Is there English counterpart(s) to Japanese old saying, “Present salt to your enemy.”?

Question

We have a popular Japanese saying, “敵に塩を送る” — literally, “present (supply) salt to one's enemy”, meaning ‘play fair and square, not taking advantage of the weak point of your rival.’ It’s different from an act which serves the interest of the enemy by the basic spirit.

This proverb came from the historic episode that Uesugi Kenshin (1530–1578), the Middle Ages warlord of Echigo Country which faces to the Japan Sea, therefore is abundant with salt resources kept supplying salt to his rival, actually enemy, Takeda Shingen (1521–1573), the warlord of Kai Country, mountainous country adjacent to Echigo, which lacks in salt essential to human existence during long lasting and consuming wars that lasted eleven years (1553–1564) between them, with 5th fatal campaigns. Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin actually crossed swords once for all on the sandbar at the confluence of Chikuma River and Sai River, which is famous for the name of the showdown on the Kawanaka-jima sandbar.

However, Uesugi never shut off the supply rout of salt to Takeda for the cause of engaging fair play. He firmly believed the war should be won in the battle field, not on the sideline such as supply rout or logistics.

With that said, we use the saying, “Present salt to one's enemy” as the metonym of fair play, gentleman-ship and sportsmanship, we call it 武士道 — Bushido — in other words, Samurai Spirit sometimes, though I don't mean every Japanese has observed or observes it.

I’m curious to know if there are counterpart English sayings, maxims, or expressions portraying the meaning to the same effect.

Answer 1

I would think the idiom we are looking for is closer to Provide him with a fighting chance or a level playing field

As for the Don't kick a man... I would contest that the rival in the narrative might not have been down, just lacking salt... I think the saying reflects something earlier than when the enemy is down (but could possibly also be used in that context)

Answer 2

In addition to phrases such as "play fair" and "don't kick a man when he's down" is the concept of Chivalry.

When used in a modern day context, this entails standards of conduct such as courtesy, generosity, valour and fairness towards one's antagonists.

Originally (and still today, when used in a historical context) Chivalry meant the code of conduct required of a knight in armour - as such, there appears to be a strong parallel with the original question's reference to Bushido.

Answer 3

Based on your historical narrative, it seems that an ideal counterpart would emphasize a spirit of fairness that trumps an opportunity to exploit a weakness during some struggle between two opponents.

That being said, an English saying that I would offer is:

Don't kick him when he's down.

The saying refers to some kind of fistfight between two opponents, with the exhortation that, should you manage to knock your opponent to the ground, you shouldn't start kicking him while he is unable to defend himself.

The phrase is often used in a figurative sense. I managed to find one instance where it was apparently used by a former U.S. president^{1, 2}:

“Don't kick him when he's down,” the president warned. “We can't. We have to be very conscious of Gingrich's standing. He's the only one that can pull it together.”

Answer 4

I think the closest English analogue (at least in the UK) to "bushido" might be "cricket." In English, it's usually used in the negative: "that's not cricket," describing something that gives you an advantage perceived as unfair.

Answer 5

Honor among enemies, seems to me to be exactly what you are looking for.

The word honor has been around for a long time and can mean several things, but I think the most applicable would be:

a : a keen sense of ethical conduct : integrity (a man of honor)

b : a showing of usually merited respect : recognition (pay honor to our founder)

c : one's word given as a guarantee of performance (on my honor, I will be there)

So the phrase honor among enemies literally states that all involved will conduct themselves in such a way that they may be said to have honor(recognition, respect and a guarantee of good conduct) from their opponent.

Answer 6

It's not exactly analogous, but "[playing by the] Marquis of Queensbury rules" might work here.

The rules dictated how boxing matches were to be run to ensure a fair fight where the outcome was determined largely by participants' boxing ability rather than outside interference, equipment, etc. However, it can be used more generally to refer to determining ground rules for a fight and staying within them. It might be a little obscure now, and it sometimes has a slightly derogatory tinge to it (i.e., "We can't play by the Marquess of Queensbury Rules--this is really important").

More generally, you might also describe that as ensuring that the opponent has a "sporting chance" or invoke other fair play/sportsmanship metaphors.

Answer 7

The only two proverbs I could find in the Facts on File Dictionary of Proverbs (1983) that seem directly relevant to "Present salt to your enemy" are ones I have never heard used in the wild:

Fair play's a jewel.

and

He that makes a good war makes a good peace.

The former emphasizes the value of fair dealing for its own sake; the latter suggests that dealing justly with enemies before the outcome is decided leads to a more lasting peace afterward.

In addition, a couple of proverbs emphasize honorable dealing as a practical (or perhaps spiritual) advantage:

A clear conscience is like a coat of mail.

and

Do right and fear no man.

There are, on the other hand, many common English proverbs that justify taking whatever advantage one can in real or figurative warfare:

All's fair in love and war.

It signifies nothing to play well if you lose.

Turn about is fair play.

What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.

What goes around comes around.

Honor and profit lie not in one sack.

Discretion is the better part of valor.

Gain savors sweetly from anything.

Losers are always in the wrong.

Some of these sayings justify adopting dishonorable tactics if one's enemy has already done so. Others simply assert than any tactic is justified if it leads to victory—or contrarily, that any mode of conduct that leads to defeat deserves censure.

Answer 8

"Fight above the belt" means not to hit your opponent in their vulnerable parts, although the inverse phrase "fight below the belt" is more common.

Answer 9

Bless those who curse you; pray for those who mistreat you. (Luke 6: 28)

But the quotee wasn't speaking in English.

Answer 10

Of the two phrases that immediately spring to mind, one has already been mentioned:

Queensbury Rules!

However, in England at least, there is another phrase sometimes used:

Play the white man

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Play_the_white_man

Personally, I wouldn't recommend the latter phrase, as in this day and age it is not exactly PC.

Answer 11

I can think of a couple but they are a little childish..

"Playground rules" from the "Playgound honour" which can be found here

I suppose in that case "Play(ing) by the rules"

"Sportsmans bet" - not really the same thing.

Answer 12

Something that came to mind when I read your question was an English saying that actually has the opposite connotation to your own: "selling guns to the Indians". It's a well-established tenet of military strategy that your adversary needs weapons to make war. The rifle, especially repeating rifles like the iconic Winchester lever-action carbine, tipped the scales sharply against the Native Americans' archers (who until then had enjoyed a significant advantage in rate of fire) beginning shortly before the American Civil War. The native tribes thus sought to level the playing field by getting their hands on as many guns as they could, both by taking them off the bodies of settlers they killed in raids, and by trading with unscrupulous merchants. Those merchants were typically viewed as traitors to the United States and were hanged when caught, so "selling guns to the Indians" is typically viewed with the connotation that you are breaking an embargo, providing your enemy with the means to fight you more effectively.

Now, weapons aren't food (or salt, in this case), so it's not an exact opposite worldview. I doubt very much that Kenshin would have taken the same view to supplying Shingen with swords or spearheads. However, Western military thought typically holds that a fair fight is a fool's fight; any advantage you can get, you should take. A European or American battle commander would see absolutely nothing wrong with besieging an enemy encampment, cutting off food and water supplies and simply waiting until there was nobody left to fight, which would be a direct analog to Kenshin cutting off salt supplies to Shingen's region.

To be fair, this is not a worldview that is unique to the West; Japan itself invaded Manchuria in 1931 and occupied it until the end of WWII, for the express reason that, as an island state, they had limited access to mineral resources like metal ore and petroleum, and were almost totally dependent upon China to provide them, which is not a good strategic position for a world superpower.

Answer 13

It's not really a saying, but I'm reminded of a quote from Robert McNamara, from during the Cuban Missile Crisis:

"...look at the crisis from his point of view, look at the options that you are considering from his point of view. Try to pick an option that achieves your purpose at minimal cost to him, political, military, otherwise to him. That avoids pushing him into an emotional frame of mind in which he is likely to lash out irrationally with great cost to him and you."