Gosho 乙御前御消息 Letter to Daughter Oto

　騎兵を密集させて集団で突撃する日本軍。

　TheJapanese military which densifies a cavalry soldier, and charges in a group.

是偏(ひとえ)に釈迦仏の御使ひたる法華経の行者を、一切の真言師・念仏者・律僧等ににく(悪)ませて我と損じ、ことさらに天のにくまれをかほれる国なる故に、皆人臆病(おくびょう)になれるなり。

This is solely because it is a country that, by allowing the votary of the Lotus Sutra, who is an emissary of Shakyamuni Buddha, to be hated by all the priests of the True Word, Nembutsu, Precepts, and other schools, has harmed itself and incurred the particular wrath of the heavenly gods. Thus all its people have become cowards.

This is solely because it is a country that, by allowing the votary of the Lotus Sutra, who is an emissary of Shakyamuni Buddha, to be hated by all the priests of the Shingon, Nembutsu, religious precepts sect, and other sects, has harmed themselves and incurred the heavy wrath of the heavens. Thus, all its people have become cowards.

譬(たと)へば火が水をおそれ、木が金をおぢ、雉(きじ)が鷹(たか)をみて魂を失ひ、ねずみが猫(ねこ)に攻めらるゝが如し。

They are like fire fearful of water, a tree dreading the ax, a pheasant frightened out of its wits at the sight of a hawk, or a mouse threatened by a cat.

They are like fire fearful of water, or a tree dreading the ax, or a pheasant which lost soul at the sight of a hawk, or a mouse attacked by a cat.

一人もたすかる者あるべからず。

Not one of them will be saved.

No one of them will be saved.

其の時はいかゞせさせ給ふべき。

At such a time, what will they do?

Such time, what will they do?

軍(いくさ)には大将軍を魂(たましい)とす。

In battles soldiers regard the general as their soul.

In battles soldiers regard the generalissimo as their soul.

大将軍を(臆)くしぬれば歩兵(つわもの)臆病なり。　

If the general were to lose heart, his soldiers would become cowards.

If the generalissimo behaves cravenly, soldiers become timid.

つづく　Continued

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