Gosho 神国王御書 Rulers of the Land of the Gods

譬(たと)へば水は能(よ)く船をたすけ・水は能く船をやぶる、

It is comparable to the case of water, which is capable of floating a boat, but is also capable of capsizing it.

One could compare this to water, which is able to support a boat, but also potentially can destroy it.

五穀(ごこく)は人をやしない・人を損ず、

Or it is like the five kinds of grain, which at times nourish human life but at other times may injure it.

Or, it is like the kinds of grain, which sometimes can nourish human life and other times can be harmful.

小波小風は大船を損ずる事かたし・大波大風には小船をやぶれやすし、

Little waves and a slight wind can hardly do harm to a large ship, but high waves and strong winds can easily overturn a small ship.

Small waves and a gentle breeze cannot do much damage to a large ship, but high waves and strong winds can easily capsize a small boat.

王法の曲(まが)るは小波・小風のごとし・大国と大人をば失いがたし、

Similarly, slight irregularities in the secular rule of the sovereign are like little waves and a slight wind and can do little harm to a great nation or a great man.

In the same way, even if the secular rule of the sovereign is defective, it is like small waves and a gentle breeze, and cannot do much damage to a great nation or a great man.

仏法の失(とが)あるは大風・大波の小船をやぶるがごとし国のやぶるる事疑いなし

But errors in the application of the Buddhist teachings, like high waves and strong winds that overturn a small ship, can without doubt bring about the destruction of the nation.

On the other hand, misinterpretation of the Buddhist teachings is just like high waves and strong winds, which can capsize a small boat, and certainly will cause the ruin of the nation.


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