A Modern 俗语 for the Young and the Restless

Today I had lunch with my uncle, Dr. Otto Lin, who is currently a Senior Advisor to the President of Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He is the author of a new book (in Chinese) titled “中華崛起未? 全球化時代中軟實力的競賽 China on the Rise: Competition of Soft Power in the Globalization Era.” His resume is extensive and impressive. He’s a scientist, an engineer, a teacher, an academic, a China expert. He’s also got a great sense of humour.

In telling him about pending life and career decisions, he wrote down this rhyme – something he once heard – for me in Chinese.

He’s a man who knows many 俗语s, old Chinese sayings. This particular one wasn’t old at all, but the message is one that all of us 20-somethings must keep in mind. The poem describes the “perfect job” and upon reading the four rhyming couplets, you realize that no such job can really exist. So the message is: no job will can ever be perfect; be grateful for what you have.

The poem is pretty hilarious in Chinese but the English translation doesn’t have any of the same pizazz. So, apologies to English readers.

Here it goes:

钱多事少离 家近，

Lots of money, little to do, and close to home

位高权重责任轻;

A high Position, powerful and influential, with light responsibility;

睡觉睡到自然醒，

You can sleep until you naturally waking

数钱数到手抽筋

And count money until fingers cramping