Ofudesaki 04:122–5
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Contents
Content
| The beginning of this world was a muddy ocean. | kono yō no hajimari dashi wa doro no umi | このよふの はぢまりだしハ とろのうみ |
| Therein were only loaches. | sono naka yori mo dojō bakari ya | そのなかよりも どちよばかりや |
| What do you think these loaches were? | kono dojō nani no koto ya to omote iru | このどぢよ なにの事やと をもている |
| They were the very seeds of human beings | kore ningen no tane de aru zo ya | これにんけんの たねであるそや |
| God drew them up and consumed them all, and through | kono mono o Kami ga hikiage kute shimote | このものを 神がひきあけ くてしもて |
| providence brought them up into human beings step by step. | dandan shugō ningen to nashi | だん／＼しゆごふ にんけんとなし |
| From that time on, God’s providence has been | sore yori mo Kami no shugō toyū mono wa | それよりも 神のしゆこと ゆうものわ |
| by no means an easy matter. | nami taitei na koto de nai zo ya | なみたいていな 事でないぞや |
Alternate English translations
Third Edition
At the beginning this universe was a muddy ocean. And therein were living only a numerous number of loaches.
What do you think these loaches were? They were the very seeds of human beings.
Dipping them up, God ate all of them and step by step through divine protection brought them up into human beings.
From that time on God has exerted an extraordinary effort to protect the growth of man.
Inoue/Eynon
In the beginning of the world there were muddy seas in which I found a large number of mudfish.
What do you think that these mudfish really were? They were truly the seeds of humanity.
After I, God, drew them up and consumed them, in My Providence, I gradually nurtured them into human beings.
Thereafter, that which was referred to as God’s Providence has definitely not been an easy task.
Commentary
Ofudesaki chushaku
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This section contains translated material that has not yet been subjected to peer-review to check for accuracy and clarity. While the translator(s) have given their best effort to render Japanese text into English, we would like readers to keep in mind that the present translation may require further revising and refining. Any input to improve the present translation is greatly welcomed. Translator(s): Roy Forbes |
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4:122–125 The beginning of this world was a chaotic state that can be compared to a muddy ocean where there were many loaches living within. I, Oyagami, drew up these loaches and consumed them, making them the seeds of human beings. Gradually I provided My protection and initiated creation. It was a struggle to nurture human beings until today; it was by no means an easy task.
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『おふでさき註釈』、p. 70 一二二―一二五、この世の初まりは泥の海にもたとうべき混沌たる状態であって、その中にどじょうのようなものばかりが沢山いた。このどじょうのようなものを親神が泥海の中から引き上げて、食べてしもうてこれを人間の子種として、だんだん守護して人間を創めたのであるが、こうして今日の人間と育て上げるまでの親神の苦心というものは、なかなか容易なものではなかった。
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Commentary by Yoshitaro Ueda (2009)
From Michi no dai: Foundation of the Path 34:65–6
IV:122, 123
“The beginning of this world”–or “the beginnings of origin” as it is referred to in verse 121–”was a muddy ocean,” in which there were only “loaches,” which were wriggling and swimming. If we wonder what role “these loaches” may have played, they were the “seeds of human beings.” The Story of Creation starts by saying, “In the beginning, the world was a muddy ocean.” Although verse 122 says that there “were only loaches” in this muddy ocean, the Ofudesaki says elsewhere that, looking carefully, God found “a fish and a serpent” and “other creatures, too.” Thus there were those instruments along with the loaches in the muddy ocean. God put the “orc” into the “fish” and, as Tsuki-sama (the Moon), entered the “fish.” God put the “turtle” into the “serpent” and, as Hi-sama (the Sun), entered the “serpent.” Then God consumed all the “loaches” in the muddy ocean and made them the seeds for human beings.
IV:124
We can see that the “loaches” themselves did not evolve into human beings. Having summoned instruments such as those mentioned, God put the “orc” into the “fish” and the “turtle” into the “serpent” and entered the “fish” and the “serpent” as Tsuki-sama and Hi-sama, respectively. Then having consumed the “loaches” and using them as the seeds, God conceived lives that were to become human beings.
IV:125
Since the original conception of humankind–or since the beginnings of origin when God summoned the instruments–it has been no easy matter to provide for all.
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