有先富而後貧，有先貧而後富。
蛟龍未遇，潛身於魚蝦之間；君子失時，拱手於小人之下。
天不得時，日月無光；地不得時，草木不長；
水不得時，風浪不平；人不得時，利運不通。

有的人是先充裕而後缺乏,有的人是先缺乏而後充裕.

蛟龍還沒遇到賞識他的人時,是隱藏自己在於蝦之間;君子一錯失機會,就很容易被小人管理.

天運氣不好時,太陽和月亮都沒有光芒;地運氣不好時,連草木都不會生長.

水運氣不好時,風和浪也不會平靜;人運氣不好時,好的運氣也不會流暢.

Someone may probably get rich in the first place, and then may get stuck in reduced circumstances; the others may get stuck in destitution at first, then get rich later on. 

A man of great savoir faire may be left unnoticed like a mighty dragon living with fishes and shrimps if he has not met somone who does appreciate his capabilities.  A real gentleman may have to deign himself to be under a no-good guy if he misses his opportunity and timing. 

If celestial timing is not right, sunshine and moonbeam will lose their glorious lights.  If terrestrial timing is not right, grasses and trees will cease to grow. 

If the timing of vast water is not right, then the wind will not subside and the waves will not calm down. 

If a persons timing is not right, good lucks will always evade him. 

 昔時也，余在洛陽，日投僧院，夜宿寒窯。
布衣不能遮其體，淡粥不能充其飢。
上人憎，下人厭，皆言余之賤也！
余曰：非賤也，乃時也運也命也。

以前我在洛陽時,白天投住在廟,晚上住在寒冷的洞穴.

衣服不能遮蓋身體,清淡的粥也不能滿足飢餓.

在上位的人憎恨我,在下位的人厭惡我,都說我是卑下的人.

我說:不是我卑下,是時機.運氣和命運的關係啊.

When I was in Luoyang, I used to loister away at  some monastery in daytime, and stay at some cave of cold and damp at night.  

The clothes I was wearing were so shabby that they were unable to cover my body, and insipid congee I was taking could be far from subduing my hunger. 

Everybody regarded me as a wretched and despicable fellow then, both from the erstwhile superiors and inferiors of mine. 

I said, "No, I am not a wretched and despicable fellow; it has just something to do with the timing, the luck, and the fate  of my own, that really matter."

余及第登科官至極品，位列三公。
有撻百僚之杖；有斬嗇吝之劍。
出則壯士執鞭；入則佳人捧秧。
思衣則有綾羅錦緞；思食則有山珍海味，
上人寵，下人擁。人皆仰慕，言余之貴也！

等到我登上科舉考試之榜官到最高品,官位列為三公.

有可以鞭打百官的權杖;有可以斬嗇吝的寶劍.

出去的時候有豪壯而勇敢的人拿鞭子;回家有美女捧著稻苗.

想穿衣服時有綾羅錦緞;想吃的時候有山珍海味,

在上位的人寵愛,在下位的人擁待.人人都景仰羨慕,說我是高貴的.

Not until I passed the government examination and climbed to the top lung on political ladder as one of the prime ministers,

could I hold the wane that having the authority to whip all officials, and the sword to kill those narrow-minded,

or could I go out with strong braves protecting me, and could I get back home where a bevy of beauties serving me,

or could I be dressed up to nines whenever I wanted to; or could I be served with all kinds of ambrosia whenever I wanted to.  

I was the blue-eyed boy to the persons at top rank, and was emconpassed by the flattering snobs at low rank.  Everybody admired me and said I am a noble person.   

余曰：非貴也，乃時也運也命也。
蓋人生在世，富貴不可捧，貧賤不可欺。
此乃天地循環，終而後始者也。

我說:不是我高貴,是時機.運氣和命運的關係啊!

人生在世,富貴是不可以讚揚的,貧賤是不可以欺負的.

這是天地循環的道理,結束然後再重新開始啊!

But I must say that I am not a noble person; rather, it has just something to do with the timing, the luck, and the fate  of my own, that really matter."

Because it is just the vicissitude of human lives, so wealth and noble are not to be lauded for, and poverty and misery are not to be despised at. 

It is also the wax and wane of nature; when the beginning of the end comes, things will start all over again.   

P.S. Reiredbum notes:  Mr. Song "Chu Yu" should read the article.