Analects 14.10 · Xian Wen
“It is difficult to be poor without resentment, but easy to be wealthy without arrogance.”
Meaning, context, and how to apply it today
貧而無怨難 富而無驕易 (pín ér wú yuàn nán, fù ér wú jiāo yì) means “It is difficult to be poor without resentment, but easy to be wealthy without arrogance.” It is a passage from the Analects of Confucius, Book 14 (Xian Wen), Chapter 10.
貧而無怨難 富而無驕易
- Pinyin
- pín ér wú yuàn nán, fù ér wú jiāo yì
- Translation
- It is difficult to be poor without resentment, but easy to be wealthy without arrogance.
- Source
- Analects, Book 14 (Xian Wen), Chapter 10
What does this passage mean?
In this passage from the Xian Wen chapter, Confucius compares the psychological difficulties that accompany poverty and wealth. 怨 means resentment, and 驕 arrogance. It is difficult to be poor without resentment, while it is relatively easier to be wealthy without arrogance. Confucius had earlier urged people to be joyful in poverty and fond of ritual propriety in wealth; here, on a more realistic level, he acknowledges that the trial of poverty is harder to endure than that of wealth.
How can we apply it today?
Financial hardship deprives the mind of breathing room. Worrying about one's balance before payday and envying the abundance of others are natural feelings. Confucius recognized that difficulty. This is precisely why someone who remains free of resentment amid poverty is so admirable. He says that remaining humble after success is easier, yet in reality many people do change after becoming wealthy. Maintaining inner balance in every circumstance is central to self-cultivation.
Questions to reflect on
- ·Does resentment arise in me during financial hardship?
- ·Have I ever become arrogant after gaining abundance?
- ·Can I preserve inner equanimity regardless of external circumstances?
Character-by-character breakdown
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Radical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 貧 | pín | poor | 11 | 貝 (shell) |
| 而 | ér | and; but | 6 | 而 (and) |
| 無 | wú | lack | 12 | 火 (fire) |
| 怨 | yuàn | resent | 9 | 心 (heart) |
| 難 | nán | difficult | 19 | 隹 (short-tailed bird) |
| 富 | fù | wealthy | 12 | 宀 (roof) |
| 而 | ér | and; but | 6 | 而 (and) |
| 無 | wú | lack | 12 | 火 (fire) |
| 驕 | jiāo | arrogant | 22 | 馬 (horse) |
| 易 | yì | easy | 8 | 日 (sun) |
Frequently asked questions
Q. What does “It is difficult to be poor without…” mean?
貧而無怨難 富而無驕易 (pín ér wú yuàn nán, fù ér wú jiāo yì) means “It is difficult to be poor without resentment, but easy to be wealthy without arrogance.” It comes from the Analects, Book 14 (Xian Wen), Chapter 10.
Q. Where does this passage appear in the Analects?
It is Analects 14.10: Book 14 (Xian Wen), Chapter 10.
Q. How can this teaching be applied today?
Financial hardship deprives the mind of breathing room.Worrying about one's balance before payday and envying the abundance of others are natural feelings.Confucius recognized that difficulty.