前事不忘,后事之师

qián shì bù wàng , hòu shì zhī shī

don't forget past events, they can guide you in future (idiom); benefit from past experience

前

qián

front

事

shì

matter

不

bù

no; not so

忘

wàng

to forget

,

,

后

hòu

back

事

shì

matter

之

zhī

(possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的[de5])

师

shī

teacher