"天作孽，猶可違；自作孽，不可活。"
— Book of Documents
January 1, 1970
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Histories
History of China
Original Language: English
Sources
The Books of Shang". Bk. V. Pt. ii, 3. Quoting Tai Jia in conversation with Yi Yin. Translated by James Legge, The Chinese Classics, Vol. III. Pt. i (1865) p. 207. Quoted slightly differently in the Mencius, Pt. I. Sec. 4: 天作孽，猶可違；自作孽，不可逭。Lionel Giles (1942) p. 48: "Heaven-sent calamities you may stand up against, but you cannot survive those brought on by yourself.
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The Books of Shang". Bk. V. Pt. ii, 3. Quoting Tai Jia in conversation with Yi Yin. Translated by James Legge, The Chinese Classics, Vol. III. Pt. i (1865) p. 207. Quoted slightly differently in the Mencius, Pt. I. Sec. 4: 天作孽，猶可違；自作孽，不可逭。Lionel Giles (1942) p. 48: "Heaven-sent calamities you may stand up against, but you cannot survive those brought on by yourself.