Introduction to Literary Chinese - Lesson 36, Text 2
Adapted from the 1927 book by J. Brandt
賀友人生女函
某某仁兄大鑒。正切馳思。忽傳
雀報[a]。得悉
閣下有虺蛇之喜[b]。敬賀敬賀。素稔兄台練達人情。不以生女爲患。弟意同是
彼蒼[c]
黎民。何得此薄彼厚。
湯餅之會[d]。弟當參入席末。藉展慶忱。附呈非物。聊當賀儀。尙希哂存爲幸。專此順頌潭喜。
弟某某鞠躬月日
Notes
[a] 雀報
"joyful news".
This expression is taken from the following saying:
家雀門，喜信到
家雀 "a sparrow"
[b] 閣下有虺蛇之喜
[c] 彼蒼
"the sky"
From the following line of the Book of Poetry (詩經):
彼蒼者天 "That azure heaven there"