Prevod

Many prayers were offered at Kasuga Shrine, Yamashina Temple, and elsewhere. The Commander of the Left at that time was Nakahira, known as the Biwa Commander of the Left. Hōzō, a senior priest of Tōdaiji, was the priest who conducted prayers on his behalf. Certain that he would be asked to perform prayers, Hōzō waited, but no word came. Uneasy, he went up to the capital and called at the Biwa residence. The lord received him and asked, “What brings you to the capital?” The priest replied, “While I was in Nara, I heard that the court astronomers had divined that the Commanders of the Left and Right must both be on their guard. The Commander of the Right has therefore had prayers offered at Kasuga Shrine, Yamashina Temple, and elsewhere. Thinking that Your Lordship would surely wish to do the same, I made inquiries, but everyone said they had heard nothing of the kind. I felt uneasy and so came here myself. It would surely be best to have prayers offered.” The Commander of the Left said, “That would indeed be the proper course. Yet this is how I see it: if, when the commanders have been warned to be on their guard, I too take precautions, I fear it might go badly for the Commander of the Right. He is a man of great learning and ability, and still young. He has much to offer in service to the court. As for me, I have no particular gifts, and I am old. Whatever may happen to me, what would it matter? That is why I have offered no prayers.” At this, the priest’s tears fell freely. “Such a heart must be worth more than a hundred thousand prayers,” he said. “With a heart so steadfast, you surely have nothing whatever to fear.” Then he took his leave. And indeed, no harm befell the commander: he rose to be a minister and lived to be over seventy.