Inori no Mori祈りの杜working title

Read, reflect, pray

Prayers Concerning Illness, Chapter 2 — 1869 edition

祈癒病五章・第二章(きゆびょうごしょう・だいにしょう)(1869年刊本(ねんかんぽん))

A historical prayer offered during illness within a village, presenting ritual gifts and asking that illness stop spreading and those suffering recover.

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.

Before the great kami whom we worship, we humbly speak.

This has been a peaceful and joyful village where you dwell and bestow sacred blessings, and its people have lived without bereavement or misfortune. Recently, however, illness has arisen within the village and many have died.

We humbly pray that your revered power, which protects the community, may bring the illness to an end. On this auspicious day we present ritual gifts and offer these words. Please hear them peacefully.

Through this service, may illness cease to spread in the village and may those suffering soon recover. Protect them night and day, so that their lives remain long and firm as rock. We humbly speak.

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.

掛(かけまく)も畏(かしこ)き吾大神(わがおほかみ)の大前(おほまへ)に、恐(かしこ)み恐(かしこ)みも白(まを)さく。

kakemakumo kashikoki wagaohokamino ohomaheni, kashikomi kashikomimo mawosaku.

此(こ)の里(さと)はしも吾大神(わがおほかみ)の鎮坐(しづまりまし)て、神随(かむながら)霊幸(たまちは)へ坐(ま)す里(さと)にし有(あ)れば、浦安(うらやす)き楽(たのし)き里(さと)と、、氏子(うぢこ)の諸人等(もろびとら)、喪(も)なく事(こと)なく有経(ありへ)しを、頃日(このごろ)村内(むらうち)に病起(やまひおこり)て、人多(ひとさは)に失(うせ)ぬ。此(こ)を思(おも)ふに、

kono satohashimo wagaohokamino shizumarimashite, kamunagara tamachihahe masu satonishi areba, urayasuki tanoshiki satoto, , ujikono morobitora, monaku kotonaku ariheshiwo, konogoro murauchini yamahiokorite, hitosahani usenu. kowo omofuni,

吾大神(わがおほかみ)の氏子等(うぢこら)を守(まもり)給(たま)ひ幸(さきはへ)給(たま)ふ高(たか)き貴(たふと)き恩頼(みたまのふゆ)を被(かがふ)りてし、此(こ)の病(やまひ)は止(やむべ)しと、恐(かしこ)じ物思議(ものおもはかり)て、今日(けふ)の生日(いくひ)の足日(たるひ)に、礼代(ゐやじろ)の幣(みてぐら)を捧持(ささげもち)て、広(ひろ)く厚(あつ)く称辞竟奉状(たたへごとをへまつるありさま)を、大神(おほかみ)の御心(みこころ)に平(たひら)けく安(やすら)けく聞召(きこしめせ)と白(まを)す。

wagaohokamino ujikorawo mamori tamahi sakihahe tamafu takaki tafutoki mitamanofuyuwo kagafuriteshi, kono yamahiha yamubeshito, kashikoji monoomohakarite, kefuno ikuhino taruhini, wiyajirono mitegurawo sasagemochite, hiroku atsuku tatahegotowohematsuruarisamawo, ohokamino mikokoroni tahirakeku yasurakeku kikoshimeseto mawosu.

如此(かく)仕奉(つかへまつ)るに依(より)て、従今後(いまよりのち)は村中(むらうち)に此(こ)の病(やまひ)保毘許(ほびこ)る事(こと)なく、悩(なや)む物(もの)をば速(すむやけ)く癒(いやし)給(たま)ひ直(なほし)給(たま)ひて、堅石(かきは)に常石(ときは)に命長(いのちなが)く、夜守(よのもり)日守(ひのもり)に守(もり)幸(さきはへ)給(たま)へと、恐(かしこ)み恐(かしこ)みも白(まを)す。

kaku tsukahematsuruni yorite, imayorinochiha murauchini kono yamahi hobikoru kotonaku, nayamu monowoba sumuyakeku iyashi tamahi nahoshi tamahite, kakihani tokihani inochinagaku, yonomori hinomorini mori sakihahe tamaheto, kashikomi kashikomimo mawosu.

Sources and edition (1)

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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