憂道不憂貧

See also: 忧道不忧贫

Chinese

		worried	direction; way; method direction; way; method; road; path; principle; truth; reason; skill; Tao (of Taoism); a measure word; to say; to speak; to talk	not; no	worried	poor
trad. (憂道不憂貧)		憂	道	不	憂	貧
simp. (忧道不忧贫)		忧	道	不	忧	贫

Etymology

From the Analects, Book 15 (《論語·衞靈公》):

子曰：「君子謀道不謀食。耕也，餒在其中矣；學也，祿在其中矣。君子憂道不憂貧。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

---

子曰：「君子谋道不谋食。耕也，馁在其中矣；学也，禄在其中矣。君子忧道不忧贫。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Zǐ yuē: “Jūnzǐ móu dào bù móu shí. Gēng yě, něi zài qízhōng yǐ; xué yě, lù zài qízhōng yǐ. Jūnzǐ yōu dào bù yōu pín.” [Pinyin]

The Master said, "The object of the superior man is truth. Food is not his object. There is plowing ― even in that there is sometimes want. So with learning ― emolument may be found in it. The superior man is anxious lest he should not get truth; he is not anxious lest poverty should come upon him."

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): yōu dào bù yōu pín

  (Zhuyin): ㄧㄡ ㄉㄠˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄧㄡ ㄆㄧㄣˊ

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: yōu dào bù yōu pín
    • Zhuyin: ㄧㄡ ㄉㄠˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄧㄡ ㄆㄧㄣˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: you dào bù you pín
    • Wade–Giles: yu¹ tao⁴ pu⁴ yu¹ pʻin²
    • Yale: yōu dàu bù yōu pín
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: iou daw bu iou pyn
    • Palladius: ю дао бу ю пинь (ju dao bu ju pinʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /joʊ̯⁵⁵ tɑʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ joʊ̯⁵⁵ pʰin³⁵/

Proverb

憂道不憂貧

1. Worry about seeking the proper path, do not worry about being poor.