The universe lasts forever, but a man cannot live through all eternity. His lifespan is about 100 years, and even these 100 years pass quickly.
If a man is fortunate to live long enough, he should taste the happiness of life, and at the same time keep in mind that to fritter away his days would be deplorable.
天地有万古，此身不再得；人生只百年，此日最易过。幸生其间者，不可不知有生之乐，亦不可不怀虚生之忧。
Notes
To embrace life demands dual reverence: savoring the present while honoring its purpose—mutually reinforcing, neither dispensable.
The text from Cai Gen Tan – Tending the roots of wisdom rejects both hedonism (only joy) and asceticism (only dread), prescribing joyful purposefulness as the path to a life fully lived.
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