盜亦有道

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Chinese

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steal; rob; plunder
steal; rob; plunder; a thief; bandit; robber
 
also
to have; there is; there are
to have; there is; there are; to exist; to be
 
direction; way; method
direction; way; method; road; path; principle; truth; reason; skill; Tao (of Taoism); a measure word; to say; to speak; to talk
 
trad. (盜亦有道)
simp. (盗亦有道)

Etymology

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From Zhuangzi, chapter 10 (《莊子·胠篋》).

:「盜亦有道?」:「可否大盜天下。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
:「盗亦有道?」:「可否大盗天下。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: Zhuangzi, circa 3rd – 2nd centuries BCE, translation from The Complete Works Of Chuang Tzu (2013), by Burton Watson
Gù Zhí zhī tú wèn yú Zhí yuē: “Dào yì yǒu dào hū?” Zhí yuē: “Hé shì ér wú yǒu dào yé? Fú wàng yì shì zhōng zhī cáng, shèng yě; rù xiān, yǒng yě; chū hòu, yì yě; zhī kěfǒu, zhì yě; fēn jūn, rén yě. Wǔ zhě bú bèi ér néng chéng dàdào zhě, tiānxià wèi zhī yǒu yě.” [Pinyin]
One of Robber Zhi’s followers once asked Zhi, "Does the thief, too, have a Way?" Zhi replied, "How could he get anywhere if he didn't have a Way? Making shrewd guesses as to how much booty is stashed away in the room is sageliness; being the first one in is bravery; being the last one out is righteousness; knowing whether or not the job can be pulled off is wisdom; dividing up the loot fairly is benevolence. No one in the world ever succeeded in becoming a great thief if he didn't have all five!"

Pronunciation

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Idiom

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盜亦有道

  1. even robbers and thieves have moral principles

See also

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