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Question Painting up or down?

zkab

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26 Sep 2020
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I bought a painting in Japan some years ago from an artist and have it on my wall.
My question is which side is up or down.
I have hang it as in the attached image ... is it right or should it be the opposite way.
Can someone kind person translate the text to English ... don't know what the text means.
 

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The good news is that your orientation is correct. Hopefully somebody can help you out with the translation or at least a summary.
 
You've got it up correctly. When written vertically, Japanese is read top to bottom, right to left.

It's entitled 幸せ者 (shiawase mono) which means "happy/fortunate person." Each line in black describes a misfortune (sickness, business failure, loss of a child, taking on difficulties, experiencing depression/hopelessness), and the lines in red explain how to see these misfortunes as a source of strength.

大病した者はこれ幸せ者でございます
当たり前がどれだけありがたいものだったかと気づいたから
心を病む物はこれ幸せ者でございます
がんばらない勇気を知ったから
ガンをわずらった者はこれ幸せ者でございます
正しい心の持ち方と正しい食事を知ったから
商売を失敗した者はこれ幸せ者でございます
商売とは人様に喜ばれる者だったと気づいたから
幼い子供が逝った親はこれ幸せ者でございます
神に近い魂と一緒にくらせたから
苦難を背負っている者はこれ幸せ者でございます
自分が発した悪想念を清算してくれたから
絶望を体験した者はこれ幸せ者でございます
この世にのりこえられない試練はないと知ったから
幸せは先に不幸の形でやってくるのでございます
ゆえにこの世に不幸と言われるものはないのです

たけ
(below the artist's signature is his hanko/chop impression)

Of course, AFTER I transliterated it I thought to do a search, oh well it was good practice! I found what looks like the artist's shop, called "Take's World," which includes the same design: NO.84「幸せ者」 | たけの世界 オンラインショップ powered by BASE

There's a note from the artist:
いま、さまざま苦しみ・悩みを背負っている方は、それは、その人自身の魂の修行であります。 魂も磨かねば光らないのであります。いろんな体験を積むのは魂を磨くためのものであります。 人間は体験しなければ判ろうとしないからです。 たけもそうでした苦しみの中から生まれる体験こそ、これが、魂の向上となり、進化するという神の図いこそ神の大愛であります。 洵に有難いお仕組みでございます。
ありがとうございます。

"For those who are taking suffering and worry upon themselves, this is training for your spirit. An unpolished spirit will not shine. These experiences we accumulate are to help us polish our souls. Those who do not have experience do not strive to understand what it means. The experience borne from such suffering, which I too have experienced, helps our souls rise up and evolve, and is part of God's love and plan. I'm very grateful for the way it is. Thank you very much."
 
Happy is the person who has become ill, for they now know how precious it is to be well.
Happy is the person who has become afraid, for they now know how effortlessly brave they once were.
Happy is the person who has been struck with cancer, for they now know the importance of right thought and right diet.
Happy is the person who has suffered business failure, for they now know the pleasure that success brings us.
Happy is the person who has lost a child, for they know they have lived with someone very close to God.
Happy is the person who lives with hardship, for they know they are paying their dues for evil thoughts
Happy is the person who experienced despair, for they know there is no test they cannot overcome
Happiness first comes to us as misery
And then we know that there is no such thing as misery at all
 
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