expression
pinch yourself and know others' pain; walk a mile in someone else's shoes
Proverb meaning you cannot truly understand another's suffering unless you experience something similar yourself. Often used to encourage empathy.
「我が身をつねって人の痛さを知れ」というように、自分が同じ立場になって初めて相手の苦しみがわかることもある。
As the saying goes, 'Pinch yourself and know others' pain' — sometimes you only understand someone's suffering when you find yourself in the same position.
Both are proverbs about learning from others, but 人の振り見て我が振り直せ focuses on correcting one's own behavior by observing others, while 我が身をつねって人の痛さを知れ emphasizes empathy through shared experience.
A traditional Japanese proverb. The literal meaning is 'pinch yourself and know others' pain.' The exact origin is uncertain, but it reflects a common folk wisdom about empathy.