Introduction - 11
How to Read This Book - 13

Part 1.
Time to center your wavering mind

◎ Practice beyond impatience
Even in the midst of shabbiness, you must wait for the time to bloom - 15
When choosing your own pace rather than comparing - 18
Even though it meanders, it eventually becomes a river - 20
How to Reduce Anxiety by Moving - 22
Anxiety is a responsible person's emotion - 24
Thirst that can only be quenched by emptying - 26
◎ Finding direction in chaos
The meaning of life is to be interpreted by oneself - 28
Things You Can See Only After Passing Through Emptiness - 30
The road has changed, but it hasn't stopped - 32
When you feel like it's too late, that's when it starts - 34
Being shaken means you were sincere - 36
The purpose of life depends on the direction of the mind - 38
◎ Time to acknowledge yourself
Recognition must begin with me - 40
You just have to be honest with yourself - 42
Living my life - 44

Part 2: Words to remember when learning is faltering

◎ When learning seems to have stopped
What remains until the end is the unstoppable heart - 47
Learning accumulates more slowly than memory - 50
Even if change is slow, the path is learning - 52
Now may be the best time to start - 54
Attitude is more important than knowledge - 56
The Forgotten Reason for Studying - 58
Changing myself is true study - 60
◎ When you become small in front of learning
Learning is permeating - 62
Studying is a discipline for controlling the mind - 64
Lack is another name for the willingness to learn - 66
Nothing grows in a closed mind - 68
◎ When studying seems useless
If you can't explain it, you don't know it - 70
Learning becomes real only when it touches life - 72
Teaching is thinking together - 74
A sentence that remains deep in my heart - 76
◎ When you lose the reason for learning
Learning Makes Us Human - 78
It is more important to know deeply than to know a lot - 80
The moment when your gaze quietly changes - 82
When Confusion Comes, Thoughts Grow - 84
◎ Learning how to learn
The End of Studying is Understanding People - 86
Mistakes in speech become opportunities for continued learning - 88
Studying at My Own Rhythm - 90
The riper the rice, the lower its head bows - 92
There's no perfect time, now is the best time to start - 94

Part 3.
The power of words and attitude

◎ Words disappear, but responsibility remains.
The weight of words comes from the path they have lived - 97
I shouldn't have said that - 100
The Wisdom of Knowing What Not to Say - 102
Even a belated apology is sincere - 104
Words fade, but responsibility remains - 106
◎ When silent attitude becomes speech
A trustworthy person speaks sparingly - 108
The first thing you should learn before you speak is how to listen - 110
A Strong Caution Hidden in Silence - 112
◎ Warm words save relationships.
Maintaining Dignity in the Face of Rudeness - 114
One Word That Changes the Flow of a Relationship - 116
Words reveal the quality of the heart - 118
Advice should be warm before it is right - 120
The closer you are, the more careful and profound your words should be - 122
◎ Words are not habits, they are character.
That one word lingers in my mind - 124
Speech is not a habit, it's a character trait - 126
Sincerity is perfected through waiting - 128
Trust must come first before words can reach us - 130
I felt relieved by those words - 132
A single line can be a warm gift to someone - 134
A Word Reveals a Person's Personality - 136
◎ When emotions outstrip words
True words are conveyed through attitude - 138
So that those words don't hurt - 140
When emotions take over, sincerity fades away - 142
Comfort begins with the words you speak to yourself - 144
Emotional words should be warm but not overflowing - 146
Courage to tell the truth comes with responsibility - 148
◎ Short words reach farther
Sincerity lasts longer than sense -150
Criticism should be illuminating rather than stinging - 152
Words are the bridge that connects hearts - 154
The weight of words depends more on timing than on content - 156
True comfort comes from listening - 158
Short words convey sincerity more clearly - 160
Words must be refined first - 162

Part 4.
Things to keep in mind in everyday life

◎ Depth is conveyed even without revealing it
Humility is a strong attitude that protects oneself - 165
Great people reveal their depth quietly - 168
An honest path takes you far, even if it takes a detour - 170
The more you shine, the more you know how to humble yourself - 172
The will to discipline myself makes me - 174
◎ A heart that does not break even when shaken
Temperance is a strong fence that protects the heart - 176
You may hesitate, but you must not miss it - 178
Focus on direction rather than speed -180
The more you waver, the more you must calm your mind - 182
A Quiet Day's Sincerity Makes Life - 184
Growth begins with the courage to acknowledge your limitations - 186
Standards over Reputation - 188
The key is to have a relentless mind - 190
An Unwavering Attitude Creates Trust -192
Character is revealed in the moments that are unseen - 194
◎ Small repetitions create big changes
If you want to get better, look deep inside yourself first - 196
The power of endurance is quiet but the strongest - 198
If you put your heart into it, it's enough - 200
People who show their worth through their lives are remembered for a long time - 202
Sincerity lasts longer than results, and responsibility lasts longer than performance - 204
A calm mind makes life neat - 206

A Day of Endurance is a Small but Sure Victory - 208
◎ Quiet consideration is remembered for a long time.
Relationships are built on respect - 210
Etiquette is the attitude of considering the other person's feelings first - 212
A consistent attitude becomes a trustworthy quality - 214
He who controls his emotions controls his life - 216
True consideration comes first - 218
Being together brings deeper comfort - 220
Silent acts of kindness fill the heart - 222
Even a lingering gaze can be a comfort to someone - 224
◎ Even if it's a little slow, it's solid
Opportunity isn't something you wait for, it's something you create - 226
A warm heart grows stronger as it accumulates -228
Diligence is not about speed, it's about training myself - 230
How you treat others reveals your depth - 232
An uneventful day is the greatest blessing - 234
Life is not about what you achieve, but how you live it - 236
The more you let go, the stronger life becomes - 238
Being cautious means your heart has deepened - 240
You are already a good person - 242
Wouldn't it be okay to go a little slower? - 244
A Meaningful Day Lived Truly - 246
Affectionate people convey their feelings through their attitude - 248
Small Honesty: The Power to Speak to Me - 250
Life becomes stronger when you accept yourself - 252
Humility is maintaining one's center without wavering - 254
◎ Growth begins with mistakes.
The Will to Get Things Done Even on Days You Don't Want to - 256
Invisible hard work creates deep roots - 258
A commitment to seeing things through to the end creates trust - 260
What builds up in quiet places makes me who I am - 262
Actions speak louder than words - 264
Emotions are moments, judgment is responsibility - 266
Careful decisions are the shield that protects tomorrow - 268
The Will to Get Up Again is the Beginning of Change - 270
A person who maintains his or her own identity is truly strong - 272
The more you waver, the more you must listen to your heart - 274
We are remembered for our attitudes, not our words - 276
Rest is not retreat, but recovery - 278
If you've looked back on your mistakes, it's time to forgive yourself - 280
"I might make a mistake" is what makes people embrace it - 282
The moment I stop comparing myself, I can protect myself - 284
Mistakes aren't the end, they're a way to live again - 286

『The First Translation, Dasan's Words』 is a book that reinterprets the writings of Joseon Dynasty philosopher Jeong Yak-yong in today's language.
Beyond simple paraphrasing or modern translation, this book asks and answers how Dasan's words connect to our lives today.
In an age overflowing with words and filled with noise, it reminds us of the truth that quiet sentences last a long time.
This book unravels Dasan's writings in three layers: original text, interpretation, and commentary.
After translating Dasan's sentences as they are, accurately interpreting their meaning, and adding some additional words to make them relevant to our daily lives,
Those words sometimes hold your heart, and sometimes change the direction of your life.
Sentences like “Integrity begins with responsibility, not with feelings,” “Silence is another way of expressing sincerity,” and “A quiet person goes further” are short but powerful.

The writings Dasan wrote while in exile show how to maintain one's center even in difficult times.
For him, learning was not just something to be done with the head, but had to be connected to the practice of life.
He retired from office, left home, and was separated from his family, but he continued to record and write about his daily life.
Those words resonate deeply with us living today.
『The First Translation, Dasan's Words』 is neither a philosophy book nor a self-help book.
But it has the power to make me look back on my life and quietly hold me here and now.
When you are shaken by someone's words, when you feel anxious because you are not making progress, when relationships are burdensome and you feel small, this book offers sentences that allow you to 'pause for a moment.'
There aren't many words we need right now.
One lasting sentence is enough.
Among the words left behind by Dasan, I selected only those that are absolutely necessary for us now, asked about them, and rewrote them.
For those who wish to re-evaluate their center in times of turmoil, this book will serve as Dasan's quiet voice answering that question.