
ProverbHuman Nature
Japanese origin
知らぬが仏 (Shiranu ga hotoke)
Meaning: Not knowing about a trouble keeps you at peace.
Literally: Not knowing is Buddha
Example: “彼に本当の値段は言わない方がいい。知らぬが仏だよ。” — Better not tell him the real price: ignorance is bliss.
Equivalents in English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, and 4 more languages
English: What the eye sees not, the heart rues not.
French: Ce qu'œil ne voit, au cœur ne deult (literally: What the eye does not see does not grieve the heart)
Spanish: Ojos que no ven, corazón que no siente (literally: Eyes that do not see, heart that does not feel)
German: Was ich nicht weiß, macht mich nicht heiß (literally: What I don't know doesn't make me hot)
Italian: Occhio che non vede, cuore che non duole (literally: An eye that doesn't see, a heart that doesn't ache)
Portuguese: O que os olhos não veem, o coração não sente (literally: What the eyes don't see, the heart doesn't feel)
Dutch: Wat het oog niet ziet, het hart niet deert (literally: What the eye doesn't see doesn't hurt the heart)
Polish: Czego oczy nie widzą, tego sercu nie żal (literally: What the eyes don't see, the heart doesn't miss)
Chinese: 眼不见,心不烦 (Yǎn bú jiàn, xīn bù fán) (literally: What the eye doesn't see doesn't trouble the heart)
Origin: Hotoke is a Buddha: whoever knows nothing stays as serene as one.
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