原文
【來源】 蘭亭序
永和九年，歲在癸丑，暮春之初，會於會稽山陰之蘭亭，修禊事也。群賢畢至，少長鹹集。此地有崇山峻岭，茂林修竹； 又有清流激湍，映帶左右，引以為流觴曲水，列坐其次。雖無絲竹管弦之盛，一觴一詠，亦足以暢敘幽情。
是日也，天朗氣清，惠風和暢。仰觀宇宙之大，俯察品類之盛。所以遊目騁懷，足以極視聽之娛，信可樂也。
夫人之相與，俯仰一世，或取諸懷抱，悟（通“晤”）言一室之內；或因寄所託，放浪形骸之外。雖趣舍萬殊，靜躁不同，當其欣於所遇，暫得於己，快然自足，曾(zeng)不知老之將至；及其所之既倦，情隨事遷，感慨系之矣。向之所欣，俯仰之間，已為陳跡，猶不能不以之興懷。況修短隨化，終期於盡。古人云：“死生亦大矣。”豈不痛哉！
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，亦猶今之視昔。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。
英譯
The Orchid Pavilion
In the ninth year of the reign Yungho[A.D. 353] in the beginning of late spring we met at the Orchid Pavilion in Shanyin of Kweich'i for the Water Festival, to wash away the evil spirits.
Here are gathered all the illustrious persons and assembled both the old and the young. Here are tall mountains and majestic peaks, trees with thick foliage and tall bamboos. Here are also clear streams and gurgling rapids, catching one's eye from the right and left. We group ourselves in order, sitting by the waterside, and drinking in succession from a cup floating down the curving stream; and although there is no music from string and wood-wind instruments, yet with alternate singing and drinking, we are well disposed to thoroughly enjoy a quiet intimate conversation.
Today the sky is clear, the air is fresh and the kind breeze is mild. Truly enjoyable it is sit to watch the immense universe above and the myriad things below, traveling over the entire landscape with our eyes and allowing our sentiments to roam about at will, thus exhausting the pleasures of the eye and the ear.
Now when people gather together to surmise life itself, some sit and talk and unburden their thoughts in the intimacy of a room, and some, overcome by a sentiment, soar forth into a world beyond bodily realities. Although we select our pleasures according to our inclinations—some noisy and rowdy, and others quiet and sedate—yet when we have found that which pleases us, we are all happy and contented, to the extent of forgetting that we are growing old. And then, when satiety follows satisfaction, and with the change of circumstances, change also our whims and desires, there then arises a feeling of poignant regret. In the twinkling of an eye, the objects of our former pleasures have become things of the past, still compelling in us moods of regretful memory. Furthermore, although our lives may be long or short, eventually we all end in nothingness. "Great indeed are life and death", said the ancients. Ah! What sadness!
古文今譯
譯文： 永和九年，即癸丑年，三月之初，（名士們）在會稽郡山陰縣的蘭亭聚會，到水邊進行消災求福的活動。許多有聲望有才氣的人都來了，有年輕的，也有年長的。這裡有高大的山和險峻的嶺，有茂密的樹林和高高的竹子，又有清水急流，（在亭的）左右輝映環繞。把水引到（亭中）的環形水渠里來，讓酒杯飄流水上（供人們取飲）。人們在曲水旁邊排列而坐，雖然沒有管弦齊奏的盛況，（可是）一邊飲酒一邊賦詩，也足以痛快地表達各自幽雅的情懷。
這一天，天氣晴朗，和風輕輕吹來。向上看，天空廣大無邊，向下看，地上事物如此繁多，這樣來縱展眼力，開闊胸懷，窮盡視和聽的享受，實在快樂啊！
人們彼此相處，一生很快就度過。有的人喜歡講自己的志趣抱負，在室內（跟朋友）面對面地交談；有的人就著自己所愛好的事物寄託情懷，不受任何約束，放縱地生活。儘管人們的愛好千差萬別，或好靜，或好動，也不相同，（可是又都有這樣的體驗：）當他們對所接觸的事物感到高興時，一時間很自得，快樂而自足，竟不覺得衰老即將到來；待到對於自己所喜愛的事物感到厭倦，心情隨著當前的境況而變化，感慨油然而生，以前感到歡快的事頃刻之間變為陳跡了，仍然不能不因此感慨不已，何況人壽的長短隨著造化而定，最後一切都化為烏有。古人說：“死和生也是件大事啊！”怎能不悲痛呢？
每當我看到前人發生感慨的原由，（跟我所感慨的）如同符契那樣相合，總是面對著（他們的）文章而嗟嘆感傷，心裡又不明白為什麼會這樣。（我）這才知道，把生和死同等看待是荒誕的，把長壽和短命同等看待是妄造的。後人看待今天，也像今人看待從前一樣，真是可悲啊！因此我—一記下參加這次聚會的人，抄錄了他們的詩作。儘管時代不同情況不同，但人們的情致卻是一樣的。後代的讀者讀這本詩集也將有感於生死這件大事吧。
