jaysk Posted August 7, 2009 at 11:25 AM Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 at 11:25 AM Hi this is my first post, have read a few so pleased to be a member here. I have 3 pictures that I bought in Shanghai which I know very roughly translates as an old poem can someone give me a better translation http://i828.photobucket.com/albums/zz201/jaysk/IMG_0249.jpg http://i828.photobucket.com/albums/zz201/jaysk/IMG_0248.jpg http://i828.photobucket.com/albums/zz201/jaysk/IMG_0247.jpg Thanks in advance Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbradfor Posted August 7, 2009 at 12:42 PM Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 at 12:42 PM 如意如意、人有人意、我有我意、合得人意、恐非我意、合得我意、恐非人意、人意我意、合得天意、自然如意、百事如意 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeyah Posted August 7, 2009 at 12:47 PM Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 at 12:47 PM It seems to be a Buddhist chant or gatka (如意偈) & it reads from left to right, last picture being the first. 人有人意，我有我意； 合得人意，恐非我意； 合得我意，恐非人意； 人意我意，恐非天意； 合得天意，自然如意； 如意如意，百事如意。 I'm no expert on Buddhism, but roughly the meaning seems to revolve around the harmony (合) (or lack of it 恐非) of one's personal desire (我意) vs other people desires (人意) & heaven's will (天意)>>人意·我意·天意, something in the spirit of only the attainment of three universal buddhist truths is what is called universal harmony/happiness, nirvana (?) or whatever. The title which says 万事如意 is a common well-wishing greeting, equal to Western 'best wishes' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaysk Posted August 7, 2009 at 12:49 PM Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 at 12:49 PM Thank you so much for this guys, I am learning spoken Mandarin but the written language will be out of my reach. So thanks very much for the english translation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbradfor Posted August 7, 2009 at 01:57 PM Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 at 01:57 PM It could be a Buddhist chant as leeyah suggests, or it could just be a modern poem. [The meaning and language does not seem to me to be from an old poem.] Here's my rough translation, for what it's worth. [i have a hard time translating '如意', in the last two lines, so I won't bother. It means something like "may everything be as you want it", "may you get your heart's desire".] 人有人意，我有我意； People have their desires, I have my desires, 合得人意，恐非我意； Obtaining other people's desires (??), I'm afraid to lose my desires 合得我意，恐非人意； Obtaining my desires , I'm afraid to not fulfill others' desires 人意我意，恐非天意； Public desires, my desires, I'm afraid to lose heaven's [1] desires 合得天意，自然如意； Obtaining heaven's desires, one naturally 如意 如意如意，百事如意。 [1] For a more western religious interpretation, you can replace "heaven" with "god". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaysk Posted August 7, 2009 at 03:08 PM Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 at 03:08 PM thank you jbradfor, a really excellent translation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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