May the Fragrant Laurels of Happiness Adorn Your Life

I am a flower that blooms with dignity,

Undeterred by the pounding rain!

I will share my smile

With my friends!

If you are cowardly and weak,

You cannot protect others.

In the end, you'll only see a pitiful self,

A person with no compassion.

Only by triumphing

Over your own sorrows,

Can you understand

The dark despair and pain of others.

Because you refuse to be defeated

By your own weaknesses,

You can help others

To overcome their sufferings.

Be strong! Ever strong!

These are the crucial watchwords

In your efforts to open the door

To the palace of happiness.

Say goodbye to sad songs,

Win over your weak tendencies,

And never succumb to deception.

You must know a self

That never betrays justice or truth.

Faith is not wallowing in self-pity;

It is being absolutely victorious in life!

~ Daisaku Ikeda~