翻刻
月二十八日ニ至リ初メテ「黙地」ニ到着セリ此日
帝自ラ軍勢ノ指揮ヲ取ルニ方リ左ノ布令ヲ兵
卒ニ傳ヘリ○此時帝ハ其兵ノ状態ヲ察シ初メ
テ其柔弱ナルヿヲ識リタルベシ且ツ其兵ヲ交
ユベキ歒國ノ威力ハ強大ニシテ軍僃十分ナル
ヿヲ知リタルナラン
今吾汝兵卒等ノ将トナリ我土地人民ヲ擁
護スベシ汝兵卒亦「欧羅巴」洲中強國ノ名ア
ル一方ニ向テ兵ヲ交ユベシ決シテ他ノ國
々彼ヲ援ケザレバ汝怖ルヽヿ勿レ○今戦
現代語訳
七月二十八日に至り、初めて「メッス」に到着した。この日、帝は自ら軍勢の指揮を執るにあたり、以下の布告を兵卒に伝えた。○この時、帝はその兵の状態を察して、初めてその柔弱であることを知ったであろう。かつ、その兵を交えるべき敵国の威力は強大であり、軍備も十分であることを知ったことであろう。
今、われ汝ら兵卒の将となり、我が土地・人民を擁護すべし。汝ら兵卒もまた、「ヨーロッパ」洲中において強国の名ある一方に向かって兵を交えるべし。決して他の国々が彼を援けなければ、汝ら恐れることなかれ。○今、戦……
英語訳
On the twenty-eighth day of July, [the Emperor] arrived for the first time at "Metz." On this day, as the Emperor personally took command of the military forces, he conveyed the following proclamation to his soldiers. ○ At this time, the Emperor, having assessed the condition of his troops, must have realized for the first time how weak and feeble they were. Moreover, he must have come to understand that the power of the enemy nation with which his troops were to engage was formidable, and that their military preparations were thoroughly adequate.
Now, having become the commander of you soldiers, I shall protect our land and people. You soldiers too shall engage in battle against a nation that bears the name of a great power within the continent of "Europe." So long as no other nations come to its aid, you need have no fear. ○ Now, at war...