翻刻
号は享和以前か文化か慥に不聞越前丹
生郡内ノ郡村農家に而十五才以下之男子
志願にて江戸へ往て奉公せんと出かけしに同
輩之童連れ弐人跡ゟ追ひ着き都合
三人同道に而江戸へ着夫々知音之方へ便り
主取可致に付而は互に分かるゝ節各何之業に
て成共非常之勉励を尽し見事一身之
本ん分んを顕し候迄は面会すまじと堅く約
定して三方向へ分かれしが
一其内一人日本橋堀留町辺にて大き成薬
種屋へ丁稚に口入せられ正直誠儀に勤めし
より古参を越へて番頭に被取立益主家之
ため忠勤を尽し予而三人之友達契約之
事を語りしかば実意器量を見込み終に
其舗の家督を被譲弥増繁昌せる由
一又一人は最初足かけは何を勤しか其後旧幕
の黒鍬之者勤に成予而友達の契約有事故
何卒昇進の手懸りもやと心を砕きて周
旋すれとも素ゝ田舎在郷のふつと出故依頼
現代語訳
年号は享和以前か文化かはっきりと聞いていないが、越前丹生郡内の郡村の農家で、十五歳以下の男子が志願して江戸へ行って奉公しようと出かけたところ、同輩の童仲間二人が後から追いついて、都合三人同道で江戸へ着いた。それぞれ知り合いの方へ頼って主人を見つけることになったので、互いに分かれる節に、各々何の業であっても並外れた勉励を尽くし、見事一身の本分を顕すまでは面会すまいと堅く約定して三方向へ分かれた。
一、その内一人は日本橋堀留町辺りで大きな薬種屋へ丁稚として口入りされ、正直誠実に勤めたので、古参を越えて番頭に取り立てられ、益々主家のため忠勤を尽くした。予てからの三人の友達の契約のことを語ったところ、実意と器量を見込まれ、ついにその店の家督を譲られ、いよいよ増々繁昌したという。
一、また一人は最初足がかりは何を勤めたか分からないが、その後旧幕府の黒鍬の者の勤めに就いた。予てからの友達との契約があることゆえ、何とか昇進の手がかりもやと心を砕いて周旋するけれども、もともと田舎在郷のぽっと出ゆえ、依頼
英語訳
The era name was either before Kyōwa or during Bunka - I did not hear clearly - but from a farming family in a village within Nyū County in Echizen Province, a boy under fifteen years of age set out with the aspiration to go to Edo to serve. Two companions of the same age caught up with him from behind, and the three traveled together to Edo. Since each would rely on their own acquaintances to find masters, when they parted ways, they made a firm pact that no matter what profession each entered, they would exert extraordinary effort and would not meet again until each had distinguished himself and revealed his true worth. With this agreement, they separated in three directions.
One: One of them found employment as an apprentice at a large medicine shop around Nihonbashi Horitome-chō. Because he worked with honesty and sincerity, he was promoted to head clerk, surpassing his seniors, and devoted himself even more loyally to his master's house. When he spoke of the pact he had made with his three friends, his sincerity and ability were recognized, and eventually he was given inheritance of the shop's business, which prospered more and more.
One: Another one - it's unclear what work he initially found as a foothold, but later he became employed as a "kurokuwamono" (construction worker) for the former shogunate. Because of his prior agreement with his friends, he racked his brains trying to find some opportunity for advancement, but since he was originally just a country bumpkin from a rural village, his appeals...