12月10日

百忍歌
唐 張公藝 ( 578~676 )

忍是大人之氣量，忍是君子之根本；
不忍小事變大事，不忍善事終成恨；
父子不忍失慈孝，兄弟不忍失愛敬；
朋友不忍失義氣，夫婦不忍多爭競；
劉伶敗了名，只為酒不忍；
陳靈滅了國，只為色不忍；
石崇破了家，只為財不忍；
項羽送了命，只為氣不忍；
如今犯罪人，都是不知忍；
古來創業人，誰個不是忍。
忍字可以走天下，忍字可以結鄰近；
忍得語言免是非，忍得爭鬥消仇憾；
忍得人罵不回口，他的惡口自安靖；
忍得人打不回手，他的毒手自沒勁；
須知忍讓真君子，莫說忍讓是愚蠢；
世間愚人笑的忍，上天神明重的忍；
我若不是固要忍，人家不是更要忍；
事來之時最要忍，事過之後又要忍；
人生不怕百個忍，人生只怕一不忍；
不忍百福皆雪消，一忍萬禍皆灰燼。

──選自《舊唐書》

December 10

Song of a Hundred Endurances
Zhang Gongyi (578 - 676, Tang Dynasty)
English translation: You Zai

Endurance is the magnanimity of a great person.
Endurance is the fundamental aspect of a nobleman.
Trivial matters that are not endured,
    manifest into great matters.
Good deeds that are not endured
    end up as regrets.
Fathers and sons who do not endure,
    lose the virtues of filial piety.
Brothers who do not endure,
    lose respect and mutual affection.
Friends who do not endure, lose the spirit of loyalty and honor.
Couples who do not endure struggle with arguments.

Liu Ling lost his fame
    because of his inability to resist the temptation of wine.
Chen Ling exterminated his country
    because of his inability to resist desires.
Shi Chong destroyed his family
    because of his inability to resist the allure of wealth.
Xiang Yu periled his life
    because of his inability to control his anger.

All those who commit crimes today,
    come from not knowing to endure.
All entrepreneurs of the past,
    there is none who did not practice endurance.

Endurance can lead to a global gateway;
Endurance can build the bond of relationship.
Whilst practicing endurance,
    our speech is free from right and wrong.
Whilst practicing endurance,
    conflicts are free from hatred and resentment.
Enduring criticism without defense,
    pacifies the insult of others.
Enduring strikes without retaliating,
    brings listlessness on the evil schemes of others.
If one knows to be patient and accommodating,
    he has the manners of a true nobleman.
Do not say that endurance is an act of absurdity.

The ignorant disparages endurance,
    while the heavenly gods emphasize endurance.
If one is not determined to endure,
    others are not even going to endure.
When matters occur, one needs to endure the most,
    and when matters have passed, one still needs to endure.

In life, one does not need to worry about hundreds of forbearance;
    perhaps worry that we cannot endure anything.
If one does not endure, hundreds of fortunes
    will all vanish like snow.
If one can endure, thousands of misfortunes
    will all turn into ashes.

── from Jiu Tang Shu (Old Book of Tang)