4月18日

《山坡羊》十不足
明 朱載堉 ( 1536~1610 )

終日奔忙只為飢，才得有食又思衣。
置下綾羅身上穿，抬頭又嫌房屋低。
蓋下高樓並大廈，床前缺少美貌妻。
嬌妻美妾都娶下，又慮門前無馬騎。
將錢買下高頭馬，馬前馬後少跟隨。
家人招下數十個，有錢沒勢被人欺。
一銓銓到知縣位，又說官小勢位卑。
一攀攀到閣老位，每日思量要登基。
一日南面坐天下，又想神仙來下棋。
洞賓與他把棋下，又問哪是上天梯？
上天梯子未做下，閻王發牌鬼來催。
若非此人大限到，上到天梯還嫌低！

──選自《醒世詞》

April 18th

Ten Discontentments
Tune: Sheep on the Mountain
Zhu Zaiyu (1536 - 1610, Ming Dynasty)
English translation: Miao Guang

Working hard all day just to fill the stomach,
Yet having obtained food, one then thinks of clothing.

Having put on the silks one has purchased,
One then looks up and feels discontent with a low-lying roof.

Having constructed tall buildings and grand mansions,
One then finds missing at the bedside a beautiful wife.

Having married a beloved wife and pretty concubines,
One then worries about missing a horse at the door for a ride.

Having purchased a fine horse with money,
One then finds a lack of entourage around it.

Having employed dozens of entourage,
One is then tyrannized for being a powerless rich man.

Having been selected as county magistrate,
One then finds the position too low in ranking and authority.

Having risen to the position of minister,
One then thinks everyday of ascending the throne.

Having ascended the Southward throne*,
One then wants to play chess with the immortals.

Having Lu Dongbin** at the chess game,
One then asks where the stairway to heaven is.

Before the stairway is even built,
King Yama has already sent for the ghosts to take one’s life.

If it were not time for his death,
One would still complain about the staircase’s lack of height!

── from Xing Shi Ci (Words of Awakenment)

* The Chinese capital was located in the North, thus the throne looks
southward onto the kingdom.

** Lu Dongbin is one of the most widely known of the group of
deities known as the Eight Immortals.