Gosho 兄弟抄二 Letter to Brothers 2

今度(このたび)ねう(忍)しくらして法華経の御利生(りしょう)心みさせ給へ、

You must persevere through this trial and see for yourselves the blessings of the Lotus Sutra.

日蓮も又強盛に天に申し上げ候なり、

I, Nichiren, will also emphatically call on the heavenly gods.

いよいよ・を(臆)づる心ねすが(姿)た・をはすべからず

Now more than ever, you must neither show nor feel any fear.

定んで女人は心よ(弱)はく・をはすれば・ごぜ(御前)たちは心ひる(翻)がへりてや・をはすらん、

Women are fainthearted, and your wives have probably given up their belief.

がうじやう(強盛)にはが(切歯)みをしてたゆ(弛)む心なかれ、

Yet you must grit your teeth and never slacken in your faith.

例せば日蓮が平(へい)左(のさ)衛門(えもん)の尉(じょう)がもとにて・うちふる(振)まい(舞)・いゐしがごとく・すこ(少)しも・を(畏)づる心なかれ、

Be as fearless as Nichiren when he acted and spoke out before Hei-no Saemon-no-jō.

わだ(和田)が子となりしもの・わかさ(若狭)のかみ(守)が子となりし・将門(まさかど)・貞(さだ)当(とう)が郎従等となりし者、仏になる道には・あらねども・はぢ(恥)を・をもへば命を(惜)しまぬ習いなり、

Although theirs was not the path to Buddhahood, the sons of Lord Wada and of the governor of Wakasa, as well as the warriors under Masakado and Sadatō, fought to the death to preserve their honor.

なにと・なくとも一度の死は一定(いちじょう)なり、

Death comes to all, even should nothing untoward ever happen.

いろ(色)ばしあ(悪)しくて人に・わら(笑)はれさせ給うなよ。

Therefore, you must never be cowardly, or you will become the object of ridicule.


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