Huǒ shāo dào shēn, gè zì qù sǎo; fēng chài rù huái, suíjí jiěyī.

火燒到身,各自去掃; 蜂蠆入懷,隨即解衣。

Lit [When] fire approaches [one's own] body, one naturally goes for a broom [to beat out the fire]; [when] a bee or a poisonous insect gets into [one's] clothes, [one] disrobes at once.

Fig When disasters come, each person runs for his own life.

Note [Cf. WM, chap. 17; Jǐngshì Tōngyán, chap. 28; Rúlín Wàishǐ, chap. 13.]

Topics DANGER DISASTER Jǐngshì Tōngyán Rúlín Wàishǐ SELF-INTEREST WM