. It is true that the most common biblical figure used for God is "Father", but the love and tender mercy of God is also clearly taught. In the Old Testament book of Isaiah, chapter 40, verses 10 and 11, two quite different, yet harmonious, aspects of God's character are indicated. He is called "the Sovereign Lord [who] is coming to rule with power". But it is further stated that "He will take care of his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs together and carry them in his arms". The use of masculine terms in reference to God is a reflection of the culture and age in which portions of the Bible were written. However, the suitability of any figure used for God will depend upon the understanding and experience of the listener, reader or interpreter. As a matter of fact, just as there are warm and tender-hearted fathers, there are strict and cold-hearted mothers. Christians see the nature of God most clearly revealed in the character and life of Jesus, who was a man who manifested genuine love to all people. (3456)
Perseverance (91/01/14)
The first half of the first month of this year is almost over. Have you been keeping your New Year's resolutions? To accomplish any aim, perseverance is required. That includes the aim to become more proficient in a foreign language. So I encourage you to listen regularly to these daily telephone messages to improve your hearing ability. What do you think is the meaning of the Japanese proverb, 'ishi no ue nimo san-nen'? To make a stone warm may require sitting on it for three years. Young people these days are said to lack perseverance, but as the French emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte, stated, "Victory belongs to the most persevering." And Jesus taught, in Matthew 24:13, that "whoever holds out to the end will be saved." The informal English word, "stick-to-itiveness" denotes perseverance and I hope you will show stick-to-itiveness this year. (3457)
Modern Young People (91/01/15)
Today, January 15th, is a holiday in Japan, which means that the number of listeners to this telephone service will be less than on regular days. Nevertheless, since it is a Tuesday, I will suggest a theme on which listeners may write a short English essay. I correct essays sent to me and publish them in the next issue of "Daily Word" Echoes. In keeping with this holiday, Young Adults Day, I have chosen the theme: "Modern Young People". What is your impression of young people these days? What are their strengths and weaknesses? How do they compare with the young people when you were young? Do you think they are healthier, more advanced, more intelligent, more industrious, more sensitive to the needs of others, more politically alert? Or do you think the opposite is true? How do you account for their positive and negative characteristics? Since today's youth are tomorrow's leaders, both parents and teachers have a serious responsibility to train them well. On this coming Sunday afternoon beginning at 1:30, we will hold a meeting of listeners to this telephone service at the Nagoya YWCA on Nishiki-dori, east of Sakae. The subject for discussion at that meeting is: "Hopes and Fears for 1991". You are invited to attend. This is "Daily Word", Post Office Box 30, Moriyma Post Office, Nagoya 463. (3458)
Disposal of Waste (91/01/16)
In modern Japanese society, one of the pressing problems is how to dispose of refuse. Various words may be used to denote things regarded as worthless and fit only for throwing away. "Rubbish" often means things that are worn-out or broken down. "Trash" denotes something that is useless. "Garbage" usually signifies waste material of animal or vegetable origin, like that which is thrown out from the kitchen. And "debris" applies to broken fragments. But whatever word is used, disposal of such waste is becoming a serious problem. A government advisory body has recommended that manufacturers should share responsibility in the final disposition of their products. It also recommended that stores should avoid excessive wrapping of merchandise. Both companies and the general public must stop being so wasteful in simply discarding products that are still in good condition or which can be repaired. Even affluent people will try to recycle reusable material if they are concerned about the natural environment and the conditions of poorer nations. Each individual citizen has a responsibility to help solve this growing problem. A "Daily Word" listeners meeting will be held on Sunday afternoon at 1:30 at the Nagoya YWCA. Please join us there if you can. (3459)
A Potter at His Wheel (91/01/20)
In the Bible, a "prophet" is a person who speaks God's word to people. That word was not necessarily related to future events. Truths related to the past or present were also included in prophetic messages. How did these prophets receive the word from God which they proclaimed? Sometimes they were inspired while viewing a very common sight. In the 18th chapter of the book of Jeremiah, that prophet tells the story of the word he received from God while watching a potter working at his wheel. As the wheel spun around, the potter shaped the clay according to his idea. But sometimes, for some reason, he failed to form the kind of vessel he had in mind. Maybe there was something wrong with the consistency of the clay. Or there may have been something wrong with the wheel. Or the potter himself may have made a mistake. In any case, when the vessel did not turn out as he desired, he reworked the clay into a different form to make a different kind of vessel. While watching the potter shape his pottery, Jeremiah heard the Lord tell him that his chosen people of Israel were like clay in his hands and he was molding them into a useful vessel in accordance with his divine plan. According to the biblical, prophetic perspective, human history is in the hands of God who is working out some good purpose in all the ups and downs of life. (3463)
The Soul of Wit (91/01/21)
In Christian churches in Japan, the sermon given by the minister is called a 'sekkyo' while that given by a priest in Buddhist temples may be called a 'dangi'. But in either case, listeners these days prefer a short sermon and consider a long-winded preacher not so skillful, as reflected in the Japanese saying, 'Heta no naga-dangi'. How would you put this proverb into English? Actually, there is an English proverb with the same emphasis but composed from the opposite viewpoint. We say, "Brevity is the soul of wit". The context of this proverb in Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' indicates that "wit" does not mean "humor" but "intelligence". It is often used with the former meaning today, however. "Soul" denotes the most important part of something. A proficient preacher is able to communicate much truth in a few words and that is what I aim to do in these daily messages. (3464)
A New Book (91/01/22)
At the "Daily Word" listeners meeting last Sunday, we talked about our hopes and fears for 1991. That is also the suggested theme for essays this week. What hopes or fears do you have regarding yourself, your family, your school or company, your country or the world? If you write a short essay on this theme in English and send it to me, I will correct it and print it in the next issue of "Daily Word" Echoes. At the listeners meeting, a new book was on display. The book, published by the Kyoto publisher, Biseisha, is entitled Ofuna-Hakase no Deiri-Wa-do. The editorial supervisor is a professor of Osaka Gaikokugo Daigaku and the editor is a teacher at Chikusa High School in Nagoya. This textbook for high school students consists of 20 "Daily Word" messages and exercises, useful expressions and checkpoints following each message. Two years ago, "Daily Word," a book of 36 "Daily Word" messages was published as a university text by the Hokuseido Press in Tokyo. Both books may be ordered at local bookstores. "Daily Word" messages may also be viewed on NTT's CAPTAIN system terminals and on the telecommunication network called NIFTY-Serve. This is: "Daily Word", Post Office Box 30, Moriyama Post Office, Nagoya 463. (3465)
A Python on a Train (91/01/23)
A python, spelled p-y-t-h-o-n, is a kind of snake found in the tropics. Pythons often make their homes in trees or in rocky places. Some pythons extend up to nine meters in length, but they are not poisonous. Instead of biting, they kill their prey by coiling themselves around it and squeezing it to death. Then they proceed to swallow their victim whole. On New Year's Eve on a train in Italy, a woman passenger was surprised to see a 1.5 meter-long python slithering past her feet in a second class compartment. Needless to say, she let out a scream that frightened those around her. When the train arrived at the next station, passengers scrambled onto the platform while police and railroad employees searched the train. After 40 minutes, the python was found curled around a heating pipe and captured. It is not known how the python got on the train, but since nobody claimed it, it was taken to a local animal shelter. The train proceeded on its way an hour behind schedule. In the Bible, a snake or serpent usually has a negative connotation, but in Matthew 10:16, Jesus advised his disciples to be as wise, wary or cautious as snakes in their activities. (3466)
Utility Costs (91/01/24)
The primary meaning of the noun "utility" is the condition or quality of being useful. A secondary meaning is a useful public service, such as gas, electricity or water. When we rent a house or an apartment, it is important to make clear who pays for the utilities--the owner or the renter? The precise meaning of this term is now a matter of dispute between the United States and Japan as they negotiate changes in the special status agreement under which Japan pays part of the cost of U.S. bases in this country. Due to the increased value of the yen, the United States has asked Japan to increase its financial support to include utility costs and Japan has agreed to do so. The meaning of "utility costs", however, has become controversial. The Japanese Defense Agency understands it to mean electricity, water supply and gas, while the United States includes telephone bills and garbage collection in its definition. Definitions are important in religious discussions as well as in legal negotiations. What is meant by such words as God, sin, judgment and salvation, for example, must be made clear to avoid misunderstandings. Samuel Butler has written that "Definitions are a kind of scratching and generally leave a sore place more sore than it was before." (3467)
Robert Boyle (91/01/25)
As a verb, boil, spelled b-o-i-l, means to heat a liquid until it changes into gas. Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius. As a noun, boil denotes a painful swelling of the skin due to an infection. Such a boil contains pus. There is also a proper noun with the same pronunciation. Spelled B-o-y-l-e, it is the surname of a famous Irish family. Three-hundred-sixty-four years ago today, on January 25, 1627, Robert Boyle, the seventh son of the first earl of Cork was born at Lismore Castle. Boyle devoted himself to the study of chemistry and natural philosophy. He was the first scientist to distinguish between a chemical element and a compound, affirming that atoms of one kind of matter are at the heart of all substances. In 1660, he formulated an important principle of physics, now known as Boyle's law, that the volume of a gas varies inversely with the pressure applied to it. Boyle was a dedicated Christian who supported missionary activity in Asia and circulated translations of the Bible at this own expense. By his will, he established the 'Boyle Lectures' for the defense of Christianity against unbelievers. Robert Boyle is an example of a man who was able to harmonize scientific expertise with an earnest religious faith. (3468)
Snow at Narita (91/01/26)
It was raining in Nagoya on the morning of January 16th, last year, the day I was to leave for Philippines. So in one hand I held an umbrella along with my attaché case while carrying my suitcase in the other hand as I walked to the train station from my house. After getting off the train, I walked to the Immigration Office, where the important re-entry permit was stamped in my passport. Then I walked to the bus stop to catch a bus for Nagoya Airport. Having some time to spare, I stopped to have a light lunch in the airport restaurant. My flight was scheduled to leave at 3:30, but there was an announcement that there would be a slight delay because Narita Airport was closed due to snow. We boarded at 3:40 and waited on the plane, but permission to take off could not be granted until it was certain we could land at Narita. That permission was late in coming, so we deplaned and returned to the waiting room. I was relieved when we finally took off, but I became anxious when we spent as much time circling Narita Airport as it took to get there from Nagoya. At long last, we landed at 7:35, five minutes after the scheduled departure time of my plane to Manila. I rushed to board the bus for the airport's South Wing, from which my plane was to leave, in the hope that its departure would also be delayed. (To be continued in next Saturday's message.) (3469)
Anointed One (91/01/27)
The English words "Christ" and "Messiah", derived from Greek and Hebrew respectively, both mean "Anointed One". In the Old Testament, the ceremonial anointing of a person's head with oil was a sign of God's selection and separation of that person for a particular purpose. Three special categories of people in the Old Testament were anointed priests, who represented people before God; prophets, who spoke God's word to people; and kings, who ruled as God's representatives. Old Testament prophets spoke of "the Anointed One" as a future ruler to be sent by God to save his people. According to the 4th chapter of the Gospel of Luke, at the beginning of his ministry Jesus spoke in the Jewish synagogue in his hometown of Nazareth. He chose a passage from the prophecy of Isaiah where it is written that the Lord anointed him and commissioned him "to announce good news to the poor, to proclaim release for prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind ... to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour." As the Messiah, or Christ, Jesus came to bring blessing to needy people, not only through his words, but through his life and as this first month of the year draws to a close, I pray that this will be the Lord's favour for you. (3470)
No Smoke without Fire (91/01/28)
Many proverbs in Japanese and English have similar meanings even though they are expressed in different ways, but some proverbs are exactly the same in both languages. This suggests that the one is probably a translation of the other. I'm not sure which is the original and which is the translation, but the English proverb, There is no smoke without fire, is the exact equivalent of the Japanese saying, 'Hi no nai tokoro ni kemuri tatanu'. In both cases, the proverb is used in relation to unsubstantiated rumors that may not be completely true, but it is thought that there must be some basis for the rumor getting started. Unfortunately, however, there are times when a malicious person will start a completely false rumor in order to destroy another's character. According to Proverbs 20:26, "Without wood, a fire goes out; without gossip, quarrelling stops." (3471)
Colors (91/01/29)
A survey was conducted recently among members of a national federation of florists by the Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. The ministry will use the results to advise the flower industry regarding what kinds of flowers to grow and sell. The survey indicated that pink is the favorite color of flowers among Japanese. Twenty-five percent of the florists replied that pink was the most popular color among their customers. Eighteen percent replied that red was most popular followed by 17 percent who chose white. People in Tokyo and the northern Kanto region prefer pink, with purple in second place. In eastern Japan, white and blue were popular. In the west, red, yellow, orange and other bright colors were favored. What is your favorite color? Is there some special reason why you like that color? Have you had any especially colorful experiences? What significance do you think colors have in daily life? Do you think that certain colors exert a positive or negative influence on people? "Colors" is the suggested theme for your essay this week. I will correct those essays sent to me and publish them in the next issue of "Daily Word" Echoes. My address is: "Daily Word", Post Office Box 30, Moriyama Post Office, Nagoya 463. (3472)
The Beginning (91/01/02)
J.R.R. Tolkien (91/01/03)
A Frugal Man (91/01/04)
New Year's Dishes (91/01/05)
The Good Shepherd (91/01/06)
Hara Hachibu (91/01/07)
Bible Class (91/01/08)
Quacks (91/01/09)
"Lemon Awards" (91/01/10)
"Chilled Lamb" (91/01/11)
"Daily Word" (91/01/12)
God's Character (91/01/13)
Perseverance (91/01/14)
Modern Young People (91/01/15)
Disposal of Waste (91/01/16)
A Potter at His Wheel (91/01/20)
The Soul of Wit (91/01/21)
A New Book (91/01/22)
A Python on a Train (91/01/23)
Utility Costs (91/01/24)
Robert Boyle (91/01/25)
Snow at Narita (91/01/26)
Anointed One (91/01/27)
No Smoke without Fire (91/01/28)
Colors (91/01/29)
Fire (91/01/30)
"Fly the Coop" (91/01/31)
Year of the Sheep (91/01/01)