Gosho 上野殿御返事 The Teaching for the Latter Day 1

The Teaching for the Latter Day.

The Passing of Ishikawa’s Daughter.

　　弘安元年四月一日　五十七歳御作

　　1 April 1278 (Age: 57)

　白米一斗・いも(芋)一駄(だ)・こん(蒟)に(蒻)やく五枚・わざと送り給び候い畢(おわ)んぬ。

I have received the one to of polished rice, the horse load of taros, and the five blocks of konnyaku that you took the trouble to send me.

I have received a quarter-sack of polished rice, a horse-load of taro and five sections of konnyaku, which you were kind enough to send.

The quarter sack of polished rice, the horse load of taro, and the five konnyaku. I have received these which you sent with the express purpose.

　なによりも石河の兵衛(ひょうえ)入道殿のひめ御前の度度(たびたび)御ふみ(文)をつかはしたりしが、三月の十四五や(夜)げ(比)にて候しやらむ御ふみありき。この世の中をみ候に、病なき人も・こねん(今年)なんどをす(過)ぐべしともみ(見)へ候はぬ上、もとより病(やまい)ものにて候が、すでにきう(急)になりて候さいご(最後)の御ふみ(文)なりと、か(書)かれて候いしが、されば・つゐに・はかなくならせ給いぬるか。

　First of all, the young lady, the daughter of the lay priest Ishikawa no Hyōe, often sent me letters, and in one that reached me on the night of the fourteenth or fifteenth day of the third month, she wrote, “When I observe the world around me, it seems that even healthy people will be unable to survive this year. I have been ill for a long time, but my illness has suddenly worsened, and I imagine that this will be my last letter to you”. Has she then passed away after all?

　First, concerning the daughter of Ishikawa Hyoe Nyudo, I often received letters from her. I believe it was on the evening of the 14^th or the 15^th day of the third month that her last letter arrived. In it, she said, “When I look at the world around me, it appears that even the healthy will have difficulty surviving this year. I have been ill for quite some time, but my condition has recently become critical and I think this letter to you may be my last”. And now she has already passed away.

　First of all, concerning the daughter of Ishikawa Hyoe Nyudo, I often received letters from her. I believe it was the evening of the 14th or the 15th day of March that her last letter arrived. In it, she said, “When I look at the world around me, it seems that even healthy people will be unable to survive this year. I have been ill for a long time, but my condition has recently become critical and I think this will be my last letter to you”. Has she then passed away at last?


　　　　　　　　　　　　　つづく　Next

解説　　全目次　Index All