Read, reflect, pray

Homage at the ancestral sanctuary

拝先祖霊屋詞せんぞのたまやををがむことば

A prayer to the spirits of ancestors and relatives, asking for the home’s protection, descendants’ well-being and the continuation of remembrance.

English meaning and source text

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English meaning

About this English rendering

This site’s English rendering of the Japanese meaning guide, aligned with this edition. It is separate from the source words for recitation and is not an official liturgy. Sacred sounds are explained where possible, not given speculative literal translations. Historical beliefs, royal authority, illness and protection claims belong to the text; they are not present-day judgments, medical advice or guarantees of results.

Spirits of distant ancestors,

ancestors through the generations,

spirits of relatives,

and all the spirits enshrined and honored at this place of worship: before you I bow in reverence.

Let calamity fall neither upon the household nor upon myself.

Protect and bless us by night and day, cherishing us as precious in your care.

May descendants, from one generation to the next and beyond,

flourish ever more abundantly.

May we live long,

and fulfill well the duties of remembrance and worship.

These wishes we offer in prayer:

hear them peacefully and grant your grace.

With reverence, I offer this homage.

Source text and reading aid

Roman letters are provided for every line of this source text.

How to use the Roman letters

Roman letters follow the kana displayed in this site’s Japanese reader; some readings are editorial additions documented on the Japanese page. These are a reading aid, not restored Sanskrit or a recording of a temple’s chanting. Historical spellings (such as wo, wi, we and ha used as a particle) are kept. Double vowels and repeated vowels mark the written kana; rhythm and pronunciation can differ by tradition.

You can simply read the meaning or sit quietly. No recitation is required. For a temple or shrine’s own recitation, follow that tradition’s published guidance.

本文（ほんぶん）

遠都御祖（とほつみおや）の御霊（みたま）、

tohotsumioyano mitama,

代々（よよ）の祖等（おやたち）、

yoyono oyatachi,

親族（うからやから）の御霊（みたま）、

ukarayakarano mitama,

総（すべ）て此（この）祭屋（まつりや）に鎮祭（いはひまつ）る御霊等（みたまたち）の御前（みまへ）を慎（つつし）み敬（いやま）ひ。

subete kono matsuriyani ihahimatsuru mitamatachino mimahewo tsutsushimi iyamahi.

家（いへ）にも身（み）にも枉事（まがこと）有（あ）らせず、

ihenimo minimo magakoto arasezu,

夜（よ）の守（まもり）日（ひ）の守（まもり）に守（まも）り幸（さきは）へ宇豆那（うづな）ひ給（たま）ひ。

yono mamori hino mamorini mamori sakihahe uzunahi tamahi.

弥孫（やひこ）の次々（つぎつぎ）、

yahikono tsugitsugi,

弥益々（いやますます）に栄（さか）えしめ給（たま）ひて、

iyamasumasuni sakaeshime tamahite,

息内（いのち）長（なが）く。

inochi nagaku.

御祭（みまつり）善（うるは）しく仕奉（つかへまつ）らしめ給（たま）へと、

mimatsuri uruhashiku tsukahematsurashime tamaheto,

祈白（いのりまを）す事（こと）の由（よし）を、

inorimawosu kotono yoshiwo,

平（たひら）けく安（やすら）けく聞食（きこしめし）幸（さきは）へ給（たま）へと。

tahirakeku yasurakeku kikoshimeshi sakihahe tamaheto.

畏（かしこ）み畏（かしこ）みも拝（をが）み奉（たてまつ）る。

kashikomi kashikomimo wogami tatematsuru.

Sources and edition (1)

国立国会図書館／内田芳兵衛 — 毎朝神拝詞記（平田篤胤編・平田鉄胤訂、1881年）・拝先祖霊屋詞

English explanations on this page were prepared by Inori no Mori from the cited text and its Japanese explanations. They are not an official translation or a prescribed liturgy.

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