去秋"一病， 病后颓唐，至今没有恢复到原来的健康水平。
Time slipped by and I've been muddling along in this world for eighty-eight years.
长寿非福之感，不觉 油然而生。
My illness in the autumn of last year left me in poor shape and so far I've not yet restored my former state of health.
退离工作岗位，淡出社会活动，倏忽十有余年。
I cannot help feeling that longevity doesn't necessarily mean happiness.
自喜晚景静好©， 无虑饥寒，还赶上了百年难遇的太平岁月。
More than ten years has quickly passed away since I retired and began to stay away from public activities. congratulate myself, however. on spending my declining years in peace and comfort. free from hunger and cold, and on happening to live in time of peace and tranquility, which is hard to come by even once in a century.
虽然许多现象不免使人牵 愁惹恨，总算免了提心吊胆，唯恐什么时候会来一阵防不胜防的人造 风暴。
Though I still cannot help feeling concered about many aspects of the status quo, I am, nevertheless, spared from having to live in constant fear of being overtaken unawares by an unpredictable man-made storm\*.
坐食之余，积习难除，不免干些灾梨祸枣的闲人之业。
In my retirement, I keep the old habit of wielding my clumsy pen.
这本 来也是消磨余年的一法，犹如老农冬闲，负暄闲话，乐在其中。
I regard it as one way of whiling away my remaining years, and also find pleasure in it, similar to an old farmer enjoying a chat while taking the sun during the slack winter season.
但 现在也渐感到后难为继。
But now I feel T'm not quite up to even this because of age.
矛盾的焦点心，在于来日苦短，精神体力日见不济，世故困人，而 又不能抽刀断水，毅然割弃文字因缘"，顾此失彼，难以周全。
The main problem is that my days are numbered and I'm going from bad to worse both physically and mentally.
在人 际关系中，久已无力做到有信必复，有求必应，一面又不能释然于怀， 洒脱得无牵无挂。
While busy attending to social relations, I'm meanwhile loath to cut off my devotion to writing.
岁尾年头，向亲朋好友发个贺年片，兼代通候，原 是一件使人感到温暖和愉快的事，也渐觉力不从心。
But find it difficult to take care of both at the same time.
因为一来一往， 为数可观，操作需时，不免手忙脚乱。
As to interpersonal correspondence, I've long been unable to write letters in reply though it Referring to the Cultural Revolution and other ultra-lefft political movements prior to it during the post- liberalion days. doesn't mean I've clean forgotten the sender or I don't feel apologetic for my silence.
暮年行动不便，购卡，投邮， 又须求人代劳。
It certainly gives rise to a feeling of warmth and pleasure to send new year cards to relatives Or friends at the end or beginning of a year, which not only offer messages of greetings but also serve as a substitute for correspondence.
市上行销的时髦贺卡，多是金碧辉煌的豪华版，代价 不菲，姑置不论，流行歌曲式的新潮贺词，也很不合老人身份。
But much as I want to, it 1S now beyond my power to keep doing it.
诸多 烦扰，不一而足。
The a exchange of a considerable number of such cards will take up much of my time and send me bustling around.
曾经几次想自己设计，印制一些素朴大方，既能表 情达意，又堪供清赏的贺卡，也难以实现。
Having difficulty getting about because of age, have to ask somebody else to buy the cards or mail them out for me.
不得已狠一狠心，向贺年 片挥手告别，从此不再发奇，也不再裁答。
The trendy cards in the market appear mostly in glittering de luxe editions and are very expensive.
失礼之愆，只好请求多 多体谅了。
What is worse. the stylish new year messages printed therein in popular song fashion are incompatible with the status of an old man like me.
在大公无私的时间前面，谁也不能不低头认输。
Due to numerous frustrations, I many times even thought of having cards of my own design printed cards which would be both simple and unaffected, and both expressive of my true feelings and in good taste, but unfortunately it never materialized.
一年容易，又是 腊尽春回时节，谨布心曲"，向海内外旧雨新知，识与不识的读者，表 达我的惓惓之意的。
So all I have to do is wave goodbye to new year cards.