翻刻
耳故戦之勝敗由卒徒之強弱治
之功否内薬物之精良與粗悪豈
可不慎哉態則為瞖有之於薬物
惟由本《送り仮名：々》草《送り仮名：々》之學不可不急且重也
上相聖神為作之經而來莫世不
講之至明李時珍綱目殆乎集大成
態【然ヵ】詳於説而略於啚且其為説或
謬妄者無不為少或専氣味而遺
【左丁】
形状今求之風氣絶殊之東方小大
厚薄美惡能否既已不同而未能
的知為某物而淺人妄擬而用之者
有為【焉ヵ】庸者不察而施之者有為【焉ヵ】學
之不講其害人不細也乃有若水稲
先生者出而斯學頗明及貝原松
崗阿部田村大田小野諸先生継興
則其節蓋精然猶急於説緩於
現代語訳
それゆえ、戦の勝敗は兵卒の強弱によって決まり、治療の成否もまた薬物の精良か粗悪かによって決まる。どうして慎まずにいられようか。そうであれば、薬物においては、ひとえに本草学を学ぶことを急務かつ重要なこととしなければならない。
上古の聖神はこのために経典を著し、以来、これを講じない時代はなかった。明の李時珍の『本草綱目』に至って、ほぼ大成を集めたといえよう。しかしながら、説明において詳しく図においては略であり、またその説明の中には謬妄（誤り・でたらめ）なるものが少なくなく、あるいは気味（薬効・味）のみを専らにして形状を遺忘（おろそか）にしているものがある。
【左丁】
今やこれを風気（風土・気候）のまったく異なる東方（日本）において求めようとすれば、大小・厚薄・美悪・能否がすでに異なっており、いかなる物であるかを的確に知ることができないまま、浅学の者が妄りに推し当てて用いるものがあり、凡庸な者が吟味せずにそれを施すものがある。学が講じられないことの害は、人に及ぶこと少なからぬのである。
そこに若水稲先生のような方が現れ、この学問がかなり明らかにされた。さらに貝原・松岡・阿部・田村・大田・小野の諸先生が継いで興隆させるに及んで、その節（水準）はすこぶる精緻なものとなった。しかしながら、なお説明を急いで図を
英語訳
Therefore, the outcome of battle is determined by the strength or weakness of the soldiers, and the success or failure of medical treatment is likewise determined by whether the medicinal substances are of fine or poor quality. How then can one afford to be negligent in this matter? This being the case, with regard to medicinal substances, one must regard the study of honzōgaku (materia medica) as a matter of the utmost urgency and importance.
The sages of high antiquity composed canonical texts for this very purpose, and there has been no age since that has not studied them. With the *Bencao Gangmu* (*Honzō Kōmoku*; Compendium of Materia Medica) by Li Shizhen of the Ming dynasty, the subject was brought nearly to a complete synthesis. Yet that work is detailed in its explanations while scant in its illustrations; furthermore, its explanations are by no means free of errors and unfounded claims, and in some cases, the work concentrates solely on the qi and flavor (medicinal properties and tastes) of substances while neglecting their physical form and appearance.
【Left folio】
Now, when one seeks to apply this knowledge in the Eastern Land (Japan), whose climate and natural conditions are entirely different, the size, thickness, appearance, and efficacy of substances already differ from those described, and one cannot know with certainty what a given substance is. There are those of shallow learning who rashly guess and apply them, and those of mediocre ability who administer them without due examination. The harm caused by this failure to pursue learning is by no means trivial.
It was then that a figure such as Jakusui Ina-sensei appeared, and this field of study became considerably clarified. When the successive masters Kaibara, Matsuoka, Abe, Tamura, Ōta, and Ono further carried on and developed it, the level of the discipline became quite refined. Yet still, they were hasty in their explanations and slow regarding their illustrations...