History
鞠躬盡瘁 死而後已
“I shall bend my body and spend my utmost strength, ceasing only in death. Success or failure is not mine to foresee.”
— Zhuge Liang諸葛亮
ko몸을 굽혀 온 힘을 다하며, 죽은 뒤에야 그만둘 뿐이다. 성패와 이해득실은 신이 미리 헤아릴 수 있는 바가 아니다.
ja身を屈めて全力を尽くし、死して後にようやく已む。成否や利害得失は、臣があらかじめ見通せるものではありません。
The scene behind the words
The closing of the Later Memorial, said to precede the second northern campaign. It vows duty over calculation — and became the eight characters that summarize Zhuge Liang entire. Worth knowing: the Later Memorial never appears in the official histories, and its authenticity has been questioned ever since.
Source: The Later Chu Shi Biao (authenticity debated)