諺語 · a single proverb
勿以惡小而為之
What does 勿以惡小而為之 (wù yǐ è xiǎo ér wéi zhī) mean?
勿以惡小而為之 (wù yǐ è xiǎo ér wéi zhī) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "do not think the evil is small and do it." In use it means: Do not commit an evil act just because it seems small; small wrongs grow. 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 Snake.
Literally: "do not think the evil is small and do it."
The reading
The small wrong is not contained to the moment it occurs; it establishes a precedent, a permission, a slight lowering of the threshold for the next one. This is how the large wrong is built: not in one moment of obvious decision but in a series of small ones that each seemed negligible at the time. Attend to the small ones while they are still small.
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 Snake, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 勿以惡小而為之 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 勿以惡小而為之 (wù yǐ è xiǎo ér wéi zhī) 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 勿以惡小而為之?
In Mandarin it is wù yǐ è xiǎo ér wéi zhī. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 勿以惡小而為之 aloud in Mandarin.