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? ...
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