Teki wa Ikuman explained

is a Japanese gunka.[1] It was composed by Sakunosuke Koyama in 1891,[2] and its lyrics were written by Yamada Bimyō in 1886. The melody, which is in ternary form, uses a major pentatonic scale.[3] [4]

Lyrics

Japanese Rōmaji English Translation
敵は幾万ありとても すべて烏合の勢なるぞ

烏合の勢にあらずとも

味方に正しき道理あり

邪はそれ正に勝ちがたく

直は曲にぞ勝栗の

堅き心の一徹は

石に矢の立つためしあり

石に立つ矢のためしあり

などて恐るる事やある

などてたゆとう事やある

teki wa ikuman aritotemo,
subete ugō no sei naruzo.
ugō no sei ni arazu tomo,
mikata ni tadashiki dōri ari!
ja wa sore sei ni kachi gataku,
choku wa kyoku ni zo kachiguri no
kataki kokoro no ittetsu wa
ishi ni ya no tatsu tameshi ari.
Ishi ni tatsu ya no tameshi ari.
nadote osoruru koto ya aru

nadote tayutō koto ya aru!
Thousands of enemies may come,
but they are only disorderly troops!
Even if they are not,
we have always absolute justice

The evil, by nature, cannot defeat the justice,
and the justice must defeat the evil.
Where there is a strong will,
there is always a way,
as Li Guang's arrow pierced a stone.
What do we fear at all?
Nothing in the world shall threaten us!
風に閃く連隊旗

記紋は昇る朝日子よ

旗は飛びくる弾丸に

破るることこそ誉れなれ

身は日の本の兵士よ

旗にな愧じそ進めよや

斃るるまでも進めよや

裂かるるまでも進めよや

旗にな愧じそ耻じなせそ

などて恐るる事やある

などてたゆとう事やある

kaze ni hirameku rentaiki,
shirushi wa noboru asahiko yo.
hata wa tobikuru dangan ni
yabururu hodo koso homare nare.
mi wa hinomoto no tsuwamono yo.
hata ni na haji so susume yoya.
taoruru mademo susume yoya!
sakaruru mademo susume yoya

hata ni na haji so, haji na se so.
nadote osoruru koto ya aru!
nadote tayutō koto ya aru
Our regimental flags are streaming:
the marks are all the Rising Sun!
The more our flags are torn by shots,
the more we get the honors in the field

You, Japanese soldier,
don't be behind your flags!
Go on until the very end

Go on until the heroic death!
Don't be behind your flags

What do we fear at all?
Nothing in the world shall threaten us!
破れて逃ぐるは国の耻

進みて死ぬるは身の誉れ

瓦となりて残るより

玉となりつつ砕けよや

畳の上にて死ぬことは

武士の為すべき道ならず

骸を馬蹄にかけられつ

身を野晒になしてこそ

世に武士の義といわめ

などて恐るる事やある

などてたゆとう事やある

yaburete niguru wa kuni no haji.
susumite shinuru wa mi no homare.
kawara to narite nokoru yori
tama to naritsutsu kudake yoya.
tatami no ue nite shinu koto wa
bushi no nasubeki michi narazu.
mukuro o batei ni kakeraretsu
mi o nozarashi ni nashite koso
yo ni mononofu no gi to iwame.
nadote osoruru koto ya aru!
nadote tayutō koto ya aru
If you run away, you bring our country great disgrace;
if you die bravely, you win many glories.
Instead of surviving shamefully,
you must fall admirably!
If you will be a samurai,
don't pass away at home

It is not until your body is hoofed
and remains on the front without burying it
that people say: You are a true samurai!
What do we fear at all?
Nothing in the world shall threaten us
Source:[5] [6]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Orbaugh, Sharalyn. 2007. Japanese Fiction of the Allied Occupation: Vision, Embodiment, Identity. BRILL. 220. 978-9004155466.
  2. Book: 2007-05-17. Rethinking the Russo-Japanese War, 1904-5: Volume 1: Centennial Perspectives. Global Oriental. 187. 9789004213432.
  3. Book: Craig. Timothy J.. King. Richard. 2010-10-01. Global Goes Local: Popular Culture in Asia. UBC Press. 229. 9780774859790.
  4. Book: Mitsu, Toru. 2014-07-17. Made in Japan: Studies in Popular Music. Routledge. 3. 9781135955342.
  5. Web site: Тэки ва икуман | Японская военная музыка .
  6. Web site: Thousands of enemies may come (Teki wa ikuman) .