10月16日

前賢醒世詠
于凌波 輯 ( 1927~2005 )

舉頭三尺有神明，毫髮難欺莫亂行；
常對蒼蒼懷怵惕，良心天理要公平。
行藏虛實自家知，禍福因由更問誰？
善惡到頭終有報，只爭來早與來遲。
居心誠實是根基，一事虛時百事疑；
到底虛言終削福，明明天道總難欺。
陰謀暗算害人家，天眼分明自不花；
禍到身來方懊悔，始知前日念頭差。
世事如棋轉眼更，癡人何用苦紛爭；
今朝未識明朝事，鐵面閻羅不徇情。
湛湛青天不可欺，未曾動念已先知；
勸君莫作虧心事，古往今來放過誰？
及早回頭莫稍遲，光陰閃電白駒馳；
放開雙眼青雲裡，看你橫行到幾時？
一船西去一船東，順逆風波勢不同；
寄語順風船上客，明朝未必是東風。

──選自《醒世詩詞選》

October 16

Admonishment by Forefathers
Yu Lingbo (1927 - 2005)
English translation: Miao Guang and William Chong

There are gods three feet above you,
Avoid reckless behavior,
    for not even a hair can be concealed;
Be ever cautious and vigilant in Heaven's face,
Fairness is essential when it comes to
    your conscience and the course of nature.
You know best the genuineness of your actions,
Who is there to tell you
    the cause of your fortunes and adversities?
Good or bad retributions are only eventual,
The only difference is
    the early or lateness of their arrival.
Intention and honesty are the fundamental roots,
A single moment of pretence shall
    result in a hundred doubts;
Ultimately deceitful words will consume your fortune,
Clearly it is impossible to cheat Heaven's will.
When you conspire and plot against others,
Heaven’s eyes are clear and naturally never blind;
To have regrets only when calamity befalls you,
And come to realize your
    unwholesome thoughts from the day before.
Life is like an ever-changing game of chess,
Why be so ignorant and suffer from these disputes?
We cannot foresee tomorrow's matters from today,
The impartial Lord Yama
    is not one to practice favoritism.
Such a clear blue sky can never be deceived,
Your thoughts would be detected before they even arise;
You are advised to keep a clear conscience,
For who has ever escaped judgment in all of history?
Hesitate not even a moment to quickly turn around,
Time speeds by like lightning
    and like a white galloping steed;
Turn your eyes to what hides behind the blue clouds,
How much longer can your reckless behaviors persist?
A boat heads west, and the other east,
Be it upwind or downwind,
    circumstances will naturally differ;
Here's a message to those onboard the upwind boat,
Tomorrow there is no guarantee
    that it'll be an easterly wind.

── from Xing Shi Shi Ci Xuan (Collected Admonishments)