諺語 · a single proverb
人生在勤，不索何獲
Simplified: 人生在勤，不索何获
What does 人生在勤，不索何獲 (rén shēng zài qín bù suǒ hé huò) mean?
人生在勤，不索何獲 (rén shēng zài qín bù suǒ hé huò) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "life is in diligence, not seek what gain." In use it means: Life's meaning lies in diligence; without effort, what can one gain?. 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 Horse.
Literally: "life is in diligence, not seek what gain."
The reading
The field does not reward the person who watches it. What is gained without the seeking is accidental, and what is sought without diligence is usually not found. The life shaped by steady work has a particular solidity that the windfall life does not, a sense of deserving what has arrived.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Zhang Heng 張衡·《應閒》 (Yìng Xián, Han Dynasty essay)
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 Wealth, Work & Diligence, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Horse, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 人生在勤，不索何獲 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 人生在勤，不索何獲 (rén shēng zài qín bù suǒ hé huò) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Zhang Heng 張衡·《應閒》 (Yìng Xián, Han Dynasty essay). 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 人生在勤，不索何獲?
In Mandarin it is rén shēng zài qín bù suǒ hé huò. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 人生在勤，不索何獲 aloud in Mandarin.