彼一時，此一時

From Mencius (《孟子·公孫丑下》):

彼一時，此一時也。五百年必有王者興，其間必有名世者。由周而來，七百有餘歲矣。以其數則過矣，以其時考之則可矣。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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彼一时，此一时也。五百年必有王者兴，其间必有名世者。由周而来，七百有余岁矣。以其数则过矣，以其时考之则可矣。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Bǐ yīshí, cǐ yīshí yě. Wǔbǎi nián bì yǒu wángzhě xīng, qíjiān bì yǒu míng shì zhě. Yóu Zhōu ér lái, qībǎi yǒuyú suì yǐ. Yǐ qí shù zé guò yǐ, yǐ qí shí kǎo zhī zé kě yǐ.

That was one time, and this is another. It is a rule that a true royal sovereign should arise in the course of five hundred years, and that during that time there should be men illustrious in their generation. From the commencement of the Zhou dynasty till now, more than seven hundred years have elapsed. Judging numerically, the date is past. Examining the character of the present time, we might expect the rise of such individuals in it.

彼一時，此一時

1. that was then, this is now

• 此一時，彼一時／此一时，彼一时 (cǐ yīshí, bǐ yīshí)