諺語 · a single proverb
勿以善小而不為
What does 勿以善小而不為 (wù yǐ shàn xiǎo ér bù wéi) mean?
勿以善小而不為 (wù yǐ shàn xiǎo ér bù wéi) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "do not think good is too small to do." In use it means: Do not neglect small acts of goodness; every good deed matters no matter how small. 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 Rabbit.
Literally: "do not think good is too small to do."
The reading
The one who waits to do good until they have something grand to offer rarely does good at all. The small act of goodness is the same goodness as the large one, just in a smaller container, and the practice of performing it in small amounts is the exercise that makes the capacity for larger ones possible. Do the small thing now.
What kind of proverb it is
Source San Guo Zhi 三國志·先主傳 (Liú Bèi biography)
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 Rabbit, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 勿以善小而不為 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 勿以善小而不為 (wù yǐ shàn xiǎo ér bù wéi) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from San Guo Zhi 三國志·先主傳 (Liú Bèi biography). 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 勿以善小而不為?
In Mandarin it is wù yǐ shàn xiǎo ér bù wéi. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 勿以善小而不為 aloud in Mandarin.