Gosanka Poems, Revised, "I Have Been Saved"

         
40   命さへ 危ふき程の病きも 癒へて恵みに浸る嬉しさ
   

Happy am I to be
Bathed in the blessing of
Having been healed of
Sickness that threatens
Even life itself.

Page 10, S6-46A; S4-164B 命さへ 危き程の病も 医しの力受けし嬉しさ In a set of poems titled “God’s Great Blessings,” #5, 1936, unpublished; S4-211D 命さへ 危き程の病きも 癒えて恵みにひたる嬉しさ In a set of poems titled “God’s Great Blessings (19)” in Gosanka Poems for the Kannon Society, #196, 1936, unpublished; S4-366C 命さへ 危き程の病きも 癒えて恵みに浸る嬉しさ In a set of poems titled “Gratitude and Its Expression” in Gosanka Poems, #159, July 1, 1948; previous translations, Prayers and Gosanka, page 46A; Prayers and Poems, page 46A; Sounds of the Dawn, Volume II, pages 48 & 188, #108; Book of Gosanka, page 44, #174.
 
S4-164B translation
Happy am I to / Receive the power to / Heal sickness and / Disease that threatens / Even life itself.
 
PG, PP, SDII translation
How happy I am, / How joyous, to have received / God’s healing blessing, / When I had been in danger / Of losing my very life.
 
Book of Gosanka translation
Happy am I now— / Illness that endangered life / Is healed with no trace, / And I bathe in the blessings, / That God showers upon me.
 
         
41   我生命 蘇るさへ嬉しきに 医しの業まで許されにける
    Happy to have been
Brought back to life
From death, I have
Even been permitted
The way to heal others.
Page 10, S6-46B; S4-164A 我生命 甦るさへ嬉しきに 医しの業を許されにける In a set of poems titled “God’s Great Blessings,” #4, 1936, unpublished; S4-211C 我生命 甦るさへ嬉しきに 医しの業まで許されにける In a set of poems titled “God’s Great Blessings (19)” in Gosanka Poems for the Kannon Society, #195, 1936, unpublished; S4-366B 我生命 甦るさへ嬉しきに 医しの業まで許されにける In a set of poems titled “Gratitude and Its Expression” in Gosanka Poems, #158, July 1, 1948; previous translation, Sounds of the Dawn, Volume I, pages 67 & 211, #159; SDI translation based on non-Meishu-sama text 我生命 蘇るさへ嬉しきに 浄めの業まで許されにける
         
Sounds of the Dawn translations
“How grateful I am! / Not only is my life saved, / But I’m permitted / To channel God’s Divine Light / To anyone who needs it.”
 
         
42  

病きの 癒されたりし嬉しさよ 生命に代へる宝なければ

    How happy I am to
Be saved from
Diseases and other harm!
There is no treasure  
That can be traded for life.
Page 10, S6-46C; S4-88B 病きの 医されたりし嬉しさよ 生命に代ゆる宝なければ In a set of poems titled “Light from the East” in The Light from the East, Volume 8, October 21, 1935; S4-165D 病きの 医されたりし嬉しさよ 生命に代ゆる宝なければ In a set of poems titled “God’s Great Blessings,” #12, 1936, unpublished; S4-213A 病きの 医されたりし嬉しさよ 生命に代へる宝なければ In a set of poems titled “God’s Great Blessings (19)” in Gosanka Poems for the Kannon Society, #203, 1936, unpublished; S4-367D 病きの 医されたりし嬉しさよ 生命に代える宝なければ In a set of poems titled “Gratitude and Its Expression” in Gosanka Poems, #165, July 1, 1948.
 
         
43  

生命程 尊きものは世にあらじ ひたに縋りて齢延ばさむ

    We should all
Strive to prolong
Age, nothing being
As precious in
This world as life. 
Page 10, S6-46D; S4-165B 生命程 尊きものは世にあらじ それを賜ひし救主の御恵 In a set of poems titled “God’s Great Blessings,” #10, 1936, unpublished; S4-212D 生命程 尊きものは世にあらじ ひたに縋りて齢延ばさむ In a set of poems titled “God’s Great Blessings (19)” in Gosanka Poems for the Kannon Society, #201, 1936, unpublished; S4-367C 生命程 尊きものは世にあらじ ひたに縋りて齢延ばさむ In a set of poems titled “Gratitude and Its Expression” in Gosanka Poems, #164, July 1, 1948; previous translation, Book of Gosanka, page 20, 80; Book of Gosanka translation based on non-Meishu-sama text 生命程 尊きものは世にあらじ イノチアリテノミワザニアレバ 
         
S4-165B translation
A blessing / Bestowed by the lord of / Salvation, nothing is / More precious in this / World than life.
 
Book of Gosanka translation
Nothing in this world / Is more precious to us all / Than the life we have, / For it is that with this life, / We can do the work of God.
 
 
44  

御恵に 酬ひ奉らでおくべしや 生きし此身の幸を思へば

    How can I repay
The divine blessings received
When I consider
The happiness that comes from
Being alive in this world!
Page 11, S6-47A; S4-211B御恵みに 酬ひ奉らでおくべきや 生きし此身の幸を思へば In a set of poems titled “Great Blessings (19)” in Gosanka Poems for the Kannon Society, unpublished, 1936; S4-163C御恵みに 酬ひ奉らでおくべきや 生きし此身の幸を思へば In a set of poems titled “Great Blessings,” unpublished 1936 [S4-163C & S4-211B same translation]; Prayers and Gosanka, page 47A; Prayers and Poems, page 47A; Book of Gosanka, page 43 (#172).
   Alternate translation
There is no way / I can repay the blessings / When I think of the / Happiness of this body / Still living.
 
      Prayers and Gosanka (original)  translation
God’s renewed my life. / I feel I must give myself / In service to Him / To express my gratitude / For His wonderful blessing.
 
Prayers and Poems translation
God has renewed my life. / I feel I must give / Of myself in service / To express my gratitude / For this wonderful Divine blessing.
 
Book of Gosanka translation
When I think of self, / That I live because of God, / Who blesses me well / With much happiness in life; / I cannot but service Him well.
 
         
45  

罪深き 此身も尤め給はずて 大いなる幸豊に恵まふ

    Many are the sins
I have committed, but
Without condemnation
I am blessed with
Abundant happiness. 
Page 11, S6-47B; S4-165A 罪多き 此身も尤め賜はずて 大御恵を垂れます畏こさ In a set of poems titled “God’s Great Blessings,” #9, 1936, unpublished; S4-212C 罪多き 此身も尤め賜はずて 大御恵を垂れませるなり In a set of poems titled “God’s Great Blessings (19)” in Gosanka Poems for the Kannon Society, #200, 1936, unpublished; S4-367B 罪深き 此身も尤め給わずて 大いなる幸豊に恵もう In a set of poems titled “Gratitude and Its Expression” in Gosanka Poems, #163, July 1, 1948; previous translations, Prayers and Gosanka, page 47B; Prayers and Poems, page 47B; Sounds of the Dawn, Volume II, pages 48 & 187, #105; Book of Gosanka, page 43, #171.
 
S4-165A translation
Many are the sins / I have committed, but / Overwhelmed am I that / Without condemnation divine / Blessings are bestowed upon me.
 
S4-212C translation
Many are the sins / I have committed, but / Without condemnation / Divine blessings have been / Bestowed upon me.
 
      PG & SDII translation
God, through His great Love, / Has abundantly blessed me, / Despite all the clouds / My spiritual body / Has been accumulating.
 
Prayers and Poems translation
God, through great Divine Love, / Has abundantly blessed me, / Despite all the clouds / My spiritual body / Has been accumulating.
 
Book of Gosanka translation
I am a sinner; / Yet God does not condemn me, / Nor my many sins; / Rather, He to me does give / Blessings full of happiness.
 
         
46  

讃へても 称へつくせぬ御恵に 酬はむ術のなきぞ悲しき

    No matter how much
I may praise God no
Way is there to repay the
Blessings I have received,
So sad am I.  
Page 11, S6-47C; S4-365D 讃えても 称え尽せぬ御恵に 酬わむ術のなきぞ悲しき. In a set of poems titled “Gratitude and Its Expression” in Gosanka Poems, #156, July 1, 1948.
 
         
47  

御恵の 万分一に届かねど 誠のしるし受けさせ給へ

    Not amounting to even
One thousandths of the
Blessings I have received,
Receive please this sign of
My sincerity and love.
Page 11, S6-47D; S4-164D 御恵の 万分一に届かねど 誠の御しるし受けさせ給へ In a set of poems titled “God’s Great Blessings,” #7, 1936, unpublished; S4-212A 御恵の 万分一に届かねど 誠の御しるし受けさせ給へ In a set of poems titled “God’s Great Blessings (19)” in Gosanka Poems for the Kannon Society, #198, 1936, unpublished; S4-366E 御恵の 万分一に届かねど 誠の御しるし受けさせ給へ In a set of poems titled “Gratitude and Its Expression” in Gosanka Poems, #161, July 1, 1948; previous translations, Prayers and Gosanka, page 47C; Prayers and Poems, page 47C; Sounds of the Dawn, Volume II, pages 51 & 193, #114; Book of Gosanka, page 43, #170; all previous translations based on non-Meishu-sama text 御恵みの 万分一に足らねども 誠のしるしと受けさせ給へ
 
Prayers and Gosanka & Sounds of the Dawn translation
Please accept my gift, / A small but heartfelt token / Of love, devotion, / Though I can ne’er repay Thee / For Thy great blessings in full.
 
Prayers and Poems translation
Please accept my gift, / A small but heartfelt token / Of love and devotion, / Though I can never repay You / For Your great blessings in full.
 
Book of Gosanka translation
My service to Thee / Is not even an atom / Of blessings to me, / But please accept it from me / As my deep sincerity.
 
         
48  

村肝の 命賜し御恵を 打忘れなば獣に等しき

    Same as the beasts is
The human being who
Forgets the blessing of
Life, vital as it is,
Bestowed by God.
Page 11, S6-47E; S4-221C 村肝の 生命賜ひし御恵を うち忘れなば獣なるらむ In a section of poems titled “Gratitude and Its Expression (23)” in Gosanka Poems for the Kannon Society, #241, unpublished manuscript, 1936; S4-373C 村肝の 生命賜ひし御恵を うち忘れなば獣に等しき In section of poems titled “God’s Great Blessings” in Gosanka Poems, #190, July 1, 1948; previous translation in Prayers and Gosanka, page 48A; Prayers and Poems, page 48A; Sounds of the Dawn, Volume II, pages 52 & 195, #117; Book of Gosanka, page 44, #175.
      PG & SDII translation
If I should forget / Thou has bestowed upon me / A most priceless gift, / The great blessing of new life / I’d be on the beasts’ level.
 
Prayers and Poems translation
If I should forget that God / Has granted me / A most priceless gift, / The great blessing of new life, / I would be on the beast’s level.
 
Book of Gosanka translation
Ne’er should we forget, / That the great blessing of life / God bestowed on us; / If we forget God gives life, / We are very like a beast.
 
         
49 千億の 富にもまして嬉しきは 恙なみける身にしあるなり
    Even more than receipt of
A fortune of billions,
Happy am I to
Have been formed into a
Body safe and sound.
Page 12, S6-48A; S4-220D 千億の 富にも増して嬉しきは 恙なみける生命なりけり In a set of poems dated November 1, 1935 and titled “Gratitude and Its Expression (23)” in Gosanka Poems for the Kannon Society, #238, 1936, unpublished; S4-372D 千億の 富にも増して嬉しきは 恙なみける身にしありけり In a set of poems titled “God’s Great Blessings” in Gosanka Poems, #187, July 1, 1948; previous translations, Prayers and Gosanka, page 48B; Prayers and Poems, page 48B; Sounds of the Dawn, Volume II, pages 47 & 186, #104; Book of Gosanka, page 65, #257; previous translations based on non-Meishu-sama text 千億の 富にもまして嬉しきは 恙なくして生くる身の幸
      S4-220D translation
Even more than receipt of / A fortune of billions, / Happy am I that / Safe and sound / Is my life.
 
PG, PP, SDII translation
Just to be alive, / In good health, without mishaps, / Is far more precious / And brings greater happiness / Than all the wealth in the world.
 
Book of Gosanka translation
Wealth of happiness / Is in the joy of living / In a wealth of health; / This wealth of health surpasses / All riches one amasses.
 
50大前に 額く毎に涙しぬ 救はれたりし此身思へば
  Before your presence,
Each time I prostrate
Myself, tears fall
Thinking of how you have
Saved this human being.
Page 12, S6-48B; S4-223C 大前に 額く毎に涙しぬ 救はれたりし此身思へば In a set of poems dated November 1, 1935 and titled “Gratitude and Its Expression (23)” in Gosanka Poems for the Kannon Society, #251, 1936, unpublished; S4-375B 大前に 額く毎に涙しぬ 救はれたりし此身思へば In a set of poems titled “Rebirth” in Gosanka Poems, #198, July 1, 1948; previous translations, Prayers and Gosanka, page 48C; Prayers and Poems, page 48C; Sounds of the Dawn, Volume II, pages 46 & 183, #100; Book of Gosanka, page 42, #166.
   Prayers and Gosanka & Sounds of the Dawn translation
Every time I kneel, / Pray at our sacred altar, / My eyes fill with tears / Of thanks for the renewed life / That God has given me.
 
   Prayers and Poems translation
Every time I pray / At our sacred altar, / My eyes fill with tears of thanks, / For the renewed life / That God has given to me.
 
   Book of Gosanka translation
Whenever I kneel / In front of Almighty God, / My eyes fill with tears, / Each time I think of myself— / How I had been saved by God.