Qián sānshí nián shuì bù xǐng; hòu sānshí nián shuì bù zháo.

前三十年睡不醒, 後三十年睡不著。

Lit [If during one's] first thirty years [one] sleeps too much, [then during one's] last thirty years [one will] not be able to sleep.

Fig If one wastes the first thirty years of one's life, it will be too late to accomplish anything in the second thirty years. One should be diligent during one's youth.

Note [See also hēi fà bù zhī above and shàozhuàng bù nǔlì below.]

Topics DILIGENCE SLEEP YOUTH