1月20日

前赤壁賦
宋 蘇軾 ( 1036~1101 )

客亦知夫水與月乎？逝者如斯，而未嘗往也；
盈虛者如彼，而卒莫消長也。
蓋將自其變者而觀之，則天地曾不能以一瞬；
自其不變者而觀之，則物與我皆無盡也，而又何羨乎？
且夫天地之間，物各有主，苟非吾之所有，雖一毫而莫取，
惟江上之清風，與山間之明月，
耳得之而為聲，目遇之而成色，取之無禁，用之不竭。
是造物者之無盡藏也，而吾與子之所共適。

──選自《經進東坡文集事略》

January 20th

Initial Visit to the Red Cliff
Su Shi (1036 - 1101, Song Dynasty)
English translation: Miao Guang

Do you also know about the water and the moon? Water
continues to flow away, yet in essence it has never departed. The
moon continues to wax and wane, yet the sphere never actually
decreases or increases.

Viewing from the perspective of change, heaven and earth
have never stopped changing even for a moment; from the
perspective of the unchanging, all matters and the self are
infinite. As such, what is there to be envious of?

Furthermore, everything between heaven and earth each has
its rightful owner. What does not belong to you, must not be
taken, even in the smallest part. Only the fresh breeze atop the
river, the bright moon between the mountains, what is heard
by the ear as sound, and seen by the eyes as form, are those
which you can acquire at liberty and use without limit. Such is
the inexhaustible treasure of the universe which both you
and I enjoy.

── from Jingjin Dongpo Wenji Shi Lue
(Anthology of Imperial Memorials by Dongpo in Summary)