言不顺则事不成

From 《论语·子路》 (Analects, Zilu chapter, ~5th-4th c. BCE), part of Confucius's 正名 ('rectification of names') doctrine: 名不正则言不顺，言不顺则事不成，事不成则礼乐不兴，礼乐不兴则刑罚不中，刑罚不中则民无所措手足 (If names are not correct, speech is not in order; if speech is not in order, affairs won't succeed; if affairs don't succeed, rites and music won't flourish; if rites and music don't flourish, punishments won't hit their mark; if punishments miss, the people have nowhere to place their hands and feet). A five-link chain grounding political order in linguistic precision.

Always canonically preceded by 名不正则言不顺. 则 = classical 'then.' 顺 here = 'smooth / in order / logically follows' - not 'obedient.' The line is central to Chinese political-philosophical discourse on legitimacy and clear definition.