There is no first strike in karate
karate ni sente nashi
Karate stands on the side of justice
karate wa, gi no tasuke
First know yourself …… then you will know others
mazu onore o shire, shikashite ta o shire
Mentality over technique
gijutsu yori shinjitsu
The heart must be set free
kokoro wa hanatan koto o yosu
Calamity springs from carelessness
wazawai wa ketai ni seizu
Karate goes beyond the dojo
dojo nomino karate to omou na
Karate is a lifelong pursuit
karate-do no shugyo wa issho de aru
Apply the way of karate to all things …. therein lies its beauty
ara yuru mono o karateka seyo; soko ni myomi ari
Karate is like boiling water; without heat …… it returns to its tepid state
karate wa yu no gotoshi taezu netsu o ataezareba moto no mizu ni kaeru
Do not think of winning …. rather think of not losing
katsu kangae wa motsuna; makenu kangae wa hitsuyo
Make adjustments according to your opponent
tekki ni yotte tenka seyo
The outcome of a battle depends on how one handles both weakness and strength
tatakai wa kyojitsu no soju ikan ni ari
When you step beyond your own gate, you face a million enemies
danshi mon o izureba hyakuman no teki ari
Formal stances are for beginners …… later, one stands naturally
kamae wa shoshinsha ni ato wa shizentai
Perform prescribed sets of techniques exactly ……. actual combat is another matter
kata wa tadashiku, jisen wa betsumono