Time won't wait for me. (時不我與)
During China's Western Jin dynasty, there
was a famous official who was also a renowned poet, musician and literary
leader. His name was Ji Kang, and his story is well documented.
The Three Kingdoms period in China was
divided into three kingdoms: Cao Wei, Eastern Wu and Shu Han.
In 263 AD, the Cao Wei army captured the
Shu Han capital, bringing about its downfall.
In 266 AD, a Cao Wei minister seized power
and established the Jin Dynasty, which coincided with the fall of Cao Wei.
Ji Kang lived during this turbulent era. He
was a high-ranking official in Cao Wei during its final years. At that time, a
minister named Sima Zhao held power in the kingdom and sought to seize control
of it.
Ji Kang was deeply loyal to Cao Wei,
however, and refused to cooperate with Sima Zhao. Consequently, Sima Zhao
framed him. In 263 AD, Ji Kang was arrested, imprisoned and sentenced to death.
Before his death, he wrote the following poem.
This is a summary of lines 33 to 56 of the
poem. In this section, he describes his feelings after being imprisoned.
During China's Spring and Autumn period,
there was a man of high moral character named Liu Xia Hui. I once aspired to be
like him, able to use my wisdom to avert disaster.
I have a good friend named Sun Deng who
once wisely advised me that if I persisted in my ways, disaster might befall
me. However, I ignored his advice.
When I think of these two people, I feel
immense shame and remorse. I failed not only my friend's warning, but also my
own original aspirations.
I also think of two Taoist scholars from
China's Western Han dynasty, whom I greatly admired. These scholars studied
Taoist thought and were not tempted by money or power. They were content with
their commoner status and lived a quiet and comfortable life.
When I think of these two people, I can't
help but sigh. My current misfortune didn't just happen.
I shouldn't blame fate — it's my
stubbornness and foolishness that have led to my current situation.
I've been arrested and imprisoned. This is
an unchangeable fact. I am being interrogated by despicable officials and am
imprisoned in a dark cell.
I consider myself to be a morally upright
and honest person, but the humiliation I have suffered since my arrest has left
me deeply depressed and on the verge of collapse.
I want to defend myself, but I feel that I
shouldn't submit to such evil forces.
I lament the fact that time isn't waiting
for me. I know I've lost the opportunity to correct my mistakes and make
amends.
This idiom means 'time won't wait for me'.
It is used to describe someone who misses
an opportunity.
Dear friends, what insights or thoughts do you have after hearing this story?
If you could live your life again, what would you most want to change? Would you seize the opportunity to make the right choice while you still had the chance?
I hope this story brings you some new insights.
時不我與(Time won't wait for me.)
中國的西晉王朝有一個著名的官員，他也是一個著名的詩人與音樂家，他還是當時著名的文學領袖，他的名字叫做嵇康，歷史書上記載了他的故事。
中國的三國時代的三個王國，分別是曹魏王國與東吳王國與蜀漢王國。
西元263年，曹魏王國的軍隊攻下蜀漢王國的首都，蜀漢王國滅亡。
西元266年，曹魏王國的一個大臣奪取了曹魏王國的政權，這個大臣在西元266年宣布建立晉王朝，這一年曹魏王國滅亡。
嵇康就生活在這個非常混亂的年代，他是曹魏王國的重要的官員，他生活在曹魏王朝末年，當時曹魏王國中的權力被一個名字叫做司馬昭的大臣所掌握，司馬昭想要奪取曹魏王國的政權。
嵇康對曹魏王國非常的忠誠，他拒絕與司馬昭合作，所以司馬昭便設計陷害他。
西元263年，他被捕入獄後被判處死刑，在他臨死前，他寫了下一首詩。
這首詩的第33句到第56句的大概內容如下。他在這一段中敘述了自己被現在入獄的經過。
中國的春秋時代有一個有道德水平很高的人，這個人的名字是柳下惠，我曾經期許自己跟他一樣，能夠懂得運用自己的智慧去避免災禍。
我有一個好朋友叫孫登，他曾經對用睿智的話語勸告我如果繼續堅持自己的作法可能會遭遇禍害，但我沒有聽從他的話。
想到這兩個人，我感到無比的慚愧與自責。我不僅對不起朋友的提醒，更辜負了自己內心最初的心願。
我又想到我很仰慕的兩個中國西漢時代的道家的學者，這兩個學者研習道家的思想，他們沒有被金錢與權力所迷惑，他們安於一個平民的身分，他們生活的非常的安靜與自在。
我想到這兩個人，我不由得嘆了一口氣，我現在的災禍並不是憑空出現的。
我不應該責怪命運，因為我的頑固與愚蠢，所以我才會遭遇現在的災禍與患難。
我現在被逮捕並且關在監獄中，這已經是一個無法改變的事實，我被那些卑劣的官員所審訊，我被囚禁在黑暗的牢房。
我自認為我是一個有道德正義且正直的人，但我在被逮捕之後遭受到極大的污辱，這導致我現在感到非常沮喪，我的精神和意志瀕臨崩潰。
我想要為我自己爭辯，但我覺得我不應該跟那些邪惡的勢力低頭。
我因為時間不等待我而感嘆，我知道我已經失去了改正錯誤與挽回的機會。
這句成語的意思是時間不等待我。
這句成語被用來形容一個人錯失時機。
親愛的朋友，你聽完這個故事有怎樣的啟發或有怎樣的想法呢。
你如果還有機會重來一次，你會最想挽回那件你做過的錯事呢?你是否有把握時機在你還來得及的時候做出對的選擇嗎?
我期待這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為晉-嵇康-幽憤詩
https://zh.wikisource.org/zh-hant/%E5%B9%BD%E6%86%A4%E8%A9%A9