功亏一篑
within an ace of winning
In ancient times, there was a man who wanted to build a nine-foot high mountain, equivalent to the current 72-foot mountain.
古时候,有一个人要筑一座九仞高的山,相当于现在的七十二尺的山。
He piled up year after year, regardless of the cold and heat, squandering the soil from afar, forgetting the soil, picking up the soil, and then piled it on the mountain bag. Finally ,he will be finished.
他堆了一年又一年,不论严寒酷暑,废寝忘食地从远处挖土,再挑土,再堆到山包上,终于有一天,他就要完工了。
On this day, he was as usual. When the chicken just cried, he got up and started work. He looked at the mountain and reached a height of 72 feet. It was only a basket of soil.
这一天他也一如往常一样,鸡刚打鸣就起床开工,一筐又一筐,眼看着山就要达到七十二尺高了,只差一筐土的工夫。
But when he touched his stomach and screamed, it was snowing again. I thought that there was only one basket of soil. It was better to do it tomorrow, and I went home.
但他一摸肚子咕咕叫,天又下起雪来,想想只有一筐土,不如明天再做,就回家去了。
Since then, he always thought that there was only one basket of soil. It was too simple. It was better to do it tomorrow, so he was lazy, so this basket of soil did not pile up. After all, this piece was only 72 feet high. The mountain is still not finished.
此后,他总认为只有一筐土了,太简单了,不如明天再做,于是偷懒,所以这一筐土至死也没堆上,终究这座只差一筐土的七十二尺高的山还是没有完成。
Then there is the saying that "the mountain is nine miles, the power is lost", meaning that the pile of nine high mountains, only a basket of soil can not be completed. The analogy is only the last point of doing things, not finished.
于是就有了“为山九仞,功亏一篑”的说法,意思是堆九仞高的山,只缺一筐土而不能完成。比喻做事情只差最后一点,没有完成。
Although there are many such examples in the past, people in life cannot constantly reflect on themselves. Still go my own way. Unless the matter is coming, why should it be the first time?
虽然古时候有很多这样的事例作前鉴,但生活中人们却不能经常地反省自己。仍然我行我素。除非事到临头才感慨何必当初。
To do one thing thoroughly, to finish it thoroughly, to do it well, to be able to stick to the end, to stick to the end, the day s things must be completed the same day. Therefore, we must do good deeds when we do things, otherwise we will lose weight.
做一件事情要彻彻底底的把它做完、做好,不能虎头蛇尾,要坚持到底,当天的事情要当天完成。所以说我们做事一定要善始善终,否则终会功亏一篑。
This idiom means to fail to succeed for lack of final effort.
这个典故用以形容“离成功只有一步之遥,但最终失败告终”的意思。