生死有命，富貴在天

Chinese
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
 
wealthy and respectable; splendid; magnificent
wealthy and respectable; splendid; magnificent; gorgeous
 
(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 有 命 ， 富貴 在 天
simp. (生死有命，富贵在天) 生死 有 命 ， 富贵 在 天
alternative forms 死生有命，富貴在天／死生有命，富贵在天

Etymology

From the Analects:

商聞之矣：死生有命，富貴在天。君子敬而無失，與人恭而有禮。四海之內，皆兄弟也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
商闻之矣：死生有命，富贵在天。君子敬而无失，与人恭而有礼。四海之内，皆兄弟也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
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. [Pinyin]
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.

Pronunciation

  • Mandarin
    (Pinyin): shēngsǐ yǒu mìng, fùguì zài tiān
    (Zhuyin): ㄕㄥ ㄙˇ ㄧㄡˇ ㄇㄧㄥˋ, ㄈㄨˋ ㄍㄨㄟˋ ㄗㄞˋ ㄊㄧㄢ
  • Cantonese (Jyutping): sang1 sei2 jau5 ming6, fu3 gwai3 zoi6 tin1
  • Mandarin
    • (Standard Chinese)+
      • Hanyu Pinyin: shēngsǐ yǒu mìng, fùguì zài tiān [Phonetic: shēngsíyǒumìng,fùguìzàitiān]
      • Zhuyin: ㄕㄥ ㄙˇ ㄧㄡˇ ㄇㄧㄥˋ, ㄈㄨˋ ㄍㄨㄟˋ ㄗㄞˋ ㄊㄧㄢ
      • Tongyong Pinyin: shengsǐh yǒu mìng, fùguèi zài tian
      • Wade–Giles: shêng1-ssŭ3 yu3 ming4- fu4-kuei4 tsai4 tʻien1
      • Yale: shēng-sž yǒu mìng-, fù-gwèi dzài tyān
      • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shengsyy yeou minq, fuhguey tzay tian
      • Palladius: шэнсы ю мин, фугуй цзай тянь (šɛnsy ju min, fuguj czaj tjanʹ)
      • Sinological IPA (key): /ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ sz̩²¹⁴⁻³⁵ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹¹ miŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ fu⁵¹⁻⁵³ kweɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡saɪ̯⁵¹ tʰjɛn⁵⁵/
  • Cantonese

Phrase

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.
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