《Caigentan (菜根譚) – Complete Works | Former Collection》 #3 [003]

📖 Chaegeundam (菜根譚) #3 [003]


📜 Original Text (Chinese)

君子之心事，天青日白，不可使人不知。
君子之才華，玉韞珠藏，不可使人易知。



📚 English Translation

A noble person's mindset should be like the blue sky and bright sunlight—pure and honest, with nothing to conceal from others.
But their outstanding talent, like jade wrapped and pearls hidden, should not be easily recognized by others.



🪶 Character Breakdown

• 君子 (jūnzǐ): A virtuous or noble person
• 心事 (xīnshì): Inner thoughts or mindset → mindset, heart's intentions
• 天青 (tiānqīng): Clear blue sky
• 日白 (rìbái): Bright, radiant sunlight
• 不可使人不知: One must not hide such a mindset from others
• 才華 (cáihuá): Brilliant talent, outstanding ability
• 玉 (yù): Jade
• 韞 (wēn): To wrap, to conceal
• 珠 (zhū): Pearl
• 藏 (cáng): To hide, to store
• 不可使人易知: One’s talents should not be easily noticed or flaunted



🔍 Commentary (on Trust, Humility, and Self-Restraint)

This passage draws a clear distinction between what a noble person should make visible and what they should keep quietly within.

First, a noble person’s mindset must be honest and sincere—free from hidden motives or manipulation.
Like the clear sky and the bright sun, their heart should be consistent and open in all situations.
→ Reveal your true heart; live with honesty and integrity.

However, when it comes to talent and ability, Chaegeundam suggests the opposite:
Great ability should not be displayed openly, but instead held in quiet reserve.

And this isn’t merely about appearing humble.



📌 “To show off one’s talent invites envy, but to hide it earns trust.”

Talents that are readily shown attract attention—but they also provoke jealousy, competition, and self-consciousness.
Those who easily reveal their strengths are often seeking approval or validation, consciously or not.
But a noble person does not chase after recognition or compete for attention.
They walk their path steadily, undistracted by the judgment of others.

Rather than flaunting their skills, they keep them quietly refined and ready—
trusting that the right moment will reveal what they’ve long nurtured in silence.



📌 In short:

A noble person should be open and honest in heart, but discreet and restrained with their talents.
Rather than showing off, they safeguard; rather than seeking praise, they focus on essence.
This is the true dignity of a cultivated character.