翻刻
相応之同職之者無之候ハヽ無是非
候間商売替候而成共兎角家立
候様致度勿論和吉義ハ眼前
甥之義御座候得者姉儀も見捨
申候存寄曾而無御坐同町之内
所持致来候家屋敷幷鍛冶職
道具旦那場元手金子等も
差遣職分為立候上ニ而外相談
致度彼是私義も右存念之
所を以親類共評談仕候処兎角
孫蔵義者伴助去春申候趣有之
由ニて相談決定不仕候親類共江も
相尋候処和吉義未熟者跡目
相続無覚束旨申之候
一 但伴助存生之内申候趣者去春
孫蔵義伴助江申候ニ者最早養子
致し可然候甥和吉抔可然旨申候処
伴助申候ハ未熟者之事中々相続
無覚束候得共先家職仕入役ニも
可立候ハヽ行々養子ニも可致哉と
申内談ニ而則孫蔵同道罷越候義
御座候
一右之通孫蔵義者和吉江相続
為致度存念姉義者存寄ニ不
相叶者御座候得者迚和談仕候存寄
無御座候得者此侭差置相続之所
相□【右丁の重複】□
【左丁】
罷帰文右衛門江申聞候上猶又相談も
可仕与孫蔵江去暮伴助死去之
砌左程伴助申候趣茂【も】有之候ハヽ
早速相談可遂候処只今迠者
現代語訳
適当な同職の者がいなければ仕方がないので、商売を変えてでも、とにかく家を立て直したいと思います。もちろん和吉は目の前にいる甥でございますから、姉も見捨てるつもりは全くございません。同町内で所有してきた家屋敷ならびに鍛冶職の道具、旦那場、元手金子なども渡して職分を立てさせた上で、他の相談をしたいと思います。あれこれと私もその考えで親類たちと評議いたしましたところ、とにかく孫蔵は伴助が去年の春に申していたことがあるということで、相談が決定いたしません。親類たちにも尋ねましたところ、和吉は未熟者で跡目相続は心もとないと申しております。
一、ただし伴助が存命中に申していた内容は、去年の春に孫蔵が伴助に申すには「もはや養子をするのがよろしく、甥の和吉などがよろしい」と申したところ、伴助が申すには「未熟者のことで到底相続は心もとないけれども、まず家職の仕入れ役にも立つようであれば、将来的には養子にもしようか」と申した内談で、そこで孫蔵同道で参りました次第でございます。
一、このように孫蔵は和吉に相続させたい考えで、姉は考えが叶わないということでございますが、とても和談する気持ちもございませんので、このまま放置して相続のところが〔右丁の重複〕
〔左丁〕
帰って文右衛門に申し聞かせた上で、なお相談もしようと孫蔵に去年の暮れ、伴助死去の際、それほど伴助が申していたこともあったのであれば早速相談を遂げようと思ったのですが、今まで何も
英語訳
If there are no suitable people in the same profession, it cannot be helped, so even if we have to change the business, we want to somehow reestablish the household. Of course, since Wakichi is the nephew right before us, my sister has absolutely no intention of abandoning him. We would like to give him the house and property in the same town, as well as the blacksmith tools, customer base, and capital that have been possessed, establish his professional standing, and then discuss other matters. When I discussed this thinking of mine with various relatives, since Magozō insists there were things Bansuke said last spring, the consultation cannot be concluded. When we inquired with the relatives, they said Wakichi is immature and succession would be unreliable.
Item: However, what Bansuke said while alive was that last spring, when Magozō told Bansuke "It would be good to adopt someone now, someone like nephew Wakichi would be suitable," Bansuke replied, "He is immature and succession would be quite unreliable, but if he could first serve as an assistant in the family business, perhaps he could become an adoptee in the future." This was a private consultation, and then Magozō came along with [Wakichi].
Item: Thus Magozō wishes to have Wakichi succeed, while my sister's wishes cannot be fulfilled, but since there is no intention of reaching an amicable settlement, leaving things as they are with the succession matter being [duplicate from right page]
[Left page]
After returning and informing Bunemon, we thought to consult further with Magozō. Last winter when Bansuke died, if Bansuke had indeed said such things to that extent, we thought to promptly proceed with consultation, but until now nothing [has happened]