expression
while there is life, there is hope; don't waste your life
Proverb emphasizing that life itself is the foundation for everything; as long as you are alive, you can achieve something, so you should not risk your life recklessly.
命あっての物種だから、無理な挑戦はやめておこう。
Since life is the foundation of everything, let's not attempt anything reckless.
彼は「命あっての物種」と言って、危険な仕事を断った。
He declined the dangerous job, saying, 'While there is life, there is hope.'
A more modern, emphatic expression meaning 'life is heavier than the Earth,' stressing the absolute value of life, while 命あっての物種 is a traditional proverb focusing on life as the prerequisite for all endeavors.
A traditional Japanese proverb. The exact origin is uncertain, but it has been used for centuries to convey the idea that life is the most fundamental asset.