1月7日

今日
明 文嘉 ( 1501~1583 )

今日復今日，今日何其少；
今日又不為，此事何時了？
人生百年幾今日，今日不為真可惜！
若言姑待明朝至，明朝又有明朝事。
為君聊賦今日詩，努力請從今日始。

──選自《文氏五家集》

January 7th

Today
Wen Jia (1501 - 1583, Ming Dynasty)
English translation: Miao Guang

One today after another,
There are so few todays.
Yet another today with matter left undone,
When shall it ever come to an end?

How many todays will we ever have in life?
Leaving things undone today is truly a waste.
To say that it can wait tomorrow,
But tomorrow: other things to do.
For you this poem is composed;
Do begin your efforts from today.

── from Wenshi Wujia Ji (Collected Works by Five Masters of the Wen Family)