Kakemaku mo kashikoki funadama no ōkami no uzunohiromae ni kashikomi kashikomi mo mōsaku掛けまくも畏き船玉大神の宇豆の広前に、畏み畏みも白さく
Ōkami wa kushibi ni ayashiki mītsumashite utsushikiaohitokusa no saiwahi o mamori tamai tasuke tamau kaminina mo mashikeru大神は霊異に奇しき御稜威坐して、顕見蒼生の幸を守り給ひ助け給ふ神になも坐しける
Guidance by road, bridge, and ship
Yamayuka ba yamaji o hiraki tamai okayuka ba kugamichi o michibiki tamai山行かば山路を開き給ひ、陸行かば陸道を導き給ひ
Kawakawani wa hashi o watashite yuki wataru koto o oshihe tamai河川には橋を渡して行き渡る事を教へ給ひ
Hashi mo oyobanu ōunabarani wa fune o tsukurite chisato no ura ni yuki kayofu koto o oshihe tamau橋も及ばぬ大海原には船を造りて、千里の浦に行き通ふ事を教へ給ふ
A kami revered on the road and at sea
Yue ni yamakuchini wa tamuke no kami to agame matsuri chimatani wa daurokujin to iwahi matsuri故に山口には手向の神と崇め祭り、阡陌には道祖神と斎ひ奉り
Unanohenite wa funadama no kami to afugi matsuru海上にては船玉の神と仰ぎ祭る
A prayer for peaceful passage at sea
Ito mo kashikoki sokoishirenu unabara o kokoronomama ni yukikafuhaōmikami no mitamanofuyunikoso to甚も畏き底意知れぬ海原を自由自在に往来るは、大御神の恩頼にこそと
Imaōhiromae ni utsu no mikikusagusa no mono o sasage tataegotōe matsuru今大広前に珍の御酒・雑々の物を捧げ、称辞竟へ奉る
Ko no katachi o kikoshi meshi ahiuzunahi tamaite kazenami no wazahahinaku kokoro no mama ni tairaka ni yasuraka ni kayohashime此の状を聞し食し、相うづなひ給ひて、風波の災なく、心の儘に平らかに安らかに通行らしめ
Megumi sakihahe tamae to kashikomi kashikomi mo mōsu恵み幸へ給へと、畏み畏みも白す
TranslationThe august power of Funadama Ōkami
Includes interpretation
Before the honored presence of the awe-inspiring Funadama Ōkami, these words are humbly declared. The prayer praises the kami as possessing wondrous and mysterious power, guarding the well-being of people in this visible world and coming to their aid.
Editorial note
Kushibi ni ayashiki is rendered narrowly as a wondrous and mysterious quality. Utsushiki ao hitokusa is understood as people living in the visible world.
Includes interpretation
When people traveled in the mountains, the kami opened mountain paths; when they crossed the land, the kami guided them along the roads. The kami taught them to span rivers with bridges and cross to the other side. Where no bridge could reach across the great sea, the kami taught them to build ships and travel between distant shores.
Editorial note
The sequence is rendered as the prayer’s account of guidance in human travel. It is not treated as a historical claim that one deity invented particular technologies.
Includes interpretation
For this reason, the prayer says, the kami is revered at the entrance to the mountains as the kami of offerings by the wayside, enshrined at crossroads as Dōroku-jin, and worshiped at sea as Funadama no Kami.
Editorial note
This wording follows the identifications made within this prayer. It does not claim that Tamuke no Kami, Dōroku-jin, and Funadama no Kami are understood as one deity in every tradition.
Includes interpretation
The prayer declares that the ability to cross the unfathomable and awe-inspiring sea comes through the blessing of the great kami. Sacred sake and many kinds of offerings are presented, and words of praise are completed. May this petition be heard and accepted; may there be no calamity from wind and waves, and may the journey proceed freely, peacefully, and securely under the kami’s blessing.
Editorial note
Ai uzunahi is understood cautiously as receiving and assenting to the petition. This historical prayer does not guarantee a safe voyage or replace weather, navigation, equipment, and other safety procedures.
Beginning
The august power of Funadama Ōkami1 / 4
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