Shí lái, shéi bù lái; shí bù lái, shéi lái？

時來誰不來, 時不來誰來？

Lit [When] fortune smiles on one, everyone comes; when bad luck befalls one, everyone goes away.

Fig “Nobody knows you when you're down and out.”

Note [Cf. Jīn Píng Méi (JPM), chap. 30; see also pín jū nàoshì and qián jù rúxiōng above.]

Topics FORTUNE FRIENDSHIP JPM LUCK POVERTY SELF-INTEREST