若ruò要yào人rén不bù知zhī，除chú非fēi己jǐ莫mò為wéi

What does 若要人不知，除非己莫為 (ruò yào rén bù zhī chú fēi jǐ mò wéi) mean?

若要人不知，除非己莫為 (ruò yào rén bù zhī chú fēi jǐ mò wéi) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "if you want no one to know, the only way is not to do it." In use it means: Secrets eventually come out; the only guaranteed way to keep something hidden is to never do it. 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 Rooster.

Literally: "if you want no one to know, the only way is not to do it."

The reading

The evidence is everywhere. In your face, in your sleep, in the way you avoid certain topics. The secret keeps itself alive by requiring maintenance, and maintenance requires behavior, and behavior is visible. The vault with the best lock is the one you never filled.

What kind of proverb it is

• Typeyànyǔ 諺語
• FocusPresent-minded
• Element金 Metal
• Zodiac tie雞 Year of the Rooster

Source Common folk proverb; found in various Ming-Qing collections

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 Rooster, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.