俗語之種. [5] - 翻刻

翻刻

心を配り梅花の薫りうせはてゝあらひし
髪を乱せし如く日毎に磨く粧ひさへ白
きにあらて焼跡の妙やほこりに穢れ果男
女の差別も更にわからす昼の疲れも此上の
水災いかよと安すからす草履に紐つけわらしを
不離うつくまりては夜を明かし夢うつゝにも
水の音耳そばたてて是を聞けは幾千萬の
変死の人々さぞや苦痛に絶果なん
此上如何なり行者と時の鐘さへあらされは
寂滅為楽生滅も実に生滅のあしきなく

更行夜半に聞ゆるものは秋にあらねと
夜嵐の音のみすき間に吹込みて焼残り
たる犬の遠ほえ囲のすき間見渡せは霏り
ふらりと小屋〳〵のあかりも自然とひにつれ
淋しさこわさを語りあひ隣家は素より
裏家もなく表も離れし田甫中爰に
一ト小屋かしこに一ト小屋思ひ〳〵に逃去りて
仮居定めし事なれは明け行空を待わひ
て東雲告る鶏の啼を待つゝ哀をは
爰にとゞめて居たりける

現代語訳

心を配ることもなく、梅花の薫りも失せ果てて、洗った髪を乱したように、日ごとに磨く化粧さえ白くはなくて、焼け跡の煤や埃に汚れ果て、男女の区別もまったくわからず、昼の疲れもこの上の水害がいかようかと安らかでなく、草履に紐をつけ、わらじを離さずうずくまっては夜を明かし、夢うつつにも水の音に耳をそば立てて、これを聞けば幾千万の変死の人々はさぞや苦痛に絶え果てたであろう。この上いかになり行くものかと、時の鐘さえ荒らされれば、寂滅為楽の生滅も実に生滅の悪しきことなく。

更けゆく夜半に聞こえるものは、秋ではないけれど夜嵐の音のみが隙間に吹き込んで、焼け残った犬の遠吠え、囲いの隙間を見渡せばひらりふらりと小屋小屋の明かりも自然と灯につれて、淋しさ怖さを語り合い、隣家はもとより裏家もなく、表も離れた田圃の中、ここに一つ小屋、あそこに一つ小屋、思い思いに逃げ去って仮住まいを定めたことなれば、明けゆく空を待ちわびて、東雲を告げる鶏の鳴き声を待ちつつ、哀れをここに留めて居たのであった。

英語訳

With no care for appearances, the fragrance of plum blossoms had completely vanished, and like disheveled hair after washing, even the daily grooming and makeup was not white but defiled with soot and dust from the burned ruins. The distinction between men and women was completely unclear, and with daytime fatigue and anxiety about what further flood disasters might come, they could find no peace. Tying cords to their sandals and clutching their straw footwear, they passed the nights crouched down, and even in their half-sleeping state they listened intently to the sound of water, thinking that the millions who had died unnatural deaths must have surely perished in agony. Wondering what would become of them next, even the temple bells that marked the hours had been destroyed, and the Buddhist principle that "nirvana is bliss" seemed to make the cycle of life and death truly without evil.

What could be heard in the deepening night was not autumn, yet only the sound of night storms blowing through the gaps, the distant howling of dogs that had survived the fires. Looking through the gaps in the enclosures, the lights of the scattered huts flickered naturally with the flames, and people spoke together of loneliness and fear. There were no neighboring houses, no houses behind, and no houses in front either - just one hut here in the middle of the separated rice fields, one hut there, each family having fled as they thought best and established temporary dwellings. They waited longingly for the brightening sky and listened for the crow of roosters announcing the dawn, keeping their sorrows there with them.