Shàng shàn ruò shuǐ rèn fāng yuán, shì tā zuò wàijiāo gōngzuò de xìntiáo.
'The highest good is like water, taking any shape' is the creed of his diplomatic work.
Tips
history
The first four characters 上善若水 come from 《道德经》第八章 (Laozi, ch. 8): '上善若水。水善利万物而不争.' The added 任方圆 is a later elaboration widely used in calligraphy and modern quotation — meaning water lets the container determine its shape without losing its nature.
usage
任 here = 'let / allow,' not 'responsibility.' 方圆 = 'square or round,' i.e. whatever form the container imposes.
