Can anybody tell me what 上善はみずの如し means?

[ferrygirl]

Hello, everybody!

Any ideas out there how to best express the meaning of 上善はみずの如し in English?

Muchas gracias!

[ThomasChibaPA]

Not sure, but the last part means "like water"

The second kanji is zen, which comes out as goodness, and I wonder if it isn't the same zen that people like to toss around in the west. "find your zen, man".

I think it might mean something like goodness (or some higher form of goodness?) is like water

maybe it means goodness necessary or pure like water?

I also wonder if the 上善 isn't something besides just "higher goodness", and might not be some kind of enlightenment or something.

can you give the phrase any context?

[ferrygirl]

I am pretty sure it's some sort of a proverb (which lends to the confusingness). Unfortunately, all I have is a slip of paper with that written on it.

Thanks for your help!

[ShimanePA-Jason]

Let's give it a shot !

Having a little poke around on the interwebs gives you a good idea towards its meaning.

Here is a Japanese definition of the phrase Ive just come across.

｢理想的な生き方は、水のように生きること｣

水には3つの特徴がある。
　1つ目は、水は器によって形を変えることができる。丸い器に入れれば丸くなり、四角い器に入れれば四角くなる。つまり、相手次第で態度を変える柔軟性があり、組織も水のように常に柔軟性を心がけなければならない。

　2つ目は、高い所から低い所に流れることだ。人は低い所にいくことを嫌がるが、他の人が嫌がることをする謙虚さも必要だ。

　3つ目は、いざとなれば能力を爆発させる力強さがあることだ。“ここぞ”という時には、一気に攻めることがビジネスには必要である。


So using that - maybe some can pull out a nice proverb sounding English phrase.

I'm having an English fail morning right now (still had no coffee) so will leave it to you folks. Something maybe like "An ideal life is to live like water". "A good person should be like water". "Live (your life) like water" "Seek fluidity in life" (im going well off the track now!)

Anyways - Be more like water! Change ourselves to fit into any given situations etc etc

Hope this helps

[ShimanePA-Jason]

BONUS EXTRA:

Everyone needs a little bit of Bruce Lee's musings in their lives.

Don't get set into one form, adapt it and build your own, and let it grow, be like water. Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless — like water. Now you put water in a cup, it becomes the cup; You put water into a bottle it becomes the bottle; You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.

[shanePC]

Yes, the best way to live is to be like water for these 3 reasons:

1. Water takes the shape of whatever container it is in - represents 100 percent flexibility

2. Water flows to the lowest point, the least desirable location for human beings.

3. Water can hold enormous energy, i.e. a flood can take down trees and houses.

Water is flexible, humble, and capable of harnessing mass amounts of energy.

[ThomasChibaPA]

I think there is an explanation of this in an episode of Cowboy Bebop

[Reign]

I also wonder if the 上善 isn't something besides just "higher goodness", and might not be some kind of enlightenment or something.

From what I understand 上善 is a word used for a 理想的な生き方、or an "ideal life". Though your literal interpretation of the kanji is very applicable. I'm guessing it would be based on the depth of interpretation of the reader. When I read the phrase, I tend to think,

"The ideal life, is one like that of water"

But translation, like interpretation, to me seems personal to each individual when going from Japanese to English.

[ferrygirl]

Thanks so much for your help, everybody! And thanks for the great inspiration to study! Reading these comments makes me really look forward to getting beyond おはようございます。