諺語 · a single proverb
欲善其身，然後能施於人
Simplified: 欲善其身，然后能施于人
What does 欲善其身，然後能施於人 (yù shàn qí shēn rán hòu néng shī yú rén) mean?
欲善其身，然後能施於人 (yù shàn qí shēn rán hòu néng shī yú rén) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "wish to improve the self, only then able to give to others." In use it means: Cultivate yourself first before extending goodness to others. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Wood note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Ox.
Literally: "wish to improve the self, only then able to give to others."
The reading
The lamp cannot light another room until it has itself gathered enough flame. This is not selfishness but sequence: the capacity to give is built through the work of becoming, and that work cannot be skipped by going directly to the giving. Tend to yourself so that your tending has something to offer.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Da Xue 大學 (Dà Xué, The Great Learning)
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 Humility & Self-Mastery, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Ox, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Tiger.
Questions
Is 欲善其身，然後能施於人 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 欲善其身，然後能施於人 (yù shàn qí shēn rán hòu néng shī yú rén) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Da Xue 大學 (Dà Xué, The Great Learning). 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 欲善其身，然後能施於人?
In Mandarin it is yù shàn qí shēn rán hòu néng shī yú rén. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 欲善其身，然後能施於人 aloud in Mandarin.