Korabanu saki no tsue
Before you fall, the walking stick
Hindsight is 20/20. We often look back on mistakes we’ve made and thought, “Man, if only I had done _________” or “I should have done _________.” Rather than that, a little foresight would have been more prudent. After all, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” and “A stitch in time saves nine.” The Japanese have a similar expression.
Korabanu saki no tsue literally means, “Before you fall, the walking stick.” In other words, “Use a walking stick so you won’t fall.” The Boy Scout motto is, “Be prepared.” This is good advice for us all. If you try to anticipate things that could happen and take steps to avoid them or at least prepare for them in the event that they do happen, you can spare yourself a lot of misery. If you know your legs aren’t that stable or that you will be walking on uneven terrain, carrying a walking stick may spare you a nasty fall.
This expression can be used just like its English counterparts to remind someone to be prepared or to take precautions. You could say this if it looks like rain and you see someone going out without an umbrella. You could also say this to remind someone to back important files on their computer or to save an important file they are working on often. If you remember this phrase, you will be prepared to use it in an appropriate situation. After all, Korabanu saki no tsue desu ne.
Usage note: Most Japanese sayings can be turned into complete sentences just by adding “desu” to the end. To add emphasis, add “desu yo”. To ask for agreements (think, “yeah,” “right,” “you know”), add “desu ne”.
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