Help with translation (calligrathy on the painting)

[Guest bestann]

I'm from Russia. I've found a painting (in Internet) "The Old man and Tortoise". You can view this file: http://bestann.narod.ru/pics/OldMan_Tortoise.jpg (68Kb)

I want to draw a picture like this for the Birthday of my friend. And I'd like to draw the calligraphy (chinese) too. I want to understand the meaning of what is written on this picture. Help me, please.

Ann.

[skylee]

From right to left ->

許 年 龍 壽 龜

言

龜壽 (tortoise and longevity) is the title of the painting.

龍年 (dragon year) is the year when it was painted.

許言 (Xu Yan) is the name of the painter.

This is what I can gather.

Here is another version of this painting -> http://cgi.ebay.com.cn/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7364724509&indexURL=0&photoDisplayType=2#ebayphotohosting

But the year is different (乙酉年, i.e. 2005, it is less elegant to write chicken year on a painting I suppose, haha) and there is a brief introduction of the painter.

[Guest bestann]

Thank you very much!

[Guest bestann]

And how to write on chinese "Happy birthday" or maybe other congratulations?

Do you have any picture? (It is difficult to draw from such little example 許言 )

[skylee]

Happy birthday is -

生日快樂 (traditional Chinese)

生日快乐 (simplified Chinese)

[kimichen]

年 龍 壽 龜

年 龍 age of Chinese Long(s) [年->年纪]

壽 龜 life of tortoises [壽->壽命]

Totally, wish you have an extraordinarily great longevity. (longs and tortoises have a legendary long life.)

I am a bit picky because I am studying translation.

[skylee]

Did you mean that it should be read from left to right? This is a peculiar way to interpret it.

How about the other version I posted at #2 which says ->

許 年 乙 壽 龜

言 　 酉

Well I have not studied translation. ha ha ha.