Read, reflect, pray
Prayer to Ebisu (1890 edition)
祭恵比須大神告刀(1890年刊本)
A historical prayer naming Ebisu at Nishinomiya, in Muko district of Settsu. Its example names the twentieth day of the first month and asks for a flourishing livelihood, household harmony and the continuity of the family. The date belongs to this text’s historical example.
English meaning and source text
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.
We invoke the spirit of Ebisu, enshrined at Nishinomiya Hirota village in Muko district, Settsu, where the shrine pillars stand upon deep rock and its roof finials rise toward Takamanohara.
We welcome and worship this spirit at the sacred place in this household, and humbly address the revered presence.
We set the twentieth day of the first month this year as a life-filled, abundant day.
We hang ritual yū strips on a branch of sacred sakaki from the deep mountains and enshrine a representation of the kami.
We place a broad ritual sash across our weak shoulders and prepare ourselves with reverent restraint and purification.
Please graciously receive our offerings of food, sake, water, fish large and small, sweet and pungent greens, and other provisions.
If anything has been overlooked, through Kamunaobi and Ōnaobi, please regard and hear it anew in a favorable light.
Let our livelihood flourish increasingly, and let our household be peaceful, happy and harmonious.
Let there be no misfortune or obstacle of any kind, and let our spouses and children too be free of calamity and trouble.
Let our lives be long, our descendants continue through many generations, and our family flourish like vigorously spreading branches.
Let merchandise, gold and silver, food and clothing richly fill our storehouses.
May their roof ridges rise high and their buildings stand together like overlapping fish scales.
Guard us by night and day and grant us well-being.
Bending our knees like deer and extending our necks like cormorants, we humbly and reverently 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.
摂津国武庫郡西宮広田村の下津磐根に宮柱太知、高天原に千木高知て鎮座坐す恵比須大神の御霊を、
tsunokuni mukonokohori nishinomiyahirotamurano shimotsuihaneni miyabashira futoshiri, takamanoharani chigitakashirite shizumarimasu webisunoohokamino mitamawo,
某家の神床に招奉り斎き奉る、宇頭の御前に、畏み畏み白さく。
sorenoiheno kamudokoni wokimatsuri itsuki matsuru, uzuno mimaheni, kashikomikashikomi mawosaku.
今年正月の廿日の日を生日の足日と斎ひ定めて、
kotoshi mutsukino hatsukano hiwo ikuhino taruhito ihahi sadamete,
奥山の真賢木が枝に木綿取垂て、大神の御形代を坐せ奉りて、
okuyamano masakakiga edani yufu torishidete, ohokamino mikatashirowo mase matsurite,
某が弱肩に太襷取掛けて、持斎まはり持斎まはり持清まはりて、
sorega yowakatani futotasuki torikakete, mochiyumahari mochiimahari mochikiyomaharite,
御食御酒御母比、鰭の広物鰭の狭物、甘菜辛菜種種の多米都物を、平らけく安らけく所聞食して、
mike miki omohi, hatano hiromono hatano samono, amanakarana kusagusano tametsumonowo, tahirakeku yasurakeku kikoshimeshite,
漏落む事を、神直日大直日に見直し聞直し坐して、
moreochimu kotowo, kamunahobi ohonahobini minahoshi kikinahoshi mashite,
家業を弥栄に昌えしめ給ひ、家内安穏に、楽しく睦しく、
ihenonariwo iyasakani sakaeshime tamahi, yanuchiyasurakani, tanoshiku mutsushiku,
諸の凶悪事無く、萬の障無く、妻子等に至るまで凶禍無く事無く、
moromorono magagoto naku, yorozuno sahari naku, mekodomoni itarumade maga naku kotonaku,
寿命遠長くしめ給ひ、子孫の八十連属弥遠長く、伊加志夜具波延の如く立栄えしめ給ひ、
inochi tohonagakushime tamahi, uminokono yasotsuzuki iyatohonagaku, ikashiyaguhaeno gotoku tachisakaeshime tamahi,
売買物を始めて、金銀食物着物を、蔵に弥広に積充め給ひ、
urikafumonowo hajimete, koganeshirogane woshimono kirumonowo, kurani iyahironi tsumimitame tamahi,
蔵の棟弥高に魚鱗の如く造成しめ給ひて、
kurano mune iyatakani irokono gotoku tsukurinashime tamahite,
夜の守日の守に護幸へ給へと、
yono mamori hino mamorini mamorisakihahe tamaheto,
鹿自物膝折伏せ、鵜自物頸根衝抜きて、恐み畏みも乞祈奉らくと白す。
kajimono hizaworifuse, ujimono unanetsukinukite, kashikomi kashikomimo kohinomi matsurakuto mawosu.
Connected kami and buddhas
These connections include figures addressed, mentioned, or associated by tradition. They do not assign a universal recitation practice.
Sources and edition (3)
- 国立国会図書館/白幡義篤・加藤長平 — 諸神拝詞記正訓(1890年)・祭恵比須大神告刀
- 國學院大學 古典文化学事業 — 八河江比売(祝詞の『いかしやくはえ』の解説)
- 小学館・精選版 日本国語大辞典/コトバンク — 御水(おもひ)
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.