行不由徑
Chinese
to go; to do; capable to go; to do; capable; all right; competent; OK; to travel; temporary; to walk; will do; behaviour; conduct; a row; profession; professional |
not; no | follow; from; it is for...to follow; from; it is for...to; reason; cause; because of; due to; by; to; to leave it (to someone) |
path | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| trad. (行不由徑) | 行 | 不 | 由 | 徑 | |
| simp. (行不由径) | 行 | 不 | 由 | 径 | |
| Literally: “to not take bypaths”. | |||||
Etymology
From the Analects, Book 6 (《論語·雍也》):
- 子游為武城宰。子曰：「女得人焉爾乎？」曰：「有澹臺滅明者，行不由徑。非公事，未嘗至於偃之室也。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
- From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
- Zǐyóu wéi Wǔchéng zǎi. Zǐyuē: “Rǔ dé rén yān ěr hū?” Yuē: “Yǒu Tántái Mièmíng zhě, xíng bù yóu jìng. Fēi gōngshì, wèicháng zhìyú Yǎn zhī shì yě.” [Pinyin]
- Ziyou being governor of Wucheng, the Master said to him, "Have you got good men there?" He answered, "There is Tantai Mieming, who never in walking takes a short cut, and excepting on public business never comes to my office."
子游为武城宰。子曰：「女得人焉尔乎？」曰：「有澹台灭明者，行不由径。非公事，未尝至于偃之室也。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
Pronunciation
- Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)+
- Hanyu Pinyin: xíngbùyóujìng
- Zhuyin: ㄒㄧㄥˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄧㄡˊ ㄐㄧㄥˋ
- Tongyong Pinyin: síngbùyóujìng
- Wade–Giles: hsing2-pu4-yu2-ching4
- Yale: syíng-bù-yóu-jìng
- Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shyngbuyoujinq
- Palladius: синбуюцзин (sinbujuczin)
- Sinological IPA (key): /ɕiŋ³⁵ pu⁵¹ joʊ̯³⁵ t͡ɕiŋ⁵¹/
- (Standard Chinese)+
- Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
- Jyutping: hang4 bat1 jau4 ging3
- Yale: hàhng bāt yàuh ging
- Cantonese Pinyin: hang4 bat7 jau4 ging3
- Guangdong Romanization: heng4 bed1 yeo4 ging3
- Sinological IPA (key): /hɐŋ²¹ pɐt̚⁵ jɐu̯²¹ kɪŋ³³/
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
- Middle Chinese: haeng pjut yuw kengH
- Old Chinese
- (Baxter–Sagart): /*Cə.[ɡ]ˤraŋ pə l[u] [k]ˤeŋ-s/
- (Zhengzhang): /*ɡraːŋ pɯ' lɯw keːŋs/
Idiom
行不由徑
- to act justly and honestly
- 若至近世，操行不軌，專犯忌諱，而終身逸樂，富厚累世不絕。或擇地而蹈之，時然後出言，行不由徑，非公正不發憤，而遇禍災者，不可勝數也。余甚惑焉，儻所謂天道，是邪非邪？ [Classical Chinese, trad.]
- From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE
- Ruò zhì jìnshì, cāoxíng bùguǐ, zhuān fàn jìhuì, ér zhōngshēn yìlè, fùhòu lěishì bùjué. Huò zé dì ér dǎo zhī, shí ránhòu chūyán, xíngbùyóujìng, fēi gōngzhèng bù fāfèn, ér yù huòzāi zhě, bùkěshèngshù yě. Yú shèn huò yān, tǎng suǒwèi tiāndào, shì yé fēi yé? [Pinyin]
- As for more recent ages, men who do not follow the proper path, and do nothing but violate taboos, are still carefree and happy for all their lives, and their wealth goes on for generations without end. Some who choose carefully where they put their feet, wait for the right time to offer up words, act justly and honestly, and except for what is right and fair do not vent pent-up emotions, yet still encounter disaster are too numerous to be counted. I am deeply perplexed by this—if this is what is called ‘the Way of Heaven,’ is it right or not?
若至近世，操行不轨，专犯忌讳，而终身逸乐，富厚累世不绝。或择地而蹈之，时然后出言，行不由径，非公正不发愤，而遇祸灾者，不可胜数也。余甚惑焉，傥所谓天道，是邪非邪？ [Classical Chinese, simp.]