Hello Ron,
Sorry for my late replying, I changed my dwelling place last Sunday and have just had internet installed.
I looked up the characters on the vast on net and found out their origination. The characters are segments of an essay from an ancient Chinese scholar named Zhu Bolu in Ming Dynasty (his picture
http://imgsrc.baidu.com/baike/abpic/item/b0742dfa122aad3fa9d31167.jpg) . The complete one with audio content can be read and listened here.
http://www.dxgzs.com/bd/017.htm On the vase, the painter repeated mainly the first four lines. I also found ready English version on net. Their English meaning are as following,
line 1
Rise up by dawn’s early light;
Clean up, put everything right;
Keep the home tidy and clean.
line 2
Go to bed early at night;
Check that the doors are locked tight;
Sleep now secure and serene.
line 3
The growing of rice and of grain
Think on whenever you dine;
Remember how silk is obtained
Which keeps you warm and looks fine.
line 4
In periods of drought
Wise birds mend their nest
So when the clouds burst
They snugly may rest;
Never be the fool
Who starts to dig a well in the ground
When he wants a drink of water
And water can’t be found.
That's about the vase. I'm off to have lunch and head to library now. Thank you for asking. I realy enjoy exchanging information of different cultures. I hope my reply doesn't arrive to late.
Regards
Guang Han