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| An imaginative recreation of Musashi in the cave at Reigendo where he wrote Gorin no Sho. |
Miyamoto Musashi’s Gorin no Sho is one of the most famous books in the field of martial arts. Since the first commercial translation in 1974 (Victor Harris, Overlook Press) there have been a host of others, all of which have their own strengths and weaknesses – the publication of another translation in 2018 (Alexander Bennett, Tuttle) makes it worth considering the merits of some of the most significant of these.
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| Reigendo, the cave where Musashi lived for the last two years of his life. |
Written in the last two years of his life when he was living in the cave Reigendo, in Mount Iwato in Kyushu, he finished it a few days before he died on the 19thday of the 5thmonth, 1645. he passed it to his student Terao Magonojo. The original five scrolls, bearing only the titles of the elements, (rather than the name Gorin no Sho) were destroyed by a castle fire less than fifty years later – fortunately several copies had been made.
When it comes to translations, it is difficult to say one version is better than another; personal taste plays a major role here – the writing style of one translator may just sit with a reader better than another does.
So, what is it that I look for in a translation?
Primarily, fidelity to the original – in content and in tone. You might think this is pretty much a given – surely all translators try to be accurate in their work? Translation requires more than linguistic skill, and some translators make it a virtue that their work is more approachable than the original (or previous versions). But for me, this may well make it less useful.
The brevity of Japanese gives translators a great deal of leeway, and although all of the significant translations of Gorin no Sho are, for the most part, accurate (anyone can be forgiven for a minor error), for a text like this something more is required. Words and phrases in either language have a value or effect beyond their outward meaning. Some words are stronger, some more subtle, they have rhythm and energy. Some have additional connotations; a translator’s sensitivity to these is important, particularly if they are translating a document as something that speaks to us now, rather than a historical curiosity.
Perhaps, then, it ismerely a matter of personal opinion. There are certainly inconsistencies, infelicities of language and even inaccuracies in even the best of translations, but each of those currently available have something to offer. Personally, I like to be able to hear the voice of the original writer coming through. It is true that some of Musashi’s instructions can be difficult to follow, but if I cannot begin to imagine what he was actually saying from reading the translation, I think something has been missed.
As a word or warning – don’t believe the editor and fanboy reviews you may find on Amazon or elsewhere for some of these versions. I don’t consider any of them to be more definitive than the others in any substantial way. Nor do I feel that the authors’ experience in martial arts or lack of it necessarily makes a difference…it can do, but even those practising traditional martial arts may be a long way from the kind of art Musashi was writing about.
There is also the question of familiarity: I first read Gorin no Sho at the age of about 15, and over the years, certain phrases have become familiar. Subsequent translators will naturally write in their own style; though perfectly accurate, the difference may not be to the reader’s liking if they are already familiar with the text. Alternatively, the reader may find a new translation speaks to them in a different voice and what was previously opaque becomes clearer.
Finally, the prospective reader might also consider the design of the book. How big is it? How has it been laid out? What illustrations are there? What additional background, notes, introduction etc. the author has seen fit to include? Some books are just more pleasant or easier to read and use as reference. Others have more useful or interesting notes and explanations. It depends on what the reader is looking for, but there are significant differences.
Having laid out these brief considerations, I will look at some of my favourite versions in the next few posts.
Here in 2025 looking for the best translation of the Book of Five Rings. Did you even post your favorite?
ReplyDeleteGood question – not yet, I’m afraid, as the books in question are still boxed up out of (easy) reach, but here is a quick review:
ReplyDeleteI like different ones for different reasons – I have a copy of the Wilson translation that was released with the Japanese as well as the English (the more common version has English only), which is very useful, and Wilson certainly does a good, straightforward job.
The Tokitsu is the most interesting – it includes plenty of other stuff and he explains his reasons for specific choices in translation. I believe it was originally written in French, which may explain some of the word choices – ‘cadence’ for example – which I don’t much care for. There are places where I disagree with the way he has translated some of the concepts, too, but this is going to happen with translations. It’s good to read alternative points of view, as long as there seems to be a decent reason behind them.
Bennet’s comparatively recent translation is authoritative and includes other works by Musashi that give additional context. I would certainly trust Bennet’s translation on most points. As a book, it has a few shortcomings – the illustrations tend to detract from it as a whole, and (understandably from the publisher’s point of view) chapters that appear in more than one of the translated works are not included in the second one - there is just a reference that says ‘see xxx on p.42) or something similar.
The other one I would note is David Groff’s version. I don’t have this – it’s a bit on the pricey side, but it’s a deluxe volume with full colour illustrations that complement the text. It is, perhaps, the best translation from what I have seen – I haven’t read it all – clear, good understanding of the meaning (I believe he not only trains in Niten Ryu but also consulted with his teacher) and clear, straightforward English.
Finally, there are several ‘all new’ translations available online. Most of these are simply rip-offs of Victor Harris, even to the extent of including some of his mistakes/typos.
To summarise, if you just want Gorin no Sho, go with either Wilson or Bennet (I find Wilson easier to read and prefer his word choice on the whole), unless you want to splash out, and the I’d go for Groff. If you want the back story, Bennet or Tokitsu (Wilson’s The Lone Warrior(?) is all about Musashi but doesn’t include his translation of Gorin no Sho).
If you love thick books and want tons of detail and musings on related stuff, it has to be Tokitsu.