Gosho 四条金吾殿御書（九思一言事） Nine Thoughts to One Word

四条金吾殿御書（九思一言事）

Nine Thoughts to One Word

　建治四年一月二十五日 五十七歳御作。

　January 25, 1278. Fifty-seven years old.

なによりも承(うけたまわ)りてすゞ(爽)しく(快)候事は、いくばくの御にく(憎)まれの人の御出仕(しゅっし)に、人かずにめ(召)しぐ(具)せられさせ給ひて、一日二日ならず、御ひま(暇)もなきよし、

I was most delighted to hear that your lord, who in the past has treated you with enmity, has once more admitted you to the company of those in his service, and that you are called upon to serve him not for a mere day or two but without interruption.

I heard that your lord, who in the past has treated you with enmity, has once more admitted you in his business, and that you were called upon to serve him not for a mere day or two days but without interruption.

うれしさ申すばかりなし。

I cannot tell you how this pleases me.

I cannot tell you how this pleases me.

殿のすねん(数年)が間のにく(憎)まれ、去年(こぞ)の冬はかうとき(聞)ゝしに、かへりて日々の御出仕の御とも(供)、いかなる事ぞ。

　You, on the other hand, have been viewed with enmity for a number of years now, and I heard that the situation last winter was very serious. Yet now you are called into the service of your lord day after day. What are we to make of this?

You, on the other hand, have been viewed with enmity over the years, and I heard that the situation last winter was very serious. However, now you are asked for the service by your lord day after day. Can you understand what this means?

ひとへに天の御計(はか)らひ、法華経の御力にあらずや。

Surely it is all due to the designs of the heavenly gods and the power of the Lotus Sutra, is it not?

Does not this all owe to the activity of heavens and the power of the Lotus Sutra?

其(そ)の上円教房のきたりて候ひしが申し候は、えま(江間)の四郎殿の御出仕に、御とものさぶらひ二十四五、其の中にしう(主)はさておきたてまつりぬ。ぬし(主)のせ(身)い(長)といひ、かを(顔)・たま(魂)しひ・むま(馬)・下人(げにん)までも中務(なかつかさ)のさえ(左衛)もん(門)のじゃ(尉)う第一なり。

The priest Enkyō-bō is here at the moment and reports that Emano Shirō has twenty-four or twenty-five samurai in his service. Leaving aside the lord himself, one may note that, in imposing stature, in countenance, as well as in his mount and the subordinates attending him, no one can compare to Nakatsukasa Saemon-no-jō.

Moreover, the monk Enkyobo is here at the moment and reports that Emano Shiro has twenty-four or twenty-five samurai of vassal. Leaving aside the lord himself, one will think that, in imposing stature, in countenance, as well as in his mount and the subordinates attending him, no one can compare to you of Nakatsukasa Saemonnojo.

あ(天)は(晴)れをと(男)こやと、かまくら(鎌倉)わら(童)べはつ(辻)じちにて申しあいて候ひしとかたり候。

The boys of Kamakura, gathering at the crossroads, all exclaim, “Ah, there’s a fine fellow, a fine fellow indeed!”

The boys of Kamakura gathering at the crossroads were talking, “Ah, there's a fine fellow, a fine fellow indeed!".

つづく　Continued

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