Read, reflect, pray

Prayer on beginning a business

祈商業開始繁昌祭しょうぎょうかいしはんじょうをいのるまつり

An 1897 example asking for protection when beginning trade or manufacture. Kami, place and personal names are placeholders in the original.

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 awe-inspiring [name of great kami], I respectfully offer these words.

[Name], of [village], [district], [province], is now beginning the business of buying and selling, or manufacturing, [goods].

Kindly hear our service to you and receive the offerings of sake, food and other gifts we have prepared.

Without calamities, may profit grow as a young child grows, and may the work proceed without delay or obstruction.

May the household be safe and flourish increasingly. With reverence, I offer this prayer.

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）

掛巻（かけまく）も恐（かしこ）き何大神（なにのおほかみ）の御前（みまへ）に、恐（かしこ）み恐（かしこ）みも白（まを）さく、

kakemakumo kashikoki naninoohokamino mimaheni, kashikomi kashikomimo mawosaku,

某国（なにのくに）某郡（なにのこほり）某（なに）の里（さと）の何某（なにがし）、今回（このたび）何々（なになに）の売買（うりかひ）（製造（せいざう））を営（いとな）める故（ゆゑ）に、

naninokuni naninokohori nanino satono nanigashi, konotabi naninanino urikahi ( seizau) wo itonameru yuweni,

御酒御饌（みきみけ）・雑々（くさぐさ）の幣帛（みてぐら）を備（そな）へ仕奉（つかへまつ）らくを、平（たひら）に安（やすらか）に聞食受（きこしめしうけ）給（たま）ひて、

mikimike kusagusano mitegurawo sonahe tsukahematsurakuwo, tahirani yasurakani kikoshimeshiuke tamahite,

諸（もろもろ）の禍事（まがこと）無（な）く、速（すみやか）に若子（わかご）の利益（いやまし）を与（あた）へ給（たま）ひて、滞（とどこほ）る事（こと）無（な）く、障（さは）る事（こと）無（な）く、弥運（いやはこび）に運（はこ）びて、

moromorono magakoto naku, sumiyakani wakagono iyamashiwo atahe tamahite, todokohoru koto naku, saharu koto naku, iyahakobini hakobite,

無害無事（さはりなくことなく）弥向栄（いやむかさか）に、宮栄（みやさか）えしめ給（たま）へと、恐（かしこ）み恐（かしこ）みも白（まを）す。

saharinakukotonaku iyamukasakani, miyasakaeshime tamaheto, kashikomi kashikomimo mawosu.

Sources and edition (1)

国立国会図書館／岡吉胤 — 祝詞全書：試験科目（1897年）・祈商業開始繁昌祭

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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