塞翁失馬焉知非福

1. • the old man lost his mare, but it all turned out for the best (idiom) fig. a blessing in disguise
2. • it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good

Character by character

• 塞(sài)strategic stronghold
• 翁(wēng)surname Weng
• 失(shī)lose
• 馬(mǎ)surname Ma
• 焉(yān)where
• 知(zhī)know
• 非(fēi)not be
• 福(fú)surname Fu