《Caigentan(菜根譚) Original Text, Former Collection #18》 [018]

《Caigentan(採根談)  Original Text, Former Collection #18》 [018]

📜 Original Text

蓋世功勞, 當不得一個矜字;
彌天罪過, 當不得一個悔字。

📚 Translation

Even a world-shaking achievement can't withstand a single moment of pride;
Even a sky-filling transgression crumbles in the face of true repentance.

🔍 Commentary: The Profound Impact of Inner Attitude on Achievements and Faults

This brief yet resonant passage from Cai Gen Tan highlights the supreme power of inner attitude—how we carry our achievements and respond to our wrongs. It unfolds a powerful paradox: that arrogance can undo the noblest of deeds, while humility can redeem even the gravest fault.

The first line, "Even a world-shaking achievement can't withstand a single moment of pride," warns that pride can overshadow even the most honorable success. When a person boasts about their merits, attention shifts from the value of the achievement to the vanity of the achiever. This often erodes trust, admiration, and the quiet power of genuine virtue. True merit gains its fullest meaning not from acclaim, but from humility.

The second line, "Even a sky-filling transgression crumbles in the face of true repentance," delivers the hopeful counterpart: no sin, however vast, is beyond redemption if met with sincere remorse. Genuine repentance doesn't erase the past, but it transforms how that past lives on in memory and meaning. It fosters growth, invites forgiveness, and restores one’s moral footing.

Together, these two lines remind us that what ultimately defines us is not only what we've done—but how we hold it. A humble spirit elevates achievements; a repentant heart reclaims dignity.
Once again, Cai Gen Tan offers timeless wisdom not through direct instruction but through vivid, paradoxical contrast—urging us to examine our own hearts more than our histories.

A boast can destroy merit;
a heartfelt repentance can redeem even the deepest fault.

✍️ Hanja Breakdown (With Full Repetition for Learners)

• 蓋 gài To cover, to encompass. (Here, implies greatness so vast it spans the world)
• 世 shì The world, era, society.
• 蓋世 gàishì Peerless, world-shaking, so great it covers the world.
• 功 gōng Merit, achievement, contribution.
• 勞 láo Labor, effort, toil.
• 功勞 gōngláo Merit earned through labor; significant achievement.
• 當 dāng To withstand, to be able to match, to be appropriate for.
• 不 bù No, not, cannot.
• 得 dé To obtain, to be able to.
• 當不得 dāng bù dé Cannot withstand; is not equal to.
• 一 yī One, a single.
• 個 gè Generic measure word for individual items.
• 矜 jīn Pride, arrogance, self-glorification; also means to pity (in other contexts).
• 矜字 jīn zì The character ‘矜’, symbolizing pride or boastfulness.
• 彌 mí To fill, to spread all over, to cover completely.
• 天 tiān Sky, heaven.
• 彌天 mítiān So vast it fills the sky; overwhelming, all-encompassing.
• 罪 zuì Sin, crime, wrongdoing.
• 過 guò Fault, error, mistake.
• 罪過 zuìguò Sin or fault; grave wrongdoing.
• 悔 huǐ To repent, to feel remorse, to regret deeply.
• 悔字 huǐ zì The character ‘悔’, symbolizing sincere repentance.

📘 Note:

This breakdown repeats all key Hanja terms, even if previously mentioned, so that learners can easily use this as a reference regardless of where they start.