翻刻
鋪物故天下泰平之見物是也故ニ末繁昌也ト云ル仗也然トモ止コトヲ
不得コト有テ曲テ謟古法ヲ乱ス今改ル時ハ却テ禍トナルコトアリ悲哉
其本ヲ不弁相撲ヲ業トスル者ハ諸国ヲ周遊スレハ何国ノ者トモ師
匠或ハ朋友二交テ別テ親子ノ如クスルノ法ナリ常ニ相撲ノ古ヲ有道
ニ就テ正シ行義作法相撲ノ格式相守必下レル世ノ流俗ニ従ヒ邪路ニ
入ヘカラス今ノ有様ヲ見ルニ時勢ト云ナカラ業ハ未熟也ト云トモ大兵ニ
シテ其形ヨケレハ是ヲ関ニシ曲テ皆敬フ去ハ事ノ意味甚疎ク身ノ
程モ忘レ我意ヲ振フ略伝ニ曰力有テ法ヲ蔑ニスルハ乱ノ階也力有
テ法ニ随フハ治ノ具也夫又一ニ決＿レ焉トアリ力在テト云コトハ誠ノ役取
ト云心法ヲ蔑ニスルト云ハ行事年寄ノ詞ニ洩テ不用是作法ノ乱ノ
始也又 階（ハシコ）ハ多ク登ル人有テ下知ナラサル也力在テ法ニ随フ時ハ治世ノ
ノ道具作法古来ノ如クナラン唯一筋ニ是ヲ守レト云コト也今ノ立合ノ如クナレハ
行事ノ団扇邪魔ニナル双方気改ル故ニ立処ヲ失フ其本修ラサル故ニ
手前ノ勝手ハカリヲ見テ論多シ年寄行事心腹ノ秤ニ掛（カ）ラサル故
ニ判断更ニ不決行事モ亦古法ヲ失テ曲《割書：ケ｜》タルニ随フ譬ハ取者ハ
強キ時ハ見物群衆ヲナス渡世タルカ故ニ第一是ヲ善トス爰ニ於
テ法モ自ラ乱ル略伝云不＿レ易＿二行事官＿一故ニ世〻不＿レ艱（カタシト）＿二相撲＿一シテ行事
ヲ艱シトスル者亦良馬伯楽之喩ニ類スル而已トアリ行事官ヤスカ
ラスハ本相撲ノ司也相撲ヲ艱シトセストハ世〻関取ハ続ケトモ行事ノ
一人ハ出来ニクシ良馬伯楽ノ喩ハ古文ニ見ヱタリ千里ノ馬ハ常ニア
レトモ伯楽ハ常ニシモアラス野ニ生スル馬ヲ取テ正ク良馬ニ仕立高位
高官ノ用物トナル是伯楽ノ徳ナリ行事モ又相撲ノ規式法式又ハ
現代語訳
敷物故天下泰平の見物これなり。故に末繁昌なりと言う道理なり。然れども、やむを得ないことがあって曲げて諂い、古法を乱す。今改める時はかえって禍となることあり。悲しいかな、その本を弁えず。
相撲を業とする者は諸国を周遊すれば、いかなる国の者とも師匠あるいは朋友に交わって、別けて親子の如くするの法なり。常に相撲の古きを有道に就いて正し、行義作法相撲の格式を相守り、必ず下れる世の流俗に従い邪路に入るべからず。
今の有様を見るに、時勢と言いながら、業は未熟なりと言うとも、大兵にしてその形よければ、これを関にし曲げて皆敬う。去れば事の意味甚だ疎く、身の程も忘れ我意を振う。略伝に曰く「力ありて法を蔑ろにするは乱の階なり。力ありて法に随うは治の具なり。それまた一に決せん」とあり。力在りてということは誠の役取りという心。法を蔑ろにするというは、行司年寄の詞に漏れて用いず、これ作法の乱の始めなり。また階（はしご）は多く登る人ありて統制ならざるなり。力在りて法に随う時は治世の
道具、作法古来の如くならん。ただ一筋にこれを守れということなり。今の立ち合いの如くなれば、行司の団扇邪魔になり、双方気改まる故に立ち処を失う。その本修まらざる故に、手前の勝手ばかりを見て論多し。年寄行司心腹の秤に掛からざる故に、判断更に決せず。行司もまた古法を失って曲がったるに随う。譬えば取り者は強き時は見物群衆をなす。渡世たるが故に第一これを善とす。ここにおいて法も自ら乱る。
略伝云う「行司官を易しとせず。故に世々相撲を艱しとせずして、行司を艱しとする者また良馬伯楽の喩えに類するのみ」とあり。行司官やすからざるは、本相撲の司なり。相撲を艱しとせずとは、世々関取は続けども、行司の一人は出来にくし。良馬伯楽の喩えは古文に見えたり。千里の馬は常にあれども、伯楽は常にしもあらず。野に生ずる馬を取って正しく良馬に仕立て、高位高官の用物となる。これ伯楽の徳なり。行司もまた相撲の規式法式また
英語訳
This is because it serves as entertainment for the peaceful realm under heaven. Therefore, it is reasonable to say that it flourishes in the end. However, there are unavoidable circumstances that lead to compromising and flattering, thus disrupting the ancient laws. When attempting to reform now, it may instead bring misfortune. Alas, they do not understand the fundamentals.
Those who make sumo their profession travel throughout the provinces, and with people of any region, they form relationships as masters or friends, treating each other especially like parent and child - this is the proper way. They should constantly seek guidance from the virtuous to correct the ancient ways of sumo, maintain the proper conduct, etiquette, and formal structure of sumo, and must never follow the vulgar customs of a debased world and enter the wrong path.
Looking at the current state of affairs, though one might say it's due to the times, even if their technique is immature, if they are large in build and good in form, they are made into sekitori and everyone respectfully bows to them. Consequently, they become very ignorant of the true meaning of things, forget their proper place, and assert their own will. The abbreviated transmission states: "Having strength but despising the law is the foundation of disorder. Having strength and following the law is the instrument of good governance. This too should be decided uniformly." "Having strength" refers to the mindset of being a true wrestler. "Despising the law" means disregarding the words of referees and elders - this is the beginning of the disruption of proper form. Also, when many people climb the ladder (hashigo), there is no proper control. When one has strength and follows the law, it becomes an instrument of good governance.
The tools and etiquette would be as in ancient times. The point is to maintain this single-mindedly. As with today's matches, the referee's fan becomes a hindrance, and both sides lose their composure, thus losing their proper stance. Because the fundamentals are not cultivated, they only look at their own convenience and argue much. Since the elders and referees do not weigh matters with sincere hearts, judgments are never decided. Referees also lose the ancient laws and follow what has become distorted. For example, when wrestlers are strong, they draw crowds of spectators. Since this is their livelihood, they consider this the highest good. Here the law naturally becomes disordered.
The abbreviated transmission says: "Do not consider the referee's office easy. Therefore, generation after generation, those who do not find sumo difficult but find being a referee difficult are also similar to the parable of the fine horse and Bole." That the referee's office is not easy is because it is the true administration of sumo. That they do not find sumo difficult means that while sekitori continue generation after generation, it is difficult for even one referee to emerge. The parable of the fine horse and Bole appears in ancient texts. While horses that can travel a thousand li always exist, Bole does not always exist. He takes horses born in the wild and properly trains them into fine horses that become useful to high-ranking officials and nobles. This is Bole's virtue. Referees too, regarding sumo's rules, regulations, and also...