Former Ode on the Red Cliffs by Su Shi 前赤壁赋

苏子愀然，正襟危坐，而问客曰：“何为其然也？”客曰：“月明星稀，乌鹊南飞，此非曹孟德之诗乎？西望夏口，东望武昌。山川相缪，郁乎苍苍；此非孟德之困于周郎者乎？方其破荆州，下江陵，顺流而东也，舳舻千里，旌旗蔽空，酾酒临江，横槊赋诗；固一世之雄也，而今安在哉？况吾与子，渔樵于江渚之上，侣鱼虾而友糜鹿，驾一叶之扁舟，举匏樽以相属；寄蜉蝣与天地，渺沧海之一粟。哀吾生之须臾，羡长江之无穷；挟飞仙以遨游，抱明月而长终；知不可乎骤得，托遗响于悲风。” 　　苏子曰：“客亦知夫水与月乎？逝者如斯，而未尝往也；盈虚者如彼，而卒莫消长也。盖将自其变者而观之，而天地曾不能一瞬；自其不变者而观之，则物于我皆无尽也。而又何羡乎？且夫天地之间，物各有主。苟非吾之所有，虽一毫而莫取。惟江上之清风，与山间之明月，耳得之而为声，目遇之而成色。取之无禁，用之不竭。是造物者之无尽藏也，而吾与子之所共适。” Then I asked him, “Have you considered the water and the moon? Water flows away but is never lost; the moon waxes and wanes, but neither increases nor diminished. If you look at its changing aspect, the universe passes in the twinkling of an eye; but if you look at its changeless aspect, all creatures including ourselves are imperishable. What reason have you to envy other things? Besides, everything in this universe has its owner; and if it does not belong to me not a tiny speck can I take. The sole exceptions are the cool breeze on the river, the bright moon over the hills. These serve as music to our ears, as colour to our eyes; these we can take freely and enjoy forever; these are inexhaustible treasures supplied by the Creator, and things in which we can delight together.

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