临渊羡鱼,不如退而结网

lín yuān xiàn yú , bù rú tuì ér jié wǎng

better to go home and weave a net than to stand by the pond longing for fish (idiom)

one should take practical steps to achieve one's aim

lín

to face

yuān

deep pool

xiàn

to envy

fish (CL:條|条[tiao2],尾[wei3])

,

no; not so

as

退

tuì

to retreat; to withdraw

ér

and

jié

knot

wǎng

net