諺語 · a single proverb
機不可失，時不再來
Simplified: 机不可失，时不再来
What does 機不可失，時不再來 (jī bù kě shī, shí bù zài lái) mean?
機不可失，時不再來 (jī bù kě shī, shí bù zài lái) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "the chance must not be lost; the moment will not come again." In use it means: Seize the opportunity now, for the same hour will never return. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Fire note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Horse.
Literally: "the chance must not be lost; the moment will not come again."
The reading
There is a door that only stands open while you are looking at it. You will be tempted to wait until you are ready, until it is safe. But the moment does not wait to be convenient. Some things are offered exactly once, and the hesitation is the answer.
The story
The line is recorded in the Old History of the Five Dynasties, in the account of An Chongrong, where a chance to act is described as a thing that must not be let slip because the same hour will not come round again. It is used to press someone toward a decision, naming the door that stands open only while you are looking at it.
When a rare opening is in front of you and every instinct says wait until it is safe, treat the hesitation itself as your answer. Some things are offered exactly once, so act inside the window rather than after it has quietly closed.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Old History of the Five Dynasties 舊五代史, 晉書·安重榮傳
Sits beside
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Timing & Fortune's Turning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Horse, Year of the Tiger, Year of the Dragon, and Year of the Rooster.
Questions
Is 機不可失，時不再來 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 機不可失，時不再來 (jī bù kě shī, shí bù zài lái) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Old History of the Five Dynasties 舊五代史, 晉書·安重榮傳. It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 機不可失，時不再來?
In Mandarin it is jī bù kě shī, shí bù zài lái. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 機不可失，時不再來 aloud in Mandarin.