He who knows (other) people is intelligent, he who knows himself is wi
辨德 · Biàn Dé
Classical Chinese Text
知人者智，自知者明。胜人者有力，自胜者强。知足者富，强行者有志，不失其所者久，死而不亡者寿。
Translation & Meaning
He who knows (other) people is intelligent, he who knows himself is wise. He who overcomes (other) people is forceful, he who overcomes himself is powerful. He who contented is wealthy, he who forces himself forward is ambitious, he who does not lose his cause is long-lasting, he who dies but not vanish is of longevity.
Linguistic & Character Analysis
- 知 (zhī): know / distinguish / recognize
- 人 (rén): person / human
- 者 (zhě): aspects / those who / things
- 智 (zhì): classical character (zhì)
- 自 (zì): classical character (zì)
- 明 (míng): classical character (míng)
- 胜 (shèng): classical character (shèng)
- 有 (yǒu): manifest being / cosmos / to possess
- 力 (lì): classical character (lì)
- 强 (qiáng): strengthen / firm / robust
- 足 (zú): classical character (zú)
- 富 (fù): classical character (fù)
- 行 (xíng): practice / teach / walk
- 志 (zhì): will / intent / claim
- 不 (bù): not / un- / without
- 失 (shī): classical character (shī)
- 其 (qí): its / their / his / her
- 所 (suǒ): place / frontier / that which
- 久 (jiǔ): classical character (jiǔ)
- 死 (sǐ): classical character (sǐ)
- 而 (ér): yet / and / but
- 亡 (wáng): classical character (wáng)
- 寿 (shòu): classical character (shòu)