生死有命, 富貴在天

David Beckham's Chinese Tattto
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Chines proverb: 生死有命, 富貴在天
Pinyin: shēng sǐ yǒu mìng，fù guì zài tiān

Translation: “Life and death have pre-determined appointments; riches and honor are from heaven”.

生死有命,此處之命,講的是時間,指的是生命起承轉結的過程.
"Time", it meant the cycle of a life - the journey from our birth to our last breath.

所以此句原是命有生死之倒裝,用大白話來說,就是生命有開始,就會有結束,時間有限,不是無窮無盡的延續,所以要把握生命,把握當下,積極奮鬥,開創未來,不可浪費時間,飽食終日,做吃飽等死的大米蟲.
This phrase is in reversal form. It meant when there is a beginning for lives, there will also be an end. Everyone's lives has an end; it does not go on endlessly, so [we] need to cherish our time (lives), make use of "now".

富貴在天,義指人生富貴貧賤的際遇,不是操縱在自己的手中,而是由老天爺決定.
It meant our fate of fortune in our lifetime, is not up to us, but rather to the Gods (who are watching over us).

所以承上句,生死有命,意思要人積極進取,而下句的富貴在天,就是有兩面講法,一是不用汲汲營營處心積慮,想方設法要賺大錢,要求大富貴,這個決定權是在老天爺身上,人的德行不夠,老天爺也不會把富貴加諸在你身上.
So the first phrase, 生死有命 (shēng sǐ yǒu mìng), meaning we need to be proactive, whereas the second phrase has two interpretations. One is (we) do not need to overly obsessed to make fortune, or ask to be wealthy. If we try to gain fortune by the means of unethical ways, the Gods (who watches over us) would not bless us with good fortunes, either.

第二種講法就是,你只要認真行事,不求回報,多做善事,多積陰德,老天爺看你不錯,孺子可教,自然會把富貴交給你,你不想要都不行.可謂天上掉下來的禮物,作夢都想不到,所以有富貴在天的感嘆!!
The second interpretation is to work with a good ethic with a genuine heart, and the Gods, who are watching over us, will bless us with good fortune.