Translation of the song 豪商一代紀伊国屋文左衛門 artist Haruo Minami
豪商一代紀伊国屋文左衛門
Kinokuniya Bunzaemon, wealthy merchant
惚れた仕事に 命をかけて
Risking the life in what he loves
散るも華だよ 男なら
A man is a scattering flower
怒濤逆巻く 嵐の中を
Surging the waters in the storm
目指すは遙か 江戸の空
Aiming at the far Edo's sky
花の文左の みかん船
The beautiful Bunzaemon's mikan boat goes
肝の太さと 度胸の良さに
In the great and good of their bravery
勇み集まる 十二人
Twelve men gather and cheer up
力合せて 乗り出す船は
The boat sails testing its strength
これも故郷の 人の為
For the people of their hometown
征くぞ夜明けの 和歌の浦
Let's conquer the Wakayama beaches at the dawn
浜辺に送る妻や子が、
Wife and children escort us to the beach
別れを惜しんで呼ぶ声も風に悲しく千切れとぶ。
Their voices lamenting the farewell break sadly in the wind.
まして文左の新妻は、今年十九のいじらしさ、
Not to mention Bunzaemon's new wife, a 19 years old charm.
せめても一度もう一度、背伸びしながら手を振れど、
At least wave your hands once again standing tiptoes
雨と嵐にさえぎられ、かすむ良人(おっと)の後ろ影、
The rain and storm will block us, the shadows of the husbands get misty
これが別れになりゃせぬか。女心の切なさよ。
It can't be a farewell. This would be the pain of a woman's heart.
「白装束に身を固め、
Bunzaemon wearing white
梵天丸に乗り移った文左衛門。
Gets on the Bonten ship.
時に承応元年十月二十六日の朝まだき。
It was the early morning of 26 October 1652.
此の時、遥か街道に駒のいななき、
In that time horses were neighing in the far routes
蹄の音は、連銭芦毛に鞭打って、
The sound of their hoofs is a whip on their gray skins
パッ、パッ、パッパッパッパー。
Swish, swish, swish, swish
馬上の人は誰あろう。
Who's riding?
歌に名高き玉津島明神の神官、高松河内。
Takamatsu Kawachi, famous priest of the god Tamatsushima.
可愛い娘の婿どのが、今朝の船出の餞けと、
The groom of a cute girl, saying It's a parting gift of the parting boat of this morning
二日二夜は寝もやらず、神に祈願をこめました。
He prayed to the gods without sleeping for two days and two nights.
海上安全守りの御幣、背中にしっかりとくくりつけ、
He ties strongly to the back an amulet that protects him on the sea.
嵐の中を歯を喰いしばり親の心の有り難さ。
Clenched in his teeth in the storm is the gratitude of his parents.
婿どのイヤ待ったと駆けつけた。」
The groom didn't wait and went running.
涙で受取る文左衛門。
With tears understands Bunzaemon.
未練心を断つように、波切丸を抜き放ち、
He unsheathes his boat Nakiri as if he severs his heart,
切ったとも綱、大碇は、しぶきを上げて海中へ、
He cuts the stern lines and the anchor raises in the sea
ザ、ザ、ザ、さぶん――。
Sa sa sa sabun.
眺めて驚く船頭に、せくな騒ぐな此の船は、
The boat makes noise for the boatmen who look surprised
神の守りの宝船じゃ。
It's a treasure ship protected by the gods.
張れよ白帆を巻き上げよ、
Roll the sails
船は忽ち海原へ、疾風の如く乗り出す。
In a moment the boat will sail to the sea like a gale
寄せくる波は山の様、嵐はさながら息の根を、
The tides coming near are like mountains, the storm
止めんばかりの凄まじさ。
Is like the intensiveness about to kill
舳(へさき)に立った文左衛門は、
Bunzaemon standing in prow
両の眼をらんらんと、刀を頭上に振りかざし、
Has blazing eyes and raises his sword to the sky
無事に江戸まで、八大竜王守らせ給えと念じつつ、
While they go safely to Edo, they pray May the eight dragon kings protect us
熊野の沖や志摩の海、遠州相模の荒灘も、
The seas of Kumano, Shima, Enshū and Sagami
男一代名をかけて、乗り切る文左のみかん船。
Are crossed by the famous Bunzaemon's mikan boat
沖の暗いのに白帆がサー見ゆる
Against the dark sea, white sails are seen
あれは紀の国ヤレコノコレワイノサ
It's the mikan boat
みかん船じゃエー
Of Kinokuniya
八重の汐路に 広がる歌が
A song spreads in the tide road
海の男の 夢を呼ぶ
And summons the dreams of the men of the sea
花のお江戸は もうすぐ近い
Soon will be near the beautiful edo
豪商一代 紀伊国屋
Kinokuniya is a wealthy merchant
百万両の 船が行く
His boat of a million coins goes