O youth of the world--
if you find death unpleasant,
die now!
Having died once already,
you won't die again.



This is an 18th century tanka poem, entitled "Death", by Japanese Zen master Hakuin (1685-1768), English translation from the Japanese by me. The original Japanese is:


wakashu ya
shinu ga iya nara
ima shiniyare
hitotabi shineba
mou shinanu zo ya

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