为德不卒 To not see a good deed through to the end
Explanation
指没有把好事做到底。比喻做事有始无终，不能坚持到底。
It means not finishing a good deed. It is a metaphor for something that has been started but not finished.
Origin Story
话说古代有一位勤政爱民的县令，他为了改善当地百姓的饮水问题，决定修建一条引水渠。他亲力亲为，带领乡民们日夜奋战，工程进展顺利，眼看就要完工了。然而，就在这时，县令却因病去世了。引水渠最终未能完工，百姓们虽感激县令的付出，但仍遗憾未能喝上甘甜的渠水，这便是为德不卒的写照。后来，人们常常用这个成语来比喻做事有始无终，不能坚持到底。
In ancient times, there was a diligent and benevolent magistrate who, to improve the local people's access to water, decided to build an irrigation canal. He worked tirelessly alongside the villagers, making great progress and nearing completion. However, the magistrate fell ill and passed away. The canal remained unfinished, leaving the villagers grateful for his efforts yet still lacking the sweet water he had aimed to provide, a perfect example of "wei de bu zu". The idiom is now used to describe things begun but left unfinished.
Usage
用于形容做事有始无终，半途而废。
Used to describe someone who starts something but doesn't finish it.
Examples
-
他做事总是虎头蛇尾，为德不卒。
ta zuo shi zong shi hu tou she wei, wei de bu zu.
He always does things half-heartedly and never finishes them.
-
这次改革未能坚持到底，为德不卒，令人惋惜。
zhe ci gai ge mei neng jian chi dao di, wei de bu zu, ling ren wan xi
It's a pity that this reform was not carried through to the end.