Kojiki (Chamberlain, 1882)/Section 102

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Kojiki (1882)
by Ō no Yasumaro, translated by Basil Hall Chamberlain

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Ō no Yasumaro4692044Kojiki1882Basil Hall Chamberlain

[Sect. CII.—Emperor Chiū-ai (Part VIII.—The Empress Jin-gō Presents Liquor to the Heir Apparent).]

Hereupon, when the [Heir Apparent] returned up [to the Capital], his august parent, Her Augustness Princess Okinaga-tarashi, distilled some waiting-liquor,^[1] and presented it to him. Then his august parent sang augustly, saying:

“This august liquor is not my august liquor:—oh! it is august liquor respectfully brought as a divine congratulation, a repeated congratulation, a bountiful congratulation, a reiterated congratulation, by the Small August Deity, who dwells eternally, firmly standing. Partake not shallowly! Go on! go on!”^[2]

Having thus sung, she presented to him the great august liquor. Then His Augustness the Noble Take-uchi replied for the august child and sang, saying:

“Whatever person distilled this august liquor must surely have distilled it singing the while with that drum on the mortar,—must surely have distilled it dancing the while, for this august liquor, august liquor, to be ever more and more joyful. Go on! go on!”^[3]

These are Drinking Songs.^[4]

↑ Machi-saki. This expression, which recurs in the poems of the “Collection of a Myriad Leaves,” signifies liquor distilled for an absent friend by those who are awaiting his return.
↑ The general signification of the Song is: “Think not that this liquor was made by me. ’Tis a present from the Small August Deity (Sukuna-biko-na), who dwells forever in unshaken power and who 6cnds it to thee with endless congratulations. Come on! come on! drink deeply!”—Some of the expressions in this Song are a subject of debate among the commentators. Excepting the clause “partake not shallowly,” in which the translator has adopted the opinion of the author of the “Explanation of the Songs in the Chronicles of Japan,” Moribe’s interpretation has been followed throughout. The latter critic would identify asazu (“not shallowly”) with amasazu (“without leaving anything”). But there seems no warrant for supposing such an elision of the syllable sa. The use of the expressions kuruhoshi and motohoshi to express reiteration is worthy of notice. It will be remembered that the Deity here mentioned was the microscopic personage who came riding over the waves to share the sovereignty of Idzumo with the Deity Master-of-the-Great-Land (see Sect XXVII).
↑ This Song signifies: “Such a joyful feast must surely have been preceded by a joyful distilling of the liquor for it. Continue to drink, oh Prince!”—The commentators disagree on the subject of one or two of the words of this Song, in which the translator has followed Motowori’s interpretation throughout. The words “that drum” are the chief difficulty. Motowori supposes that drums, being originally unknown in Japan, were first seen by the Japanese on the occasion of the conquest of Korea in this very reign, and thinks that the drum would be placed by the side of the mortar during the pounding of the rice out of which the liquor was to be made. “That drum” means the drum belonging to the pounder of the rice. The original words so no, “that,” might also be rendered by “his.”
↑ Literally, “liquor-rejoicing songs.”

[1] Machi-saki. This expression, which recurs in the poems of the “Collection of a Myriad Leaves,” signifies liquor distilled for an absent friend by those who are awaiting his return.

[2] The general signification of the Song is: “Think not that this liquor was made by me. ’Tis a present from the Small August Deity (Sukuna-biko-na), who dwells forever in unshaken power and who 6cnds it to thee with endless congratulations. Come on! come on! drink deeply!”—Some of the expressions in this Song are a subject of debate among the commentators. Excepting the clause “partake not shallowly,” in which the translator has adopted the opinion of the author of the “Explanation of the Songs in the Chronicles of Japan,” Moribe’s interpretation has been followed throughout. The latter critic would identify asazu (“not shallowly”) with amasazu (“without leaving anything”). But there seems no warrant for supposing such an elision of the syllable sa. The use of the expressions kuruhoshi and motohoshi to express reiteration is worthy of notice. It will be remembered that the Deity here mentioned was the microscopic personage who came riding over the waves to share the sovereignty of Idzumo with the Deity Master-of-the-Great-Land (see Sect XXVII).

[3] This Song signifies: “Such a joyful feast must surely have been preceded by a joyful distilling of the liquor for it. Continue to drink, oh Prince!”—The commentators disagree on the subject of one or two of the words of this Song, in which the translator has followed Motowori’s interpretation throughout. The words “that drum” are the chief difficulty. Motowori supposes that drums, being originally unknown in Japan, were first seen by the Japanese on the occasion of the conquest of Korea in this very reign, and thinks that the drum would be placed by the side of the mortar during the pounding of the rice out of which the liquor was to be made. “That drum” means the drum belonging to the pounder of the rice. The original words so no, “that,” might also be rendered by “his.”

[4] Literally, “liquor-rejoicing songs.”

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