February 20
RELIGION
Whosoever that practices religion is endowed with more merits and less demerits. Practice of religion is advocated by the great ones.
Mere formalism is not religion. Sectarianism is the negation of religion. True religion eliminates hatred, jealousy, greed, pride and selfishness. It engenders love of all beings, service to mankind and accommodativeness to the views and beliefs of the others, Self-denial, calmness, and the adoration of the Almighty are in its characteristics.
Practice of religion is the supreme purpose of the human birth.
--- Ramakrishna
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ROCHEFOUCAULD
RÉFLEXIONS OU SENTENCES ET MAXIMES MORALES
61
Le bonheur et le malheur des hommes ne dépend pas moins de leur humeur que de la fortune.
62
La sincérité est une ouverture de coeur. On la trouve en fort peu de gens; et celle que l'on voit d'ordinaire n'est qu'une fine dissimulation pour attirer la confiance des autres.
Maxims 061-062.mp3 - Google ドライブ
Maxims 061-062g.mp3 - Google ドライブ
Maxims 061-062x.mp3 - Google ドライブ
61.—The happiness or unhappiness of men depends no less upon their dispositions than their fortunes.
62.—Sincerity is an openness of heart; we find it in very few people; what we usually see is only an artful dissimulation to win the confidence of others.
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Japan aiming for record number of foreign visitors in 2025, says draft plan
政府、３月改定の「観光立国計画」目標で 2025年の訪日客数最多更新を目指す
Japan aims to ramp up tourism from other countries to record numbers, according to a draft government plan presented on Feb. 9.
The plan covers fiscal 2023 to 2025 and was presented at a meeting of experts. It is set to be approved by the Cabinet in March.
The previous tourism plan ended in fiscal 2020, and a revision was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2019, prior to the pandemic, a record 31.88 million tourists visited Japan. The number fell sharply to 4.12 million in 2020. In 2021, only 250,000 tourists visited the country.
Japan significantly eased border measures last October.
The draft plan aims to increase per person spending to ￥200,000, or around 25% higher than 2019 levels. It also aims to see a 10% increase in the number of overnight stays in regional areas by foreign visitors. (Kyodo)
20230224-01x.mp3 - Google ドライブ
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Joshua 011
Chapter 011
***** Northern Kings Defeated *****
1 And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor had heard those things, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph,
2 And to the kings that were on the north of the mountains, and of the plains south of Chinneroth, and in the valley, and in the borders of Dor on the west,
3 And to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and to the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the mountains, and to the Hivite under Hermon in the land of Mizpeh.
4 And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many.
5 And when all these kings were met together, they came and pitched together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel.
6 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them: for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire.
(hough vt. …の飛節の腱(けん)を切って足を不自由にする (hock, hamstring).
7 So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly; and they fell upon them.
8 And the LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, who smote them, and chased them unto great Zidon, and unto Misrephothmaim, and unto the valley of Mizpeh eastward; and they smote them, until they left them none remaining.
9 And Joshua did unto them as the LORD bade him: he houghed their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire.
10 And Joshua at that time turned back, and took Hazor, and smote the king thereof with the sword: for Hazor beforetime was the head of all those kingdoms.
11 And they smote all the souls that were therein with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them: there was not any left to breathe: and he burnt Hazor with fire.
12 And all the cities of those kings, and all the kings of them, did Joshua take, and smote them with the edge of the sword, and he utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the LORD commanded.
13 But as for the cities that stood still in their strength, Israel burned none of them, save Hazor only; that did Joshua burn.
14 And all the spoil of these cities, and the cattle, the children of Israel took for a prey unto themselves; but every man they smote with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them, neither left they any to breathe.
15 As the LORD commanded Moses his servant, so did Moses command Joshua, and so did Joshua; he left nothing undone of all that the LORD commanded Moses.
16 So Joshua took all that land, the hills, and all the south country, and all the land of Goshen, and the valley, and the plain, and the mountain of Israel, and the valley of the same;
17 Even from the mount Halak, that goeth up to Seir, even unto Baalgad in the valley of Lebanon under mount Hermon: and all their kings he took, and smote them, and slew them.
18 Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.
19 There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, save the Hivites the inhabitants of Gibeon: all other they took in battle.
20 For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favor, but that he might destroy them, as the LORD commanded Moses.
21 And at that time came Joshua, and cut off the Anakims from the mountains, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the mountains of Judah, and from all the mountains of Israel: Joshua destroyed them utterly with their cities.
22 There was none of the Anakims left in the land of the children of Israel: only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod, there remained.
23 So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD said unto Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. And the land rested from war.
