諺語 · a single proverb

人rén勤qín地dì不bù懶lǎn

Simplified: 人勤地不懒

rén qín dì bù lǎn

What does 人勤地不懶 (rén qín dì bù lǎn) mean?

人勤地不懶 (rén qín dì bù lǎn) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "when people are diligent the land is not lazy." In use it means: The earth responds to effort; consistent hard work always yields results because nature rewards the attentive. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Earth note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Ox.

Literally: "when people are diligent the land is not lazy."

The reading

The field does not produce for anyone who merely owns it. It produces for the person who shows up with the hoe. Ownership is a piece of paper. Harvest is a piece of work. The land can tell the difference.

What kind of proverb it is

Source Common agrarian folk proverb

Sits beside

一寸光陰一寸金

yī cùn guāng yīn yī cùn jīn

Time is as precious as gold.

一本萬利

yī běn wàn lì

A tiny investment yields an enormous return.

人為財死，鳥為食亡

rén wéi cái sǐ niǎo wéi shí wáng

The drive for material gain can be as fatal as any predator.

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 Wealth, Work & Diligence, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Ox, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Tiger.

Questions

Is 人勤地不懶 a real Chinese proverb?

Yes. 人勤地不懶 (rén qín dì bù lǎn) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Common agrarian folk proverb. 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 人勤地不懶?

In Mandarin it is rén qín dì bù lǎn. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 人勤地不懶 aloud in Mandarin.