6月28日

勤儉勸世文
宋 呂蒙正 ( 946~1011 )

勤懶皆因一念生，家庭興敗此中爭；
萬般事業由勤致，懶漢何曾見有成？
年少光陰最足珍，都緣兩字誤因循；
畢生事業知何限，哪得工夫走市塵。
清早黎明便起身，家庭內外費艱辛；
君看敗家傾產者，多是貪眠懶惰人。
人生儉樸最為高，莫把錢財浪裡拋；
物力艱難常記取，免教日後聽號啕。
處世持家年復年，總須慮後更思前；
有錢常想無錢日，莫待無錢想有錢。

──選自《增廣賢文》

June 28

Advice for Frugality
Lu Mengzheng (946 - 1011, Song Dynasty)
English translation: Miao Guang

Diligence and laziness are all in a moment’s thought;
The rise and fall of a family is also determined by such.
The accomplishment of everything is by zeal,
When have you ever seen an idle man succeed?

Youthful days are the most precious
For this is when the good causes for success are laid.
Yet many fail to cherish such precious moments of life.
There is no time to waste on mundane matters!

Rise early at dusk,
For home errands alone are rather painstaking.
Look at those spendthrift sons,
Many would be lazy people and greedy sleepers.

Most noble it is to lead a frugal life,
Do not throw your wealth into the waves!
Constantly bear in mind the lack of resources now,
So that you will not hear the cries of despair later in life.

For years, we deal with matters and provide for our family,
We must always have cautious plans for the future.
Prepare for poverty in times of prosperity,
Do not wait until poverty comes to start thinking of frugality.

── from Zengguang Xianwen (Proverbs of Accumulating Wide Wisdom)