This is the first paragraph of the essay “Houjouki” written by KAMO no Choumei, a poet and essayist from the Kamakura period
(12th to 14th centuries).
After this he goes on to say, “Some of the bubbles floating on the pool disappear, while others combine, never staying still for long.”
This is an apt description of how the world and life are always changing, equating the world with a wide flowing river and the bubbles on its surface to people. A sentiment that is still true to this day.
In other words, it explains that everything is caught up in this unending flow and this includes our successes and failures.
The opening lines of “The Tale of Heike” are well known for running along similar lines, “The sound of the temple bell of Gion-shouja
echoes, as if to remind us that all things in the world are not eternal.”
The conceited Heike family, who thought that anyone not in their family was a nobody, fell from grace in only 30 years.
We have witnessed many people fall from grace. This phenomenon can be seen not only in individuals, but also in corporations and nations.
In fact, many corporations that prospered 30 years ago are failing or have already been bankrupted.
In terms of nations, Mongolia, Spain and Portugal once dominated the world. Even Britain and the Soviet Union (now Russia),
which were huge powers in the modern era, are not as powerful as they once were.
This line from “Houjouki” could serve as a warning to the conceited and as an encouragement to the depressed.
鎌倉時代
kamakurajidai
the Kamakura period
(12~14世紀)
juuni kara juuyon seiki
twelfth century to fourteenth centuries
歌人であり随筆家の
kajinn de ari zuihitsuka no
(a) poet and essayist
鴨長明が
Kamo no Choumei ga
Kamo no Choumei
「方丈記」
Houjouki"
(the essay) Houjouki
冒頭の一節
boutou no issettsu
the first paragraph
この後に、
kono ato ni
after this
「よどみ
"yodomi
(the) pool
うたかたは、
utakata ha
(some of the) bubbles
かつ消え
katsu kie
[and] disappear
かつ結びて
katsu musubite
while others combine
とどまりたる
todomari taru
staying still
ためしなし」
tameshi nashi"
never
と続きます。
to tsuzuki masu.
(he) goes on to say
流れゆく大きな河(川)を
nagare yuku ookina kawa wo
(this) (a) wide flowing river with
世の中に、
yononaka ni
(the) world and
川面の泡を
kawamo no awa wo
the bubbles on its surface
世の中も
yononaka mo
(how) the world
人生も
jinnsei mo
and life
常に変わっていくことを
tsune ni kawatte iku koto wo
are always changing
述べたもの
nobeta mono
(an apt) description (of)
当てはまります。
ate hamari masu.
(a sentiment that) is still true
つまり、
tsumari
in other words
人の栄光も
hito no eikou mo
our successes
挫折も
zasetsu mo
and failures
すべてが
subete ga
everything
留まることのない
todomaru koto no nai
(this) unending
ことを
koto wo
this includes
表現しています
hyougenn shite i masu
(it) explains (that)
これと同様の意味で
kore to douyou no imi de
for running along similar lines
よく知られるのが
yoku shirareru no ga
well known
「平家物語」の
"Heike'monogatari"
The Tale of Heike
冒頭の一節
boutou no issetsu
(the) opening lines (of)
「祇園精舎
"gionn'shouja
Gion-shoja
諸行無常の
shogyou'mujou no
all things in the world are not eternal
響きあり……」。
hibiki ari.…"
echoes (as if to remind us that)
平家でなければ
heike de nakereba
anyone not in their <Heike> family
人間ではない
ninngenn deha nai
was a nobody
思いあがっていた
omoi agatte ita
conceited
平家は
heike ha
(the) Heike family
30年
sanjuu nenn
(who thought) thirty years
滅びてしまいました。
horobite shimai mashita.
fell from grace
私たちは、
watashi tachi ha
we
転落した人を
tennraku shita hito wo
fall people
見てきました。
mite ki mashita.
have witnessed
これは、
kore ha
this (phenomenon)
だけではなく
dake deha naku
not only in but also in
国家にも
kokka nimo
nations
当てはまります。
ate hamari masu.
can be seen
30年前は
sannjuu nenn mae ha
thirty years ago
栄えていた
sakaete ita
that prospered
企業の
kigyou no
corporations
倒産しています。
tousann shite i masu.
have been bankrupted
モンゴル、
Mongoru
Mongolia
ポルトガルが
Porutogaru ga
and Portugal
世界を
sekai wo
(the) world
制覇していました。
seiha shite i mashita.
dominated
近代
kinndai
(the) modern era
巨大な力を誇った
kyodaina chikara wo hokotta
(which) were huge powers
ソ連
Sorenn
and the Soviet Union
当時の
touji no
as they once were
勢いはありません。
ikioi ha ari masen.
are not as powerful
「方丈記」
houjouki
houjouki
一節は、
issetsu ha
this line
思いあがっている者
omoi agatte iru mono
the conceited
警告に、
keikoku ni
(a) warning as and
落ち込んでいる人
ochikonnde iru hito
the depressed
励ましとなる
hagemashi to naru
(an) encouragement as
言葉といえます。
kotoba to ie masu.
could serve