2020年4月30日 星期四

Ars longa, vita brevis

#2020-0430

Ars longa, vita brevis. (= Art is long, but life is short.)

This is a translation of an aphorism (or maxim, or motto, or proverb) coming originally from Greek.

The aphorism quotes the first two lines of the Aphrismi by the Ancient Greek physician Hippocrates (希波克拉底). The familiar Latin translation "Ars longa, vita brevis" reverses the order of the original lines, stressing the long-lasting impact of art over the brevity of life.

In Merriam-Webster's English Dictionary, the phrase Ars longa, vita brevis is defined as "Learning one's craft takes so long that a lifetime may not be adequate." This is an easier explanation for us to understand, isn't it?

The original text from the Greek, if translated into Latin (and into English), should go like this: "Vita brevis, ars longa." (Life is short, and art long.) In Chinese we say "Rensheng ku duan, er xueshu wu qiong." 人生苦短,而學術無窮 (or 技藝長存)。-- Does this original order of the two lines make any big difference? ...










2020年4月29日 星期三

緣木求魚

#2020-0429

老實說,這不是什麼成語故事,更不是講述「緣木求魚」之類的典故。

剛才,在 5:30 pm 前後,那園區裡的陽光還很亮、很美的時候,這故事(或所謂「生活小插曲」)就這樣 ...... 如此這般 ....... 真真實實地發生了。

先是池塘邊站著一隻鳥,我不清楚牠是「夜鷺」還是「麻鷺」,圓滾滾的身子,有好幾個拳頭大小。幾乎同時,池塘裡游過來一隻鴨,那是「番鴨」,悠閒自在地游向西岸,然後優雅地轉了個身,朝著那鳥的方向游去。突然,我身旁這修剪整齊,宛如一把大傘的榕樹,竟連枝帶葉一陣騷動,發出鳥翅拍打的急促噪音 .......

究竟發生了什麼事?(建議:先看下列各圖,探究事情經過。)當你瞭解了事實真相,是否覺得本篇的標題需要更換?若需更換,應換成什麼?若不必更換,其理由為何?

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我的提示:(1) 標題第三字「求」可改成「吃」或「吞」嗎? (2) 用一般手機拍攝遠處的,不斷跳動的生物,能拍出清晰的圖像嗎?勉強而為之,是不是緣木求魚?

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相關文章 (See also): 緣木求魚(續篇)













2020年4月28日 星期二

藤山步道 -- Lucky-7 Hiking on the Trail

#2020-0428

We call ourselves "Lucky-7" hoping that the seven of us will always be lucky and richly blessed as a team -- yes, we've been very much blessed since we met each other and became such intimate good friends! ...

一小群堪稱「密友、摯友、知己、知交、知心、知音、老友、石友、相知」的朋友,七個人,所以叫做 Lucky-7 (幸福七人組)。

每年五月 (今年提早到 4/28) 慶祝母親節,男人出資;每年八月,慶祝爸爸節,女士出錢 ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ 約好一同出遊,然後小吃一頓。

"The Tengshan Trail runs along the western flank of the Bagua Mountain Range, and riding it on a bicycle you can connect with Highway 139 and the Evergreen Bikeway. The trail is lined by trees on both sides, providing a rich ecology for insects and birds; climb to its heights and you can watch crested serpent eagles up close, soaring between your position and the opposite mountain. Explanatory signs along the trail use Taiwanese sayings to promote the native culture and language." (藤山步道簡介: Quoted from an Introduction sign on the roadside)

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相關文章 (See also):
1)  Lucky-7 歡樂的一天     (2019)
2)  A Celebration: 又一次溫馨的相聚     (2018)
3)  聚餐 (A Kind of Celebration)     (2015)
4)  The 7-P Group: 「七人組」在「膳馨」     (2015)


















  









2020年4月26日 星期日

A Life Note: 做禮拜

#2020-0426

The whole world is now seriously affected by COVID-19. How lucky and how richly blessed I was to be able to go to church in person! (Many other churches have been conducting LIVE-STREAM services!) ... May our Lord be always with you and me! ... May He give you and me the peace (and joy!) that only from God's love and grace can we truly get hold of. ... Oh, Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed. (在疫情帶來極大考驗的今天,我仍有機會上教堂做禮拜,實在很感恩。讚美..... 禱告......... 祈求................  阿們。)