Xíngshì bù hǎo shí, tā xuǎnzé qióng zé dú shàn qí shēn, qiánxīn yánjiū xuéwèn.
When times were bad, he chose to 'perfect himself in solitude,' devoting himself to scholarship.
Qióng zé dú shàn qí shēn, dá zé jiān jì tiānxià, zhè shì gǔrén de chǔshì zhī dào.
In adversity perfect yourself; in success benefit the world — this was the ancient way.
