《獨立》杜甫 (710-770)
空外一鷙鳥 河間雙白鷗 飄颻搏擊便 容易往來遊
草露亦多濕 蛛絲仍未收 天機近人事 獨立萬端憂
《Standing Alone》Du Fu
Up yonder sky an eagle hovers high
Down river two gulls float feathers white
The eagle may swoop down for prey as it pleases
To and fro the pairing gulls swim at ease
Moistened by dew the grass is tangling wet
Looking for prey the spider widens its net
Nature cares for the well beings of everyone
Alone I wish all things are equal as one
Background
Our elder son Jason got married to Miss Florence Lau on July 26th 2014 in Vancouver.
In the afternoon there was a Catholic marriage in the Holy Rosary Cathedral in Vancouver.
In the evening during the wedding dinner, the parents of the groom and bride were asked to make a short speech, about 5-6 minutes. Below is the draft of the speech I made.
諫太宗十思疏 (唐 魏徵) 臣聞求木之長者，必固其根本；欲流之遠者，必浚其泉源；思國之安者，必積其德義。
臣聽說：若要樹木生得高大，先要鞏固根本；若要河水流得遠，先要挖深水源；若要國家長治久安，先要積累朝廷既德義。
源不深而望流之遠，根不固而求木之長，德不厚而思國之治，雖在下愚，知其不可，而況於明哲乎？
水源唔深，但希望河水流得遠；根本唔穩固，但要求樹木生得高；德義唔深厚，就想要國家治理得好，就算係蠢人都會知道無可能架，何況係(如皇上咁既)聰明人呢? Continue reading
Please find the open invitation to the Chinese Calligraphy Exhibition (Calligraphy & Living) which is scheduled to be held from Saturday, the 13th to Sunday, the 21st of September 2014, at the 105 Gibson Community Centre, 105 Gibson Drive, Markham. It is located at the north-west corner of the T&T Supermarket at Warden & Steeles. The Exhibition will be opened daily from 10:00 to 17:00 hours.
About one-third of the works are being created by Mr Jeffrey Cheung, Calligraphy teacher, while the remanding two-third are his students’ works, including 7 from Andrew Tang (WYK ’65, Secretary of WYKAAO). Please come to visit the display if you can spare the time.
September 13 (Saturday) Ribbon Cutting Ceremony-12:00noon (details here)
《採桑子》納蘭性德
明月多情應笑我 笑我如今 辜負春心 獨自閒行獨自吟
近來怕說當時事 結遍蘭襟 月淺燈深 夢裡雲歸何處尋
《Tune: Gathering Mulberries》Nalan Xinde
The caring moon should laugh at me
Laugh the way that is me
Oblivious of this beautiful spring
Alone I stroll and alone I sing
Reluctant to recall the way we were
Our friendship truthful and adored
The midnight lamp burning deep the moon fading
In my dream I ride on clouds not knowing wherein
『蝶戀花』納蘭性德 (1655-1685)
眼底風光留不住 和暖和香 又上雕鞍去 欲倩煙絲遮別路 垂楊那是相思樹
惆悵玉顏成間阻 何事東風 不作繁華主 斷帶依然留乞句 斑騅一繫無尋處
《Tune: Butterfly loves flowers》Nalan Xingde (1655-1685)
Happy days gone cannot be retained
Warmth and fragrance in harmony gained
They pass away like galloping horses
How I’d like to see you more only blocked by smoke
Also willow branches they are symbols for pinning
It is painful to recall your beautiful face from screens
Why ye east wind
Helps not to bring back fond memories of yore
On your severed belt is written our love verses
Words faded the verses are no more
Tr. YK Chan 2014-09-07
秋 Fall
似酒 Like wine
味醇厚 Tastes mellow and thick
歲月悠悠 Time streams leisurely
轉身又回首 Turn around to look back again
再撫喜樂哀愁 Revisit all emotional joys and woes
往事如煙花依舊 The past looks like firework that’s gone by
唯友誼綿長如水流 Only friendship as a river meanders forever
只緣一路有你陪著走 Walking along the same path by your side
沐晨曦擷彩霞雨中漫遊 At dawn in drenching rain and colourful mist we stroll
待到紅葉濃時再聚首 Until leaves turn crimson we again get together
品茶論酒賞石敘舊 In reunion to savour fine tea, wine or jewel
落英滿地雲舒袖 Waving arms above that flowered-covered ground
歡聲笑語不休 Boisterous laughter and cheer end not
夕陽掛枝頭 When the sun setting upon tree tops
紅塵看透 Peering through mundane life bygone
別無求 Nothing else to wish for
靜候 But serenely await
秋 Fall
(正念反念，意境不同。 A different mood is felt when the original Chinese version is read in forward or reverse.)
祝中秋快樂! Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!
《琵琶仙: 中秋》納蘭性德
碧海年年 試問取 冰輪為誰圓缺 吹到一片秋香 清輝瞭如雪 愁中看好天良夜 知道盡成悲咽 只影而今 那堪重對 舊時明月
花徑裡 戲捉迷藏 曾惹下蕭蕭井梧葉 記否輕紈小扇 又幾番涼熱 只落得 填膺百感 總茫茫 不關離別 一任紫玉無情 夜寒吹裂
《Tune: Pi Pa Immortals – Mid-Autumn》 Nalan Xingde (1655-1685)
Green clear sky year by year
I ask
For whom the moon crests and fully appears Continue reading
《馬嵬驛》袁枚 (1716-1797)
莫唱當年長恨歌
人間亦自有銀河
石壕村里夫妻别
淚比長生殿上多
《Beauty Legend》 Yuan Mei (1716-1797)
Sing not the Long Regret Song of days gone
The Milky Way on earth happily lives on
When at an ordinary village man and wife separate
More than in the Palace of Long Life tears are shed
