Gosanka Poems, Revised, "The Way We Should Live"

         
60   道 の為 世の為人の為のみを 非時思ふ人ぞ尊き
   

Precious indeed
Are those who invariably
Only think of the path,
Of the world
Only think of others.

Page 14; S6-50C; S4-131A, 国の為 世の為人の為のみを ときじく思ふ真人尊き In a set of poems titled “Way of Kannon” in Crystal World, Issue 5, January 25, 1936; S4-139C, 国の為 世の為人の為のみを ときじく思ふ真人尊き In a set of poems titled “Way of Kannon” in Light of Kannon, Issue 10, April 11, 1936; S4-208E, 国の為 世の為人の為のみを ときじく思ふ真人尊き In a set of poems titled “Way of Kannon (17)” in Gosanka Poems for the Kannon Society, 1936, unpublished; S4-364B, 道の為 世の為人の為のみを 非時おもふ真人となれかし In a set of poems titled “The Way We Should Live” in Gosanka Poems, July 1, 1948; previous translations, Prayers and Gosanka, page 52A; Sounds of the Dawn, Volume I, pages 72 & 222, #173; Prayers and Poems, page 52A; Book of Gosanka, page 55, #217.
 
S4-131A, S4-139C, S4-208E translation
Precious indeed / Are those who invariably / Only think of the nation, / Of the world / Only think of others.
 
S4-364B translation
Become a person / Who invariably only / Thinks of the path, / Of the world / Only think of others.
 
Prayers and Gosanka, Sounds of the Dawn, Volume I & Prayers and Poems translation
Priceless are the ones / Who work for a divine cause, / Constantly think of / And pray for all of the world, / For all of humanity.
 
Book of Gosanka
Divine is the man, / Whose thoughts are forever turned / To others, not self; / First to God to serve Him well, / Then to fellow man and world.
         
61   およそ世に   強きは己れを打忘れ 正しき道を貫く人なり
    The strongest in the
World are probably
Those who
Forget themselves and
Pursue the true path.
Page 14; S6-50D; S4-130, およそ世に 強きは己を打忘れ 正しき道を貫く人なる In a set of poems titled “Way of Kannon” in Crystal World, Issue 5, January 25, 1936; S4-208, 凡そ世に 強きは己れを打忘れ 正しき道を貫く人なる In a set of poems titled “Way of Kannon (17)” in Gosanka Poems for the Kannon Society, 1936, unpublished; S4-363, 凡そ世に 強きは己を打忘れ 正しき道を貫く人なり In a set of poems titled “The Way We Should Live” in Gosanka Poems, July 1, 1948; previous translations, Prayers and Gosanka, page 52B; Prayers and Poems, page 52B; Book of Gosanka, page 56, #222.
         
   
Prayers and Gosanka translation
Those who sacrifice / Their own interests, uphold / What is right and just, / Must be the very strongest, / Bravest people in the world.
 

Prayers and Poems translations
Those who sacrifice / Their own interests, / Upholding what is right and just, / Must be the strongest, / Bravest people in the world.
 
      Book of Gosanka translation
A man made of strength / Is one who, forgetting self / And personal cares, / Plunges form to do what’s right, / Paves the way to righteousness.
 
         
62  

さもしきは 己が手柄を諸人に 示さむとする心にぞある

    Base and low
Are the hearts of
Those who must show
To everyone how
Great they are.
Page 15; S6-51A; S4-131B さもしきは 己が手柄を世の人に 示さんとする心にぞある In a set of poems titled “Way of Kannon” in Kômyô Sekai (World of Light), Issue 5, #13, January 25, 1936; S4-209A さもしきは 己が手柄を世の人に 示さんとする心にぞある In a set of poems titled “Way of Kannon (17)” in Gosanka Poems for the Kannon Society, 1936, #185, unpublished; S4-364D さもしきは 己が手柄を世の人に 示さむとする心にぞある In a set of poems titled “Way of the Bodhisattva,” in Gosanka Poems, #152; July 1, 1948; previous translations in Prayers and Gosanka, page 52C;  Prayers and Poems, page 52C; Sounds of the Dawn, Volume II, #75, pages 35 & 160; Book of Gosanka, page 57, #226.
 
S4-131B, S4-209A, S4-364D translation
Base and low / Are the hearts of / Those who must show / To the world how / Great they are.
 
Prayers and Gosanka & SDII translation
Small and narrow indeed / Are the minds of those people / Who attempt to boast / Or try to make a great show / Of their good deeds to others.
 
Prayers and Poems translation
Small, narrow, indeed / Are the minds of those / Who attempt to boast / Or try to make a great show / Of their good deeds to others.
 
Book of Gosanka translation
To be ignoble / And base is to hold desire / To display to all / And with conceit glory in / One’s own deeds and merits gained.
 
         
63  

私心なく 正しき道を守りなば 大御恵を豊に享くるなり

    The individual who
Keeps to the true path
Without regard to
Self interest will receive
Abundant blessings.
Page 15; S6-51B; S4-130E, 私心なく ひたすら道に励みなば 大御恵を豊に享くるなり In a set of poems titled “Way of Kannon” in Crystal World, Issue 5, January 25, 1936; S4-208D, 私心なく 只管道に励めば 大御恵を豊に享くるなり In a set of poems titled “Way of Kannon (17)” in Gosanka Poems for the Kannon Society, 1936, unpublished; S4-363C, 私心なく 只管道に励めば 大御恵を豊に享くるなり In a set of poems titled “The Way We Should Live” in Gosanka Poems, July 1, 1948; previous translations, Prayers and Gosanka, page 53A; Prayers and Poems, page 53A; Book of Gosanka, page 56, #223.
         
S4-130E, S4-208D, S4-363C translation
The individual who / Constantly strives / On the path without regard / To self interest will / Receive abundant blessings.
 
Prayers and Gosanka & Prayers and Poems translation
If we live good lives, / With not one selfish motive, / True to Cosmic Law, / God never fails to give us / Blessings in great abundance.
 
Book of Gosanka translation
Without thought of self, / If we heed the Word of God, / And walk in His path, / Wondrous blessings will be ours, / Affluent will be our life.
 
 
64  

床しけれ 我身の事をあとにして 人のよかれと願ふ心の

    Oh humility,
You are that which
Puts yourself behind
And thinks only of
The happiness of others. 
Page 15; S6-51C S6-51C; S4-131E, 床しけれ 我身の事を後にして 他人の良よかれと願ふ心の In a set of poems titled “Way of Kannon” in Crystal World, Issue 5, January 25, 1936; S4-139B, 床しけれ 我身の事を後にして 他人の良よかれと希ふ心の In a set of poems titled “Way of Kannon” in Light of Kannon, Issue 10, April 11, 1936;  S4-209D, 床しけれ 我身の事を後にして 他人の良よかれと希ふ心の In a set of poems titled “Way of Kannon (17)” in Gosanka Poems for the Kannon Society, 1936, unpublished; S4-364A, 床しけれ 吾身の事を後にして 他人の良よかれと希ふ心の In a set of poems titled “The Way We Should Live” in Gosanka Poems, July 1, 1948; previous translations, Prayers and Gosanka, page 41A; Prayers and Poems, page 41A; Book of Gosanka, page 37, #146.
      Prayers and Gosanka translation
How big, beautiful / Is the heart of the person / Who puts first of all / The welfare of other men— / Yes, even before his own.
 
Prayers and Poems translation
How big and beautiful / Are the hearts of those / Who put first / The welfare of others— / Yes, even before their own.
 
Book of Gosanka translation
Gracious and noble— / And beautiful is the heart / Of one who does pray / For another’s well-being, / Leaving himself to the last.
 
         
65  

何事も 程の一字を守りなば 容易すかるべき此世なりけり

    How easy would be
This world and every-
Thing in it if we
All observed the one
Simple word: Moderation. 
Page 15, S6-51D; S4-130B 何事も 程の一事を守りなば たやすかるべき此世なりける In a set of poems titled “Way of Kannon” in Kômyô Sekai, Issue 5, #8, January 25, 1936; S4-208A 何事も 程の一事を守りなば たやすかるべき此世なりける In a set of poems titled “Way of Kannon (17)” in Gosanka Poems for the Kannon Society, 1936, #180, unpublished; S4-362D 何事も 程の一字を守りなば 容易すかるべき此世なりける In a set of poems titled “The Way We Should Live,” in Gosanka Poems, #143; July 1, 1948; previous translations in Prayers and Gosanka, page 53B; Prayers and Poems, page 53B; Book of Gosanka, page 22, #85.
S4-130B & S4-208A translation
How easy would be / This world and every- / Thing in it if we / All observed the / One ideal of Moderation.
 
      Prayers and Gosanka translation
If we constantly / Keep the word “moderation” / In mind, live by it, / It’s relatively easy / To get along in this world.
 
Prayers and Poems translation
If we constantly keep / The word “moderation” in mind / And live by it, / It is relatively easy / To get along in this world.
 
Book of Gosanka translation
If we but observe, / And remember in all things / One small word, limit, / And not exceed this limit; / Easy world ‘twill be indeed.
 
         
66  

曲人は 弱きものなり諸々の 罪に打克つ力なければ

    Evil people are
Weak! We must all
Have the strength
To overcome
All instance of sin.
Page 15, S6-51E; S4-124B 弱き者よ 汝を名付けて曲といふ 罪に打克つ強さなければ. In a set of poems titled “Way of Kannon,” #5, in Tôhô no Hikari (Light from the East), Issue 9, January 1, 1936; S4-130C 弱き者よ 汝を名づけて曲といふ 罪に打克つ強さなければ In a set of poems titled “Way of Kannon,” #9, in Kômyô Sekai (World of Light), Issue 5, January 25, 1936; S4-208B 弱き者よ 汝を名付けて曲といふ 罪に打克つ力なければ In a set of poems titled “Way of Kannon (17)” in Gosanka Poems for the Kannon Society, 1936, #181, unpublished; S4-363A 曲人は 弱き者なりもろもろの 罪に打克つ力なければ In a set of poems titled “The Way We Should Live,” in Gosanka Poems, #144; July 1, 1948; previous translations in Prayers and Gosanka, page 53C; Prayers and Poems, page 53C.
 
S4-124B, S4-130C, S4-208B translation
Weak ones! / I name you / Evil. Sin / Needs strength / To be conquered.

Gosanka Poems translation
Weak are those people / Who do wicked things, bad deeds, / For they lack the strength / To overcome the urge to, / Temptation to, commit sin.
 
Prayers and Poems translation
Weak are those people / Who do wrong, / For they lack the strength / To overcome the urge to / Perform evil acts.
 
         
67  

高き低きの 差別をつけず懇ろに 教ゆ人こそ御旨に叶はむ

    Without distinction
To high or low,
Those who help, teaching others
Warmly and cordially
Are in accord with God’s will.
Page 16; S6-52A;. S4-365A 高き低きの 差別とてなく懇ろに 誨ふ人こそ御旨に叶はむ In a set of poems titled “Way of the Boddhisattva” in Gosanka Poems, July 1, 1948, #153; S4-379D 高き低きの 差別さへなく大神は 裁き給はむ世ぞ生かす為 In a set of poems titled “The Great Judgment” in Gosanka Poems, July 1, 1948, #219; S4-231D 高き低きの 差別さへなく大神は 裁き給はん世ぞ生かす為 In a set of poems titled “The Great Judgment (29)” in Gosanka Poems for the Kannon Society, #281, 1936, unpublished; previous translations, Prayers and Gosanka, page 54A, Prayers and Poems, page 54A, Sounds of the Dawn, Volume II, pages 35 & 160, #74; Book of Gosanka, page 29, #114; previous translations based on non-Meishu-sama text, 高き低きの 差別をつけず懇ろに 教ふる人こそ御旨に叶はむ TAKAKI HIKUKI NO, KEJIME O TSUKEZU NEMOGORO NI / OSHIURU HITO KOSO MIMUNE NI KANAWAN.
 
S4-231D & S4-379D translation
In this world, / To give true life, / God judges / Without distinction / To high or low.
 
Book of Gosanka translation
A man who can teach / With understanding and love, / With no prejudice / Shown to those on high or low / Is one who lives by God’s Will.
 
Prayers and Gosanka, Prayers and Poems, SDII translation
Those who guide others / Without discrimination, / With kindness and love / No matter who they may be, / Act in accord with God’s Will.
 
         
68  

人の目を 盗むは已に人の物 盗むと同じ事にぞありける

    Using in secret that
Which belongs to
Other people is the same
As stealing
Their possessions.
Page 16; S6-52B; previous translations, Prayers and Gosanka, page 54B, Prayers and Poems, page 54B, and Book of Gosanka, page 54, #214.
      Prayers and Gosanka translation
To deceive others / Or lie to them is the same / As stealing from them / Their own rightful possessions; / All such acts are betrayals.
 
Prayers and Poems translation
To deceive others / Is the same / As stealing from them / Their own rightful possessions; / All such acts are betrayals.
 
Book of Gosanka translation
If one does by stealth, / Thinking others cannot see / Any evil deed— / This is to steal people’s eyes— / Very like to steal their things.
 
         
69 如何ならむ 事も堪へてさりげなく 微笑みあしらふ人となれかし
    Try to become the
Kind of person who
Can modestly
Handle any adversity
With a smile. 
Page 16, S6-52C; S4-66D 如何ならむ 事も耐へ平然と ほほゑみ湛ふる人となれかし In a set of poems titled “Collection of Poems of the Path (1),” #13, in Kômyô Sekai (World of Light), Issue 3, May 21, 1935; S4-197B 如何ならむ 事も耐へ平然と 微笑み湛ふる人となれかし In a set of poems titled “Poems of the Path (13)” in Gosanka Poems for the Kannon Society, 1936, #130, unpublished; S4-347C 如何ならむ 事も耐へてさりげなく 微笑みあしらふ人となれかし In a set of poems titled “Poems of the Path (2)” in Gosanka Poems, #76; July 1, 1948; previous translations in Prayers and Gosanka, page 54C; Prayers and Poems, page 54C; Book of Gosanka, page 71, #282.
      S4-66D & S4-197B translation
Try to become the / Kind of person who / Can calmly / Wear a smile in the / Face of any adversity.
 
Prayers and Gosanka translation
Let us have the strength / To bear with any hardship, / Any mistreatment, / Accepting it with a smile, / Just as though it were nothing.
 
Prayers and Poems translation
Become one / Who can bear / Any hardship / With a smile, / As though it were nothing.
 
Book of Gosanka translation
Strive to be a man, / Who handles with forbearance / Whate’er it might be, / With an air of unconcern, / And a smile upon the lips.