some words to translate

[schuss]

Hi,

Does anyone know what these lines mean?

得宽怀处且宽怀

何用双眉皱不开

若使中年命运济

那时名运一齐来

Thanks

[leeyah]

These are lines from 称骨歌 by Tang dynasty astrologist 袁天罡.

I don't know anything about these things, so any attempt to translate it would be useless. Apparently it's about 算命:

只 要把年、月、日、时的重量加在一起，按照“称骨歌”一查，就可确定这个人一生的命运。

Baidu baike gives an interpretation of the lines in Putonghua, see if you can make any sense of it:

　　

得宽怀处且宽怀，何用双眉皱不开，

　　若使中年命运济，那时名利一齐来。

　　注解：此命为人操劳，自成自立，与人出力事不成，离祖之命，成家三番四次，用尽心机不得开怀，若要安乐享福，要到三十六到四十六时不谋自待，福不求自至，有贵人助力，家庭安然，妻宫若要无刑，猴、猪、羊、蛇不可配，龙、虎、马、牛方得安，兄弟六亲如冰碳，在家不得安然，初限驳杂多端，不能聚钱，常有忧愁，寿元七十八岁，死于三月中。

　　

[schuss]

Thanks for your reply, I 'll try to translate it with a dictionary, I only understand few words.

[leeyah]

Actually the 注解 I linked to is laden with 文言, and it's not very easy to translate, so here's a few phrases to get you started:

离祖之命 be fated to leave home

贵人帮助 an influential person as benefactor

兄弟六亲 relatives, kin, close and extensive family

冰碳 most probably means clashes, conflicts, incompatibility, like ice and hot coals

驳杂多端 many complications

聚钱 become (financially) prosperous

此命为人操劳，自成自立，与人出力事不成

means： in this life you will have to work hard to stand on your own two feet and nothing will come to you without effort

成家三番四次，用尽心机不得开怀，若要安乐享福，要到三十六到四十六时不谋自待，福不求自至，有贵人助力，家庭安然，妻宫若要无刑，猴、猪、羊、蛇不可配，龙、虎、马、牛方得安

成家 means to start a family, so it is a probably a reference to when one should get married and with who, i.e. which signs of the Chinese zodiac are compatible/incompatible, the choice of which seems to be a guarantee for a happy and stable relationship/future life

寿元七十八岁，死于三月中

means： will live to be 78 and die in the third month (of the Lunar year, that would be April)

edit:

The 注解 is very interesting since it adds a lot of content to the original.

I'm not sure I can make out the first two, but the two last lines in the original above probably mean something like this:

若使中年命运济

if all goes well (济) by the time you reach middle age

那时名运一齐来

then your destiny will be fulfilled

Edited November 13, 2009 at 01:30 PM by leeyah

[schuss]

Thank you for your explanation, I didn't expect it to be so detailed!

As you said the 注解 contains much more information but described kind of harsh times!

I think I should stick with the four lines for my well being...

I made some research for the two first lines and I found this explanation in chinese:

宽怀就是放开心

双眉皱就是愁眉苦脸了

意思是说,一个人应该开开心心生活,不要总是愁眉苦脸

It is much more explicit.

[leeyah]

I think I should stick with the four lines for my well being...

I'm glad you found the more optimistic reference to the lines and I apologize if my dabbling in interpretation of 算命 made you feel bad. I thought you were just curious as to the meaning of the lines. Had no idea it was meant for your own personal use.....

I love this:

双眉皱就是愁眉苦脸了

意思是说,一个人应该开开心心生活,不要总是愁眉苦脸

:clap

Cheers!