生死有命,富貴在天

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Chinese

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to live and die; life-and-death
to have; there is; there are
to have; there is; there are; to exist; to be
 
life; fate
(located) at; in; exist
(located) at; in; exist; (before verbs) immediately involved in; right in the middle of doing
 
day; sky; heaven
trad. (生死有命,富貴在天) 生死 富貴
simp. (生死有命,富贵在天) 生死 富贵
alternative forms 死生有命,富貴在天死生有命,富贵在天

Etymology

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From the Analects, Book 12 (《論語·顏淵》):

子夏:「商:『死生有命,富貴在天』。君子有禮四海兄弟君子兄弟!」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
子夏:「商:『死生有命,富贵在天』。君子有礼四海兄弟君子兄弟!」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Zǐxià yuē: “Shāng wén zhī yǐ: ‘Sǐshēng yǒu mìng, fùguì zài tiān’. Jūnzǐ jìng ér wú shī, yǔ rén gōng ér yǒulǐ, sìhǎi zhī nèi, jiē xiōngdì yě, jūnzǐ hé huàn hū wú xiōngdì yě!” [Pinyin]
Zixia said to him, "There is the following saying which I have heard - 'Death and life have their determined appointment; riches and honors depend upon Heaven.' Let the superior man never fail reverentially to order his own conduct, and let him be respectful to others and observant of propriety - then all within the four seas will be his brothers. What has the superior man to do with being distressed because he has no brothers?"

Pronunciation

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Phrase

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生死有命,富貴在天

  1. Life and death are fated, riches and honour depend on the appointment of heaven. / Life and death, poor or rich, it's all destined.