人生之一
情之一字，所以维持世界；才之一字，所以粉饰乾坤。
（吴）雨若曰：世界原从情字生出。有夫妇然后有父子，有父子然后有兄弟，有兄弟然后有朋友，有朋友然后有君臣。
*批注者于书中初见，即加注姓氏，以便读者。
Passion holds up the bottom of the universe, and the poet gives it a new dress.
Yujo: All human life begins with love between man and woman, from which the other human relationships such as between father and son and between brothers follow.

人生之二
情必近于痴而始真，才必兼乎趣而始化。
（陆）云士曰：真情种，真才子，能为此言。
（顾）天石曰：才兼乎趣，非心斋不足当之。
（尤）慧珠曰：余情而痴则有之，才而趣则未能也。
Love is not true love without a form of madness. A literary artist must have zest in life to enter into nature’s spirit.
Yunshih: Here speaks a born lover and artist.
Tienshih: Shintsai really understands the zest of life besides being a literary artist.
[Miss]Hueichu: I think I know the passion of love,but I have not the zest combined with talent.

人生之三
律己宜带秋气，处世宜带春气。
One should discipline oneself in the spirit of autumn and live with others in the spirit of spring.

人生之四
能闲世人之所忙者，方能忙世人之所闲。
Only those who take leisurely what the people of the world are busy about can be busy about what the people of the world take leisurely.

人生之五
人莫乐于闲，非无所事事之谓也。闲则能读书，闲则能游名胜，闲则能交益友，闲则能饮酒，闲则能著书。天下之乐，孰大于是？
（陈）隺山曰：然则正是极忙处。
（尤）悔庵曰：昔人云，忙里偷闲，闲则而偷，盗亦有道矣。
（李）若金曰：闲固难得，有此五者，方不负闲字。
Of all things one enjoys leisure most, but because one does nothing. Leisure confers upon one the freedom to read, to travel, to make friends, to drink, and to write. Where is there a greater pleasure than this?
Hoshan: Then you are really busy.
Huei-an: The proverb says, “Steal leisure from business.”It can be stolen methodically.
Jochin:Those: five things make leisure really worthwhile.

人生之六
妾美不如妻贤，钱多不如境顺。
（张）竹坡曰：此所谓竿头欲进步者。然妻不贤安用妾美，钱不多那得境顺。
（张）迂庵曰：此盖谓两者不可得兼，舍一而取一者也。又曰：世固有钱多而境不顺者。
I think it is better to have an understanding wife than a pretty concubine, and better to have peace of mind than wealth.
[Nephew]Chupo: There is no limit to desires. How can one expect to have a pretty concubine without first having an understanding wife? And how can one have peace of mind without plenty of money?
Yu-an: He means a choice of alternatives.And there are indeed people with plenty of money but no peace of mind.

人生之七
值太平世，生湖山郡，官长廉静，家道优裕，娶妻贤淑，生子聪慧，人生如此，可云全福
（许）筱林曰：若以粗笨愚蠢之人当之，则负却造物。
（江）含噅曰：此是黑面老子，要思量做鬼处。
（吴）岱观曰：过屠门而大嚼，虽不得肉，亦觉快意。
（李）荔园曰：贤淑聪慧，尤贵永年，否则福不全。
The perfect life: to live in a world of peace in a lake district where the magistrate is good and honest, and to have an understanding wife and bright children.
Shiaolin: It would be a pity to have a vulgarian enjoy all this.
Hanchen: Here is a black-faced Laotse thinking of becoming a devil. T
aikuan: Yes, and rather like imagining eating a juicy steak before a butcher’s shop window!
Liyuan: An understanding wife, yes, but also a long life. Otherwise the blessing is not complete.

人生——之八
有功夫读书，谓之福；有力量济人，谓之福；有学问著述，谓之福；无是非到耳，谓之福；有多闻直谅之友，谓之福。
（杨）圣藻曰：在我者可必，在人者不能必。
（王）丹麓曰：备此福者，惟我心斋。
（李）水樵曰：五福骈臻固佳，苟得其半者，亦不得谓之无福。
（倪）永清曰：直谅之友，富贵人久拒之矣，何心斋反求之也？
Blessed are those who have time for reading, money to help others, the learning and ability to write, who are not bothered with gossip and disputes, and who have learned friends frank with advice.
Shengtsao: We can take care of those things which depend on ourselves, but not those which depend on others.
Tanlu: Shintsai has them all.
Shuichiao: I would be satisfied with half of these five.
Yungching: I thought successful men never wanted friends with frank advice. Shintsai asks for them instead!

人生——之九
不治生产，其后必致累人；专务交游，其后必致累己。
圣藻曰：晨钟夕磬，发人深省。
（冒）巢民曰：若在我，虽累己累人，亦所不悔。
（宗）子发曰：累己犹可，若累人则不可矣。
含徵曰：今之人未必肯受你累，还是自家隐些的好。
Those who despise money end up by sponging on their friends; those who mix freely with all sorts of people will eventually hurt themselves.
Shengtsao: What a profound warning!
Tsaomin: For myself, I do not regret it one way or the other.
Tsefa: It does make a difference, though, whether you hurt others or only yourself.
Hanchen: Nowadays people do not welcome being sponged up on. So it is better to be careful.

人生——之十
胸中小不平，可以酒消之；世间大不平，非剑不能消也。
（周）星远曰：看剑饮杯长，一切不平皆破除矣。
迂庵曰：苍苍者未必肯以太阿假人，似不能代作空空儿也。
悔庵曰：龙泉太阿，汝知我者，岂止苏子美以一斗读《汉书》耶？
A small injustice can be drowned by a cup of wine; a great injustice can be vanquished only by the sword.
Shingyuan: So you drown all sorrows by holding a cup of wine with a sword in sight.
Yu-an: I do not think the Blessed Lord would easily give such a sword to men. It might raise more trouble than it can settle.
Huei-an: O, Lungchuan[famous wine] and Tai-o [famous sword],trust me !I can handle both!