朝に道を聞かば夕べに死すとも可なり

Japanese
Kanji in this term
朝 道 聞 夕 死 可
あした
Grade: 2		 みち
Grade: 2		 き
Grade: 2		 ゆう
Grade: 1		 し
Grade: 3		 か
Grade: 5
kun’yomi on’yomi

Etymology

From the Analects of Confucius, a calque of Literary Chinese 朝聞道，夕死可矣.

Literally “if the [correct] path is [heard] next morning, it is sufficient even [if] it dies in the evening”.

Proverb

朝(あした)に道(みち)を聞(き)かば夕(ゆう)べに死(し)すとも可(か)なり • (ashita ni michi o kikaba yūbe ni shisu tomo kanari) 

  1. one has not lived in vain if he dies after he is told of the true path

References
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