〈蘭亭集序〉

 

每覽昔人興感之由，若合一契，未嘗不臨文嗟悼，不能喻之於懷。固知一死生為虛誕，齊彭殤為妄作。後之視今，亦由今之視昔，悲夫！故列敘時人，錄其所述。雖世殊事異，所以興懷，其致一也。後之覽者，亦將有感於斯文。

 

 

Preface to the Gathering at Orchid Pavilion

 

Whenever I behold the causes by which the ancients were moved to feeling, it seems as though our spirits were sealed in one covenant. Never do I read their words without sigh and lament, yet the sorrow cannot be wholly uttered in the heart. Thus am I convinced: to call life and death as one is but vain deceit; to equal the span of youth and of elders is but empty craft. Those who gaze upon us from the morrow will be as we who gaze upon those of old—ah, sorrowful indeed! Therefore I record the names of the men of this time, and preserve the words they have left. Though the world changes and affairs are diverse, the wellspring of emotion abides the same. And those who in later ages read this writing shall likewise be stirred in spirit.

 

 

蘭亭集序

 

昔人の興じて感ずる由を覧るごとに、心契ひ合ふがごとし。文を臨みては、嗟き悼むこと絶えず、思ひを胸に尽くし得ざるなり。されば知る、一たびの死生を同じとするは虚誕にして、彭殤を斉ふるは妄りなるを。後の人の今を視るも、まことに今の人の昔を視るがごとし。ああ、悲しきかな。ゆゑに時の人を列ねて叙し、その述ぶるところを録す。世は異なり、事は変はるといへども、興じて懐かしむ心の致るところは一つなり。後の覧る者も、またこの文に感ずることあらむ。