瑕不掩瑜

Chinese

Etymology

From the Book of Rites, Book 48 (《禮記·聘義》):

夫昔者君子比德於玉焉：溫潤而澤，仁也；縝密以栗，知也；廉而不劌，義也；垂之如隊，禮也；叩之其聲清越以長，其終詘然，樂也；瑕不掩瑜、瑜不掩瑕，忠也；孚尹旁達，信也；氣如白虹，天也；精神見於山川，地也；圭璋特達，德也。天下莫不貴者，道也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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夫昔者君子比德于玉焉：温润而泽，仁也；缜密以栗，知也；廉而不刿，义也；垂之如队，礼也；叩之其声清越以长，其终诎然，乐也；瑕不掩瑜、瑜不掩瑕，忠也；孚尹旁达，信也；气如白虹，天也；精神见于山川，地也；圭璋特达，德也。天下莫不贵者，道也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: The Book of Rites, c. 4^th – 2^nd century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Fú xīzhě jūnzǐ bǐ dé yú yù yān: wēnrùn ér zé, rén yě; zhěnmì yǐ lì, zhì yě; lián ér bù guì, yì yě; chuí zhī rú zhuì, lǐ yě; kòu zhī qí shēng qīngyuè yǐ cháng, qí zhōng qūrán, yuè yě; xiá bù yǎn yú, yú bù yǎn xiá, zhōng yě; fú yǐn páng dá, xìn yě; qì rú bái hóng, tiān yě; jīngshén jiàn yú shānchuān, dì yě; guī zhāng tè dá, dé yě. Tiānxià mò bù guì zhě, dào yě.

Anciently superior men found the likeness of all excellent qualities in jade. Soft, smooth, and glossy, it appeared to them like benevolence; fine, compact, and strong - like intelligence; angular, but not sharp and cutting - like righteousness; hanging down (in beads) as if it would fall to the ground - like (the humility of) propriety; when struck, yielding a note, clear and prolonged, yet terminating abruptly - like music; its flaws not concealing its beauty, nor its beauty concealing its flaws - like loyalty; with an internal radiance issuing from it on every side - like good faith; bright as a brilliant rainbow - like heaven; exquisite and mysterious, appearing in the hills and streams - like the earth; standing out conspicuous in the symbols of rank - like virtue; esteemed by all under the sky, - like the path of truth and duty.

Pronunciation

Idiom

瑕不掩瑜

1. small defects cannot obscure the great virtues; the pros outweigh the cons

Antonyms

• 瑜難掩瑕／瑜难掩瑕