諺語 · a single proverb
先義後利
What does 先義後利 (xiān yì hòu lì) mean?
先義後利 (xiān yì hòu lì) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "first righteousness, then benefit." In use it means: Put righteousness before profit; moral principles come before material gain. 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 Dog.
Literally: "first righteousness, then benefit."
The reading
The person who asks what is right before asking what is profitable lives in a larger world than the one who reverses the order. Profit that arrives through righteousness sits comfortably with its owner; profit that arrives through other means arrives with a passenger. Put the question of right first, and the question of benefit answers itself more cleanly.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Traditional Chinese Confucian principle (common in moral philosophy)
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 Dog, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 先義後利 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 先義後利 (xiān yì hòu lì) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Traditional Chinese Confucian principle (common in moral philosophy). 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 先義後利?
In Mandarin it is xiān yì hòu lì. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 先義後利 aloud in Mandarin.