Literature:The Bells of the Gion Shōja

Source

Japanese	Hepburn	Kunrei-shiki
祇園精舎の鐘の聲、諸行無常の響き有り。 沙羅雙樹の花の色、盛者必衰の理を顯す。 驕れる者も久しからず、唯春の夜の夢の如し。 猛き者も遂には滅びぬ、偏に風の前の塵に同じ。	Gionshōja no kane no koe, Shogyōmujō no hibiki ari. Sarasōju no hana no iro, Jōshahissui no kotowari wo arawasu. Ogoreru mono mo hisashikarazu, tada haru no yoru no yume no gotoshi. Takeki mono mo tsuwi ni wa horobin(u), hitoeni kaze no mae no chiri ni onaji.	Gionsyouzya no kane no koe, Syogyoumuzyou no hibiki ari. Sarasouzyu no hana no iro, Zyousyahissui no kotowari o arawasu. Ogoreru mono mo hisasikarazu, tada haru no yoru no yume no gotosi. Takeki mono mo tui ni wa horobinu, hitoeni kaze no mae no tiri ni onazi.

Translations

English

There have been five major translations of The Tale of Heike; the first being A.L. Sadler (1918-1921) and the latest being R. Tyler (2014).

A.L. Sadler (1918-1921)

The sound of the bell of Gionshoja echoes the impermanence of all things.
The hue of the flowers of the teak tree declares that they who flourish must be brought low.
Yea, the proud ones are but for a moment, like an evening dream in springtime.
The mighty are destroyed at the last, they are but as the dust before the wind.

H. McCullough (1988)

The sound of the Gion Shōja bells echoes the impermanence of all things;
the color of the śāla flowers reveals the truth that the prosperous must decline.
The proud do not endure, they are like a dream on a spring night;
the mighty fall at last, they are as dust before the wind.

R. Tyler (2014)

The Jetavana Temple bells
ring the passing of all things,
Twinned sal trees, white in full flower,
declare the Great Man's certain fall.
The arrogant do not long endure:
They are like a dream one night in spring.
The bold and brave perish in the end:
They are as dust before the wind