諺語 · a single proverb
天網恢恢，疏而不漏
Simplified: 天网恢恢，疏而不漏
What does 天網恢恢，疏而不漏 (tiān wǎng huī huī shū ér bù lòu) mean?
天網恢恢，疏而不漏 (tiān wǎng huī huī shū ér bù lòu) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "heaven's net is vast; its mesh is wide but nothing slips through." In use it means: Justice may be slow but it is thorough; wrongdoing does not escape consequence. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Metal note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Dragon.
Literally: "heaven's net is vast; its mesh is wide but nothing slips through."
The reading
The net looks loose. You can see through it. You might even think you can walk through it. But everything that enters it stays. The mesh does not need to be tight when the net is this large. Patience is the universe's enforcement mechanism.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Tao Te Ching 道德經, ch. 73 (Laozi)
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 Dragon, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 天網恢恢，疏而不漏 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 天網恢恢，疏而不漏 (tiān wǎng huī huī shū ér bù lòu) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Tao Te Ching 道德經, ch. 73 (Laozi). 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 天網恢恢，疏而不漏?
In Mandarin it is tiān wǎng huī huī shū ér bù lòu. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 天網恢恢，疏而不漏 aloud in Mandarin.