Xíngshì bùhǎo shí, tā xuǎnzé qióngzédúshànqíshēn, qiánxīn yánjiū xuéwèn.
When times were bad, he chose to 'perfect himself in solitude,' devoting himself to scholarship.
Qióngzédúshànqíshēn, dázéjiānjìtiānxià, zhè shì gǔrén de chǔshì zhī dào.
In adversity perfect yourself; in success benefit the world — this was the ancient way.
