When Zixia was appointed magistrate of Jufu, he asked Confucius for advice on governance. Confucius said: "Do not rush. Do not chase small profits. If you rush, you will not reach your goal. If you chase small profits, you will not accomplish great things."
The phrase "欲速则不达" (desiring speed, one fails to arrive) became the Chinese idiom for the folly of rushing — the recognition that haste makes waste, and that patience is faster in the long run.
子夏为莒父宰，问政。子曰：「无欲速，无见小利。欲速则不达，见小利则大事不成。」
子夏为莒父宰，问政。子曰：「无欲速，无见小利。欲速则不达，见小利则大事不成。」
Reflection & Analysis · 寓意解读
Core Wisdom
The one who runs too fast trips. The one who chases small gains loses the great prize. Slow and steady does not just win the race — it is the only way to finish it.
Confucius's advice to Zixia is a double warning: against speed (欲速) and against small-mindedness (见小利). The two are related: the person who rushes is often the person who cannot see past immediate rewards. Patience and vision go together — both require the willingness to delay gratification.