1. "Poem to Encourage Learning"
Tang Dynasty: Yan Zhenqing
It is the time for men to study at the third watch of the night and the fifth watch of the rooster.
Black-haired people don’t know how to study early, and white-haired people regret studying late.
Translation: From midnight every day until the rooster crows, it is the best time for boys to study. In their youth, they must know how to study hard and study diligently. But if you only know how to play and don't know how to study hard, you will regret when you are old that you didn't know how to study hard when you were young. When you get older, you will regret why you didn't know how to study hard when you were young.
2. "Song of Tomorrow"
Ming Dynasty: Qian Fu?
Tomorrow comes tomorrow, there are so many tomorrows.
If I live until tomorrow, everything will be wasted.
If the world is tired of tomorrow, spring will pass and autumn will come.
Look at the water flowing eastward in the morning, and the sun setting in the west at dusk.
What will happen in a hundred years? Please listen to my song tomorrow.
Tomorrow comes tomorrow, and there are so many tomorrows!
If you wait for tomorrow every day, everything will be wasted.
Everyone in the world is tired of tomorrow, and tomorrow will be endless.
The rolling water flows eastward at dawn and dusk, and the sun falls westward in ancient times.
What will happen in a hundred years? Please listen to my song tomorrow.
Translation: Tomorrow is another tomorrow, so many tomorrows. My whole life I've been waiting for tomorrow and nothing is progressing. The world is tired of tomorrow just like me, and will grow old soon after every passing year. Watching the river flowing eastward in the morning and watching the sun setting westward in the evening is real life. How many tomorrows can there be in a hundred years? Please listen to my "Song of Tomorrow".
Tomorrow after tomorrow, so many tomorrows. I wait for tomorrow every day, but nothing progresses. The world is tired of tomorrow just like me. The endless tomorrows will soon grow old. Watching the river flowing eastward in the morning and watching the sun setting westward in the evening is real life. How many tomorrows can there be in a hundred years? Please listen to my "Song of Tomorrow".
3. "Poem to Encourage Learning"
Song Dynasty: Zhu Xi
It is easy for a young man to learn, but it is difficult for an old man to succeed. One inch of time should not be taken lightly.
I haven’t realized the dream of spring grass in the pond, but the phoenix leaves in front of the steps have already sounded in autumn.
Translation: It is very easy to pass away the days of youth, but it is difficult to achieve success in learning, so you must cherish every inch of time and not let it go easily. Before I could wake up from the sweet dream of spring grass growing in the pond, the leaves of the sycamore tree in front of the steps were already rustling in the autumn wind.
4. "Long Song Xing"
Han Dynasty: Han Yuefu
There are sunflowers in the green garden, and the morning dew awaits the setting sun.
Budze in spring brings brilliance to all things.
I am often afraid that when the autumn festival comes, the yellow flowers and leaves will wither.
From the east to the sea, when will the rivers return to the west?
If a young man does not work hard, the old man will be miserable!
Translation: The sunflowers in the garden are all lush and green, rising under the crystal dew in the sunshine. Spring spreads hope all over the earth, and everything appears prosperous. I am often afraid that the chilling autumn will come, and the leaves will turn yellow and the grass will wither. Hundreds of rivers are rushing eastward to the sea. When can they return to the west again? If young people don't work hard in time, they will only regret it for the rest of their lives when they grow old.
5. "Winter Night Reading Shows Ziyu"
Song Dynasty: Lu You
The ancients spared no efforts in learning, and their skills were only achieved when they were young and old.
What you have learned on paper will eventually make you realize it, but you will definitely know that this matter must be carried out.
Translation: The ancients spared no effort in learning, and often did not achieve success until old age. After all, the knowledge gained from books is not perfect. If you want to deeply understand the truth, you must practice it yourself.