WHY
(A poem of moral wisdom)
1
Why
obscuring Tao, disobeying Te
a mean person’s epitaph
Why
wisdom in Tao and Te
an exemplary person’s pass
2
Why
in the eternal nature
a moral exemplary person
sends floral fragrance
like spring breezes
Why
in the eternal nature
a gentleman of Tao and Te
brightens each dark corner
like bright sunlight
Why
when the age of culture
is supposed to be
the age of
exemplary people with moral wisdom
Yet there still exists
low and mean people’s
shameless remarks
Why
when a civil society
is supposed to be
the society of
exemplary people with moral wisdom
Yet there still exists
foolish mean people’s
frightful footprints
Why
when developed humankind
is supposed to be
the humankind of
exemplary people with moral wisdom
Yet there still exists
selfish mean people
obstructing movements forward
3
Each person
holds a birth certificate
of wisdom of Tao and Te
when they are born
Yet
why do
many people
float in a sea of books
painstakingly searching for
the trait
of wisdom of Tao and Te
their entire lives
They
forget
the blue sky their eyes see
is blue sky
They
forget
the sound of rain their ears hear
is the sound of rain
They
forget
the fragrance of orchids they smell
is the fragrance of orchids
They
forget
the sour apricot they taste
is the sour apricot
They
forget
the warm breeze their bodies feel
is the warm breeze
They
forget
the virtue they think about
is virtue
The existence of all these
all these existences
which one is not
wisdom of Tao and Te
like a shadow adheres, follows
4
Please believe
enlightening Tao, realizing Te nurture an
exemplary person
obscuring Tao, disobeying Te makes us ill
Those
who would like to
spend their lives in vain
like a mean person:
go ahead, obscure
moral wisdom
throughout their lives
Those
who long for
the life of an exemplary person
where sunlight is throughout:
go ahead and quickly
have their moral wisdom
enlighten
5
Blow
blow
Let
the fierce wind of
a moral wise education
sweep away the mean person’s
savagery, foolishness
Glow
Glow
Let
sunshine of great love
in moral wise education
light
the awakening of
an exemplary person’s
moral wisdom
Scatter
Scatter
Let
sacrificial spring rain
of moral wise education
irrigates humankind’s
home garden of
peace and happiness
Come
Come
Let
the sea of approaching goodness
in moral wise education
gather exemplary people
in the whole world
building a grand unity
Come
Come
Let
the sea of approaching goodness
in moral wise education
purify humankind’s
hearts of moral wisdom
accomplishing
a grand unity
a grand unity
a grand unity
By Shanlin-Tzu
