多行不義必自斃

See also: 多行不义必自毙

Chinese

		many; much; a lot of many; much; a lot of; numerous; multi-	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	immoral; unjust	certainly; must; will certainly; must; will; necessarily	to bring destruction upon oneself; to walk into destruction
trad. (多行不義必自斃)		多	行	不義	必	自斃
simp. (多行不义必自毙)		多	行	不义	必	自毙

Etymology

From Zuo Zhuan. Duke Zhuang of Zheng had conferred a major city on his brother Gong Shu Duan (w:zh:共叔段) on the request of their mother. One of his officers were concerned that Gong Shu Duan could become a threat. He gave the following reply (《左傳·隱公元年》):

公曰：「多行不義，必自斃，子姑待之。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

---

公曰：「多行不义，必自毙，子姑待之。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE, translation from Zuozhuan: Commentary on the "Spring and Autumn Annals" (2017), by Stephen Durrant, Wai-yee Li and David Schaberg

Gōng yuē: “Duō xíng bùyì, bì zìbì, zǐ gū dài zhī.” [Pinyin]

The lord said, "If he repeatedly commits undutiful acts, he surely will bring himself down. For the time being, sir, just wait for this."

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): duō xíng bùyì bì zìbì

  (Zhuyin): ㄉㄨㄛ ㄒㄧㄥˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄧˋ ㄅㄧˋ ㄗˋ ㄅㄧˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): do¹ hang⁴ bat¹ ji⁶ bit¹ zi⁶ bai⁶

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: duō xíng bùyì bì zìbì [Phonetic: duō xíng búyì bì zìbì]
    • Zhuyin: ㄉㄨㄛ ㄒㄧㄥˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄧˋ ㄅㄧˋ ㄗˋ ㄅㄧˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: duo síng bùyì bì zìhbì
    • Wade–Giles: to¹ hsing² pu⁴-i⁴ pi⁴ tzŭ⁴-pi⁴
    • Yale: dwō syíng bù-yì bì dz̀-bì
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: duo shyng buyih bih tzyhbih
    • Palladius: до син буи би цзыби (do sin bui bi czybi)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tu̯ɔ⁵⁵ ɕiŋ³⁵ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ i⁵¹⁻⁵³ pi⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡sz̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ pi⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: do¹ hang⁴ bat¹ ji⁶ bit¹ zi⁶ bai⁶
    • Yale: dō hàhng bāt yih bīt jih baih
    • Cantonese Pinyin: do¹ hang⁴ bat⁷ ji⁶ bit⁷ dzi⁶ bai⁶
    • Guangdong Romanization: do¹ heng⁴ bed¹ yi⁶ bid¹ ji⁶ bei⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tɔː⁵⁵ hɐŋ²¹ pɐt̚⁵ jiː²² piːt̚⁵ t͡siː²² pɐi̯²²/

Proverb

多行不義必自斃

1. The wages of sin is death; He who is unjust is doomed to destruction.