Man can hardly live to a hundred years. No flower can sustain its vibrancy for ten days. If we don’t make offerings or give to charity, upon our death, this life would have been spent in vain.

人生難滿百，花無十日紅，有錢不布施，死了一場空。

One’s status in life is determined by previous karma. A man’s life span also follows the dictates of past causes and conditions. If we grab things not meant for us, it may lead to our untimely death. By then, this life and all acquisitions would have been for nothing.

衣食皆前定，隨緣任命終，假饒強討得，橫死一場空。

Abundant wealth cannot fill our insatiable cravings. We often complain of being poor even when we have more than enough. If we don’t treasure our good fortune, one day when favorable conditions fade, getting angry and feeling regretful would have been a wasted effort.

錢多轉不足，餘剩尚言窮，莫教時運退，懊惱一場空。

Like sesame and millets, trivial mundane things are numerous. Delusive thoughts on these affairs pile up layer after layer. Our mind is so greedy; it is never satisfied.Eventually, we suffer from so much bad karma, even our inherent pure nature will become lost.

俗事如麻粟，妄想起重重，多貪心不足，折本一場空。

My mortal body is fragile. All my worries and sufferings make living in this world similar to being trapped in a house on fire. If I don’t contemplate on Buddha’s scriptures and follow his teachings, then surely this life is one wasted and meaningless existence.

色身不堅固，常憂火宅中，佛經不持念，閑過一場空。

The affairs of others do not concern me.  Whatever I hear, should fall on deaf ears. When I ignore my own mind and do not reflect on it, then, meddling into other people’s business is a total waste of time.

他事不干已，聞時似耳聾，自身不會理，閑管一場空。

Blood relations temporarily stay together only because of past affinities. Men expect their wives and children to care for them throughout their lives. But, one day, when impermanence (death) strikes in the family, the pain of separation makes all of one’s hopes and dreams empty and meaningless. 

骨肉權相聚，妻兒防命終，無常一旦至，離別一場空。

While our parents are alive, we don’t honor them with filial piety. When they die, that is when we beat our bosom with sorrow and despair. We often neglect them and leave them cold food while we chase after our own good life. It is therefore meaningless that upon their deaths, we offer memorial prayers to their cold remains.

在堂不恭敬，死了強槌胸，寒食因遊玩，祭奠一場空。

Material wealth gives us much comfort. They are rewards from merits of past good deeds. If we don’t further cultivate merits in this life, then in our next lives, we will have absolutely nothing but sufferings.

富貴多豐足，前緣所種功，今生不修福，後世一場空。

Therefore, if you possess more than enough, I urge you to use them in repaying the four types of kindnesses you have received throughout your life (from your parents, from the country, from the Three Jewels, and from all sentient beings.) beings).Give to others, and form good affinities at the earliest time. If not, all your stinginess would have been an empty and meaningless effort.

勸君家有剩，報答四恩濃，結緣須及早，不捨一場空。