左右逢源

From Mencius:

孟子曰：「君子深造之以道，欲其自得之也。自得之，則居之安；居之安，則資之深；資之深，則取之左右逢其原，故君子欲其自得之也。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.][▼ expand/hide]

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孟子曰：“君子深造之以道，欲其自得之也。自得之，则居之安；居之安，则资之深；资之深，则取之左右逢其原，故君子欲其自得之也。” [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Mengzi (Mencius), circa 4^th century BCE

Mèngzǐ yuē: “Jūnzǐ shēnzào zhī yǐ dào, yù qí zì dé zhī yě. Zì dé zhī, zé jū zhī ān; jū zhī ān, zé zī zhī shēn; zī zhī shēn, zé qǔ zhī zuǒyòu féng qí yuán, gù jūnzǐ yù qí zì dé zhī yě.” [Pinyin]

Mencius said, “The superior man makes his advances in what he is learning with deep earnestness and by the proper course, wishing to get hold of it as in himself. Having got hold of it in himself, he abides in it calmly and firmly. Abiding in it calmly and firmly, he reposes a deep reliance on it. Reposing a deep reliance on it, he seizes it on the left and right, meeting everywhere with it as a fountain from which things flow. It is on this account that the superior man wishes to get hold of what he is learning as in himself.”

左右逢源

1. (figuratively) to be able to achieve success one way or another; to have everything going one's way; to butter one's bread on both sides