不孝有三,无后为大

bù xiào yǒu sān , wú hòu wéi dà

there are three ways to be unfilial; having no sons is the worst (from Mencius 孟子[Meng4 zi3])

不

bù

no; not so

孝

xiào

filial piety or obedience

有

yǒu

to have; there is

三

sān

three

,

,

无

wú

not to have

后

hòu

back

为

wéi

variant of 為|为[wei2]

大

dà

big; large; great