慎终如始
Shèn zhōng rú shǐ
Careful at the End as at the Start
原文Original Text
「慎终如始,则无败事。」
——《道德经》第64章 — Daodejing, Chapter 64

释义Annotation

「慎终如始」出自《道德经》第六十四章。对待事情的结尾要像开始一样谨慎,就不会有失败的事。很多人在开始时小心翼翼,却在接近成功时松懈大意,导致功亏一篑。老子提醒我们,善始善终、持之以恒,才是成事之道。

"Shen zhong ru shi" comes from Chapter 64 of the Daodejing. Be as careful at the end as at the beginning, and there will be no failure. Many are cautious at the start but become complacent near success, leading to collapse at the final moment. Laozi reminds us that a good beginning and a careful ending, sustained consistently, is the way to accomplishment.

核心概念Core Concepts

此成语蕴含道家「守柔」「知足」「抱朴」等核心理念。老子通过这一比喻,阐述了顺应自然、不争不抢、返璞归真的处世智慧。在纷繁复杂的现代社会中,这些古老的智慧依然闪耀着指引的光芒。

This idiom embodies core Taoist concepts of "keeping to softness," "knowing contentment," and "embracing simplicity." Through this metaphor, Laozi expounds the wisdom of following nature, not competing, and returning to authenticity. In our complex modern world, these ancient insights continue to illuminate the path forward.