翻刻
身振得手に任せて歌浄瑠璃歓を尽して
祝事を賀せり 又大禄小身総而之武家
禄高に応して元服を祝ひ夫々披露して
酒肴と振舞 又農商之面々は元服祝の
折を以若い者仲間入と称し分限相応の酒
肴を振舞歓を尽して親睦の義を結び
又市街の商家丁稚奉公往々見込あるもの
には元服させて𧘕𧘔を与へ長吉多吉様の
童名は長助多助等に名を改め手代勤に
取立つかふ旧習なりき 然るに
王政御一新之命令にて官服礼服追々
御改正総而 朝務奉職之諸官員一統
斬髪に被仰出しより最初の程は頑固不平
心を言ひしものありしに漸々 御主意に服し
族姓に不関庶民不残剪髪大凡当時
斬髪五分剃髪坊主天窓五分其内旧習
之髪を結たるもの千人に壱人もあるましと
見ゆ《割書：明治十八年｜十一月》夫も六十才以下のものは更になし
されば其老人いかに長命すとも追々
絶へ最早知れるもの無き様になるを歎息
現代語訳
身振りを得意に任せて歌浄瑠璃で歓びを尽くして祝事を祝った。また大禄・小身すべての武家は禄高に応じて元服を祝い、それぞれ披露して酒肴を振る舞った。また農商の人々は元服祝いの折を以て若い者仲間入りと称し、身分相応の酒肴を振る舞い歓びを尽くして親睦の義を結んだ。
また市街の商家では丁稚奉公の中でしばしば見込みのある者には元服させて烏帽子を与え、長吉・多吉様の童名は長助・多助等に名を改めて手代勤めに取り立てるのが旧来の習わしであった。
ところが王政御一新の命令によって官服・礼服が追々御改正され、すべて朝務奉職の諸官員一統が斬髪を仰せ出されてから、最初の頃は頑固で不平の心を言う者もあったが、漸々御主意に服し、族姓に関わらず庶民残らず剪髪した。大凡当時、斬髪五分、剃髪坊主天窓五分、その内旧習の髪を結った者は千人に一人もあるまいと見える《割書：明治十八年十一月》。それも六十才以下の者は更になし。
されば、その老人がいかに長命するとも追々絶え、最早知る者無き様になるのを歎息する。
英語訳
They would freely display their theatrical gestures, singing joruri ballads and celebrating the auspicious occasion to the fullest. Furthermore, all warrior families, whether of high or low stipend, would celebrate coming-of-age ceremonies according to their rice stipend amount, each making their announcements and hosting banquets with sake and delicacies. Farmers and merchants would also use the coming-of-age celebration as an occasion for "joining the young men's group," hosting banquets appropriate to their social status, celebrating to the fullest and forming bonds of friendship.
In urban merchant houses, apprentices who showed promise would often be given coming-of-age ceremonies and granted eboshi caps, with childhood names like Chōkichi and Takichi being changed to names like Chōsuke and Tasuke, and they would be promoted to clerk positions - this was the old custom.
However, with the imperial restoration and the successive reforms of official and ceremonial dress, when all government officials serving in court duties were ordered to cut their hair, initially there were some who voiced stubborn opposition, but gradually they submitted to the imperial will. Regardless of class status, all commoners without exception cut their hair. Around that time, roughly speaking, short hair was five-tenths, shaved heads and monk tonsures were five-tenths, and among these, those who still wore their hair in the old traditional style appeared to be not even one in a thousand 《marginal note: November, Meiji 18 (1885)》. Even among those, there were none under sixty years of age.
Therefore, no matter how long-lived these elderly people might be, they would gradually pass away, and it was lamentable that soon there would be no one left who remembered the old ways.