If It's Worth Doing, It's Worth Doing Promptly (zen wa isoge)
善は急げ
zen wa isoge
12 1/4" W x 43" H Japanese Scroll
by Master Japanese Calligrapher Eri Takase
$220
Description
If It's Worth Doing, It's Worth Doing Promptly in Japanese is 善は急げ which is read zen wa isoge
善は急げ (zen wa isoge): hurry the good. 善 is a good thing to do and 急げ is the imperative of 急ぐ, to hurry, so the proverb is a command: do a good thing at once, before the chance is lost. It is in the first Japanese proverb collection of 1638 with a second half, 悪は延べよ (aku wa nobeyo), put off the bad, and both forms have been current since. From a geisha in 1777 to the uncle in Sōseki's Kokoro of 1914, its speakers use it to hurry a wedding or a bargain. English equivalents such as strike while the iron is hot are about acting now; the Japanese keeps the goodness of the thing as its object, which makes it a moral maxim and not a counsel of speed.
About Our Scrolls
Eri Takase was born and raised in Osaka, Japan, and holds the rank of Shihan, the highest rank in Japanese calligraphy, from the Bokuteki-kai and the Bunka-shodo. About Master Takase
Master Takase personally brushes your Japanese scroll when you order. Each scroll proudly bears her red seal, 英利, and her signature.
The scrolls are 12 1/4" W × 43" H (31 × 109 cm) with real silk borders and Japanese paper that are layered so the scroll hangs straight and will not warp over time. The scrolls themselves are made by Sankō (株式会社三幸) in Gifu prefecture, which has been making high quality scrolls since 1947, and we have worked with Sankō for over two decades.
Delivery
The scroll is completed within 1–3 business days and is shipped from Master Takase's studio in Washington State by USPS Priority Mail. It arrives ready to display.
Every order is covered by our 100% money-back guarantee for 30 days. Contact us first and we will confirm the return details. If your item arrives damaged, or we made an error, we replace it or refund you in full, including shipping. Refund policy
