| Karate-do begins and ends with rei |
Karate-do wa rei ni hajimari rei ni owaru koto a wasaru na |
| There is no first strike in karate |
Karate ni sente nashi |
| Karate stands on the side of justice |
Karate wa, gi no taske |
| First know yourself, then know others |
Mazu onore o shire, shikashite ta o shire |
| Mentality over technique |
Gijitsu yori shinjitsu |
| The mind must be set free |
Kokoro wa hanatan koto o yosu |
| Calamity springs from carelessness |
Waza wai 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; sokoni myomi ari |
| Karate is like boiling water; without heat, it returns to its tepid state |
Karate Wa Yu No Gotoku Taezu Netsu O Atae Zareba Motono Mizuni Kaeru |
| Do not think of winning. Think, rather, 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 emptiness and fullness (weakness and strength) |
Tattakai wa kyo-jitsu no soju ikan ni ari |
| Think of the opponent's hands and feet as swords |
Hi to no te-ashi wa ken to omoe |
| When you step beyond your own gate, you face a million enemies |
Danshi mon o izureba hyakuman no teki ari |
| Kamae (Ready stance) is for beginners; later, one stands in shizentai (Natural stance) |
Kamae wa shoshinsha ni atowa shizentai |
| Perform kata exactly; actual combat is another matter |
Kata wa tadashiku, jisen 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 |
Chikara no kyojaku tai no shinshuku waza no kankyu |
| Be constantly mindful, diligent, and resourceful, in your pursuit of the Way |
Tsune ni shinen ku fu seyo |
