諺語 · a single proverb
善惡到頭終有報
Simplified: 善恶到头终有报
What does 善惡到頭終有報 (shàn è dào tóu zhōng yǒu bào) mean?
善惡到頭終有報 (shàn è dào tóu zhōng yǒu bào) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "good and evil at the end always have recompense." In use it means: Good and evil will both eventually receive their due; karma comes to all. 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 Dog.
Literally: "good and evil at the end always have recompense."
The reading
The accounting does not close at the moment we think it should, which is why patience is required alongside the conviction that it closes at all. Good received what it has coming, and evil the same, though the timeline is rarely the one we would have chosen. Trust the arc; it is longer than our frustration with it.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Traditional Chinese folk proverb (common in theatrical and folk culture)
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 Harmony, Virtue & Balance, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Dog, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 善惡到頭終有報 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 善惡到頭終有報 (shàn è dào tóu zhōng yǒu bào) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Traditional Chinese folk proverb (common in theatrical and folk culture). 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 善惡到頭終有報?
In Mandarin it is shàn è dào tóu zhōng yǒu bào. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 善惡到頭終有報 aloud in Mandarin.