先学人，再问道，苦尽自有人来告

[kathyli]

Following is a Chinese poem been in our Chinese Blog for a while. We hesitate to share at here, because worrying about Western TAO friends don't like Chinese. A good point from this poem is: 先学人，再问道(first learning how to be humanity, then learning Taoism). Some underlined sentences high light how important of the "VIRTUE". Here, "与您共勉(encouragement with you)". We just want to learn from all, and let's learn from each others. Welcome good bilinguists translate it to English and share with more friends.

 

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CHINESE TAO POEM --- how to become a genuine alchemist

 

 

欲修真，先去病，浑身无病方延命；若还有病不肯除，犹如瞎子跳坑井。

 

有恩爱，有俗缘，身不由主被绊牵；一刀两断无挂碍，方能脱洒登法船。

 

高傲心，最害事，有己无人自夸自；纵有明人在眼前，怎肯与尔露一字。

 

性儿燥，气不平，磕着撞着起无明；大火烧身难禁止，七窍冒烟耗元精。

 

嫉妒心，伤天理，见人好事即不喜；面是心非藏阴毒，终亦必亡而已矣。

 

既吝啬，又贪图，枉与钱财作仆奴；堆金积玉如山岳，买的阎君不唤乎？

 

嗔恨心，至毒恶，记人小怨如结索；累年积月不能忘，怎得超俗扭斗杓。

 

喜奉承，恶直言，金石良药反成冤；不知改过与迁善，随心任性怎出樊。

 

爱安闲，怕辛苦，懒惰怠懈莫修补；只说惜气养精神，那晓勤劳还太古。

 

图饱暖，怕饥寒，为衣为食打算盘；养其小体失大体，一世不能出泥滩。

 

说是非，论长短，聪明外用将人管；招灾取祸惹嫌疑，何如返照自过款。

 

恃才智，不低头，妄猜私议乱搜求；怎晓虚心能受益，自满终久取愆尤。

 

不老实，多诡诈，一言一语皆虚假；暗藏盗心不虔诚，谁肯洩露真造化。

 

不修行，不积功，妄想平地上天宫；自古多少成真客，那个不是大德翁。

 

念不坚，志不久，半途而废独出丑；终以全始方到佳，有始无终怎得手。

 

不能弱，只好强，专在人前现才长；孰知大巧若大拙，无咎无誉是良方。

 

觅缘法，受供养，挪账累债不自想；无功享禄如何消，来生决入业障网。

 

看经书，不细心，隔靴瘙痒外皮寻；深入理窟方有造，淘去石沙始见金。

 

怕穷理，想口诀，片言只语要通彻；邪正罔分听梆声，无怪身上胡扭捏。

 

才入道，称修行，学些功夫哄愚盲；不知误人还误己，昏昏到老无一成。

 

不本分，形迹怪，装模作样人前卖；如此举止望修仙，怎能近的真法界。

 

既学道，不遵师，阳奉阴违欲何之；一句重话不能受，日久反出毁谤词。

 

贪美味，喜糟酒，借言酒肉穿肠走；耗散精气昧本心，暗里丧了滋生母。

 

夜安卧，昼闲游，只图自在度春秋；性命大事如儿戏，年满月尽何处投。

 

以上病，尽苦恼，必须条条一齐扫；若有一条未除根，隔纸乾坤难寻讨。

 

劝志士，再三思，大道岂是等闲知；若非脱俗男儿汉，如何见的未生时。

 

真学人，必诚敬，内外无辜乾乾净；朝斯夕斯念头牢，脚踏实地步步正。

 

仙真眼，最高明，学人好歹认的清；果是道门超群格，方指火候并工程。

 

先学人，再问道，学成学人可深造；莫愁天机难得知，苦尽自有人来告。

 

人来告，病始无，才是真正大丈夫；谨遵师诀勇猛进，终久得个太极图。

[bodyoflight]

i guess this explains the wide difference in outlooks between different schools of taoism

 

some want to jump out of the loop immediately while the rest wanna wallow in mud indefinitely

[The Way Is Virtue]

Following is a Chinese poem been in our Chinese Blog for a while. We hesitate to share at here, because worrying about Western TAO friends don't like Chinese. A good point from this poem is: 先学人，再问道(first learning how to be humanity, then learning Taoism). Some underlined sentences high light how important of the "VIRTUE". Here, "与您共勉(encouragement with you)". We just want to learn from all, and let's learn from each others. Welcome good bilinguists translate it to English and share with more friends.

 

***********************************************************

CHINESE TAO POEM --- how to become a genuine alchemist

...

 

Thanks for posting this Kathy. Hopefully somebody here can translate this. I will be interested to read it. My ability to translate is limited to software translation tools which only lets me get part of the meaning.

Edited April 3, 2011 by The Way Is Virtue

[exorcist_1699]

I can't agree more than what Kathy posts here. I think ,nothing is more practical than polishing Te.

[ChiDragon]

Please let me give it a try with few lines

First line...

欲修真，先去病，浑身无病方延命；若还有病不肯除，犹如瞎子跳坑井。

If you want to cultivate to the real genuine,

then you must get rid of all sicknesses,

Without any sickness, so one can live longer;

If you do not get rid of your sickness, it seems like a blind was trying to jump into a well.

 

Third line...

高傲心，最害事，有己无人自夸自；纵有明人在眼前，怎肯与尔露一字。

With an arrogant attitude, it ruins matters, smug with egoism;

There are some wise ones before you, who was afraid to share a word with you.

 

To be continued........

[ChiDragon]

5. 嫉妒心，伤天理，见人好事即不喜； 面是心非藏阴毒，终亦必亡而已矣。

 

嫉妒心，伤天理，见人好事即不喜；

Jealousy, violates the moral principles,

One sees others with good fortune, then he's unhappy;

 

面是心非藏阴毒，终亦必亡而已矣。

Despite showing a smiling face but it was not in the heart and full of evil thoughts,

Consequently, it was only a doom to self destruction at the end.

[youzifive]

Chidragon ( 麒龙 ? Is this your name in Chinese ?).

 

Thanks very much for your translations. Appreciate kathyli's initial posting.

Let me add more:

 

不老实，多诡诈，一言一语皆虚假；暗藏盗心不虔诚，谁肯洩露真造化。

If he / she is not honest, more deceitful, like false word spoken, hidden stealing heart and no piety, no body will reveal true good fortune to him / her.

 

不修行，不积功，妄想平地上天宫；自古多少成真客，那个不是大德翁。

If he / she dose not practice, and not accumulate virtue, it's impossible for him / her reaching heaven from earth; since ancient times, all the immortal sages are genuine alchemist with high virtue.

 

5. 嫉妒心，伤天理，见人好事即不喜； 面是心非藏阴毒，终亦必亡而已矣。

 

嫉妒心，伤天理，见人好事即不喜；

Jealousy, violates the moral principles,

One sees others with good fortune, then he's unhappy;

 

面是心非藏阴毒，终亦必亡而已矣。

Despite showing a smiling face but it was not in the heart and full of evil thoughts,

Consequently, it was only a doom to self destruction at the end.

[ChiDragon]

Chidragon ( 麒龙 ? Is this your name in Chinese ?).

 

Thanks very much for your translations. Appreciate kathyli's initial posting.

Let me add more:

 

不老实，多诡诈，一言一语皆虚假；暗藏盗心不虔诚，谁肯洩露真造化。

If he / she is not honest, more deceitful, like false word spoken, hidden stealing heart and no piety, no body will reveal true good fortune to him / her.

 

不修行，不积功，妄想平地上天宫；自古多少成真客，那个不是大德翁。

If he / she dose not practice, and not accumulate virtue, it's impossible for him / her reaching heaven from earth; since ancient times, all the immortal sages are genuine alchemist with high virtue.

 

Thank you for the kind words. Chidragon is 氣龙(龍).

I would translate the following terms as shown below:

修行: cultivate; cultivation

妄想: wistful thinking

 

Thus the proper translation for:

不修行，不积功,妄想平地上天宫

If one does not cultivate nor accumulate merits, then, one should not be having any wistful thinking about rising to heaven from earth.

 

自古多少成真客，那个不是大德翁。

Since ancient time, many people become immortal, which one is not a high virtuous individual.

 

 

youzifive, 請多多指教。