無信不立

Etymology

From the Analects:

子貢問「政」。子曰：「足食，足兵，民信之矣。」子貢曰：「必不得已而去，於斯三者何先？」曰：「去兵。」子貢曰：「必不得已而去，於斯二者何先？」曰：「去食。自古皆有死，民無信不立。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.][▼ expand/hide]
子贡问“政”。子曰：“足食，足兵，民信之矣。”子贡曰：“必不得已而去，于斯三者何先？”曰：“去兵。”子贡曰：“必不得已而去，于斯二者何先？”曰：“去食。自古皆有死，民无信不立。” [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: The Analects of Confucius, circa 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Zǐgòng wèn “zhèng”. Zǐ yuē: “Zúshí, zúbīng, mín xìn zhī yǐ.” Zǐgòng yuē: “Bì bùdéyǐ ér qù, yú sī sān zhě hé xiān?” Yuē: “Qù bīng.” Zǐgòng yuē: “Bì bùdéyǐ ér qù, yú sī èr zhě hé xiān?” Yuē: “Qù shí. Zìgǔ jiē yǒu sǐ, mín wúxìnbùlì.” [Pinyin]

Zigong asked about government. The Master said, "The requisites of government are that there be sufficiency of food, sufficiency of military equipment, and the confidence of the people in their ruler." Zigong said, "If it cannot be helped, and one of these must be dispensed with, which of the three should be foregone first?" "The military equipment," said the Master. Zigong again asked, "If it cannot be helped, and one of the remaining two must be dispensed with, which of them should be foregone?" The Master answered, "Part with the food. From of old, death has been the lot of all men; but if the people have no faith in their rulers, there is no standing for the state."

Romance of the Three Kingdoms:

自古皆有死，人無信不立 [Classical Chinese, trad.][▼ expand/hide]
自古皆有死，人无信不立 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Romance of the Three Kingdoms, circa 14^th century CE

zìgǔ jiē yǒu sǐ, rén wúxìnbùlì [Pinyin]

From of old, death has been the lot of all men; but if people have no faith in a person, there is no standing for that person.

Pronunciation

Proverb

無信不立

1. If people have no faith in a person, there is no standing for that person.