Admonition : As Greeting

As an unconventional Chinese New Year greeting, above is a simple calligraphic piece of ‘Samantabhadra Bodhisattva’s Admonition for the Masses’ (普贤菩萨警众偈) with a new translation below. I hope the strokes highlight a sense of fragility, transience, urgency, focus and determination, which are qualities mentioned in the verse.

是日已过，命亦随减；
如少水鱼，斯有何乐？
大众！
当勤精进,  如救头燃；
但念无常，慎勿放逸！

This day has just passed, and life has shortened accordingly;
Like fish with lesser water, what joy is there?
All!
Endeavour with diligence now, as if extinguishing a fire on your head;
Be mindful of impermanence, and beware of laxity!