Shotokan Twenty Precepts - as set out by Funakoshi
there are different interpretations about the exact English translations
Karate-do begins and ends with respect.
Karate-do begins and ends with courtesy.
一、空手道は礼に始まり礼に終る事を忘るな
Hitotsu, karate-dō wa rei ni hajimari rei ni owaru koto o wasuruna
There is no first strike in Karate.
There is no first attack in Karate.
一、空手に先手なし
Hitotsu, karate ni sente nashi
Karate stands on the side of justice.
Karate suports righteousness
一、空手は義の補け
Hitotsu, karate wa, gi no tasuke
First know yourself before attempting to know others.
First know yourself, then know others.
First understand yourself, then understand others.
一、先づ自己を知れ而して他を知れ
Hitotsu, mazu jiko o shire, shikashite ta o shire
Spirit before technique.
Mentality over technique.
The art of developing the mind is more important than the art of applying technique.
一、技術より心術
Hitotsu, gijutsu yori shinjutsu
Always be ready to release your mind.
The heart must be set free.
The mind needs to be freed.
一、心は放たん事を要す
Hitotsu, kokoro wa hanatan koto o yōsu
Calamity springs from carelessness.
Accidents arise from negligence.
Trouble is born of negligence.
一、禍は懈怠に生ず
Hitotsu, wazawai wa ketai ni shōzu
Karate goes beyond the dojo.
Do not think karate belongs only in the dojo.
Do not think that Karate training is only in the dojo.
一、道場のみの空手と思ふな
Hitotsu, dōjō nomi no karate to omou na
Karate is a lifelong pursuit.
Karate training requires a lifetime.
It will take your entire life to learn Karate; there is no limit.
一、空手の修業は一生である
Hitotsu, karate no shūgyō wa isshō de aru
Apply the way of karate to all things. Therein lies its beauty.
Transform everything into karate; therein lies its exquisiteness.
Put your everyday living into Karate and you will find “Myo” (subtle secrets).
一、凡ゆるものを空手化せよ其処に妙味あり
Hitotsu, arayuru mono o karate kaseyo; soko ni myōmi ari
Karate is like boiling water; without heat, it returns to cold water.
Karate is like boiling water. If you do not heat it constantly it will cool.
Genuine karate is like hot water; it cools down if you do not keep on heating it.
一、空手は湯の如し絶えず熱度を与えざれば元の水に還る
Hitotsu, karate wa yu no gotoshi, taezu netsu o ataezareba moto no mizu ni kaeru
Do not think of winning. Think, rather, of not losing.
Do not think of winning; you must think of not losing.
Do not think that you have to win. Rather think that you do not have to lose.
一、勝つ考は持つな負けぬ考は必要
Hitotsu, katsu kangae wa motsuna; makenu kangae wa hitsuyō
Make adjustments according to your opponent.
Transform yourself according to the opponent.
The battle is according to how you move guarded and unguarded (move according to your opponent).
一、敵に因って轉化せよ
Hitotsu, teki ni yotte tenka seyo
The outcome of a battle depends on how one handles emptiness and fullness (weakness and strength).
The outcome of the fight depends on one’s control.
Victory depends on your ability to distinguish vulnerable points from invulnerable ones.
一、戦は虚実の操縦如何に在り
Hitotsu, tatakai wa kyojitsu no sōjū ikan ni ari
Think of hands and feet as swords.
Imagine one’s arms and legs as swords.
一、人の手足を剣と思へ
Hitotsu, hito no teashi o ken to omoe
When you step beyond your own gate, you face a million enemies.
Once you leave the shelter of home, there are a million enemies.
When you leave home, think that you have numerous opponents waiting for you. It is your behaviour that invites trouble.
一、男子門を出づれば百万の敵あり
Hitotsu, danshi mon o izureba hyakuman no teki ari
Formal stances are for beginners; later, one stands naturally.
Postures are for the beginner; later they are natural positions.
Beginners must master low stance and posture. Natural body positions are for the advanced.
一、構は初心者に後は自然体
Hitotsu, kamae wa shoshinsha ni ato wa shizentai
Perform prescribed sets of techniques exactly; actual combat is another matter.
Do the kata correctly; the real fight is a different matter.
Practicing a kata is one thing; engaging in a real fight is another.
一、形は正しく実戦は別物
Hitotsu, kata wa tadashiku, jissen wa betsumono
Do not forget the employment of withdrawal of power, the extension or contraction of the body, the swift or leisurely application of technique.
Do not forget control of the dynamics of power, the elasticity of the body and the speed of the technique.
Do not forget to correctly apply: strength and weakness of power, stretching and contraction of the body, and slowness and speed of techniques.
一、力の強弱体の伸縮技の緩急を忘るな
Hitotsu, chikara no kyōjaku, karada no shinshuku, waza no kankyū o wasuruna
Be constantly mindful, diligent, and resourceful, in your pursuit of the Way.
Always be good at the application of everything you have learned.
Always think and devise ways to live the precepts every day.
一、常に思念工夫せよ
Hitotsu, tsune ni shinen kufū seyo
