諺語 · a single proverb
欲加之罪，何患無辭
Simplified: 欲加之罪，何患无辞
What does 欲加之罪，何患無辭 (yù jiā zhī zuì hé huàn wú cí) mean?
欲加之罪，何患無辭 (yù jiā zhī zuì hé huàn wú cí) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "if you want to condemn someone, you will never lack a pretext." In use it means: Those determined to find fault will always find it; an excuse to punish can always be manufactured. 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: "if you want to condemn someone, you will never lack a pretext."
The reading
The charge was decided before the evidence was gathered. When the conclusion comes first, the proof is just decoration. Watch whether someone is looking for truth or looking for confirmation. The difference changes everything.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Zuozhuan 左傳, Xi Gong 僖公十年
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 Friendship, Trust & Speech, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Snake, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 欲加之罪，何患無辭 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 欲加之罪，何患無辭 (yù jiā zhī zuì hé huàn wú cí) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Zuozhuan 左傳, Xi Gong 僖公十年. 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 欲加之罪，何患無辭?
In Mandarin it is yù jiā zhī zuì hé huàn wú cí. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 欲加之罪，何患無辭 aloud in Mandarin.