Songs for the Service — Nakayama Miki

The Mikagura-uta (みかぐらうた, "Songs for the Service") is one of Tenrikyo's Three Scriptures. It is not a doctrine manual or a later explanation of the path. It is the sung text of the Service itself: prayer, dance, agricultural image, building image, origin teaching, and command to settle the heart.

This Good Works Translation is newly translated from the Japanese text attributed to Nakayama Miki (1798-1887). The working transcription was the Japanese Wikisource text of Mikagura-uta, checked for title and structure against the National Diet Library scan preserved on Wikimedia Commons as NDL816095 / DOI 10.11501/816095. Modern official English Tenrikyo translations were treated as reference-only and are not reproduced here.

A few terms are left in transliteration where English would flatten them. Jiba is the sacred place of origin; Kanrodai is the central stand/place of the Service; hinokishin is grateful service offered in response to divine blessing; Sazuke is a divine grant; obiya-hōso names a paired childbirth-and-smallpox salvation formula; denji is the field image in the sowing verses; and fushin is the "construction" image that runs through the songs.

First Section

Sweep away wrongness; grant salvation,

Tenri-O-no-Mikoto.

Second Section

A little word: listen to what God says.

I will speak no wrong.

Taking earth and heaven as the pattern of this world,

I brought forth husband and wife.

This is the beginning of this world.

Third Section

Sweep away wrongness, hastening to save.

Purify all humankind at the Kanrodai.

Fourth Section

The Eight Verses of Yorozuyo

Through all ages I look over the whole world,

yet no one has understood the heart.

That is natural. I had never explained it to you;

it is no wonder that you did not know.

This time God has come openly to the fore

and will explain every detail.

This place is called the God of the Jiba in Yamato,

but no one knows the origin.

If you hear that origin in full,

whoever you are, longing will arise.

If you wish to hear it, come and ask;

I will tell you the origin of all things.

When God comes forth and explains every detail,

all the world will be spirited.

Because I hasten to save all alike,

I set about stirring the hearts of the world.

Fifth Section

The Twelve Songs

Song One

One: At New Year, the Sazuke of the voice:

ah, how wondrous.

Two: Receive the Sazuke with a smile:

ah, how promising.

Three: Settle the scattered heart.

Four: Then the world.

Five: The workings of providence will show.

Six: Abundance will spread without limit.

Seven: If every crop is cultivated and gathered,

Eight: Yamato will be rich with harvest.

Nine: Follow this far.

Ten: The harvest is set.

Song Two

Ton, ton, ton: at New Year the dance begins:

ah, how delightful.

Two: When the wondrous construction is begun:

ah, how lively.

Three: It will take hold in the body.

Four: The world will be restored.

Five: If all come following,

Six: I will cut the root of rebellion.

Seven: If those in hardship are lifted up,

Eight: I will cut the root of illness.

Nine: If you settle the heart and live so,

Ten: this place will be set in order.

Song Three

One: At Shoyashiki, in the land of the sun,

the place of the Service is the origin of the world.

Two: This wondrous place of the Service

has not been entrusted to anyone by request.

Three: All the world gathers,

and it rises into being. This is wondrous.

Four: At last you have followed this far;

true salvation begins from here.

Five: Though I have always been laughed at and slandered,

I will bring about wondrous salvation.

Six: Do not make unreasonable prayers.

Come with a single-hearted mind.

Seven: From now on, whatever may happen,

I will go on leaning wholly upon God.

Eight: Nothing is so painful as illness.

From now on, I too will give myself to hinokishin.

Nine: I had practiced faith this far,

but did not know the original God.

Ten: This time the true God has appeared;

of that there is no doubt.

Song Four

One: Whatever others may say,

God is watching. Quiet your spirit.

Two: Settle the hearts of the two of you;

then all things will be made clear.

Three: All of you nearby, watch

what God does and brings about.

Four: Day and night the Service sounds, don-chan;

those nearby may find it noisy and vexing.

Five: Because salvation is always urgent,

come quickly into joy.

Six: I want to save the village people quickly,

but they do not understand the heart.

Seven: In every matter, help one another;

ponder from deep within the breast.

Eight: The root of illness will be completely pulled out,

and the heart will grow spirited step by step.

Nine: This is paradise in this world;

I too wish to come worship quickly.

Ten: This time, within the breast,

all has become clear. How grateful.

Song Five

One: Since the world is wide,

there may be many places that save.

Two: The wondrous salvation is here:

obiya-hōso, the childbirth-and-smallpox grant, is given.

Three: Water and God are the same:

they wash away the heart's defilement.

Four: There is no one without greed,

yet before God there is no greed.

Five: However long one may practice faith,

this is a life filled with joy.

Six: Forget the cruel heart;

come with a gentle heart.

Seven: I will not leave anyone in hardship,

for this place is single-hearted salvation.

Eight: Not only Yamato:

salvation will go out to every country.

Nine: This is the original Jiba of this world;

a wondrous place has appeared.

If you are going to practice faith all the way,

let us bind ourselves into fellowship.

Song Six

One: The human heart

is full of doubt.

Two: Because I bring wondrous salvation,

I will discern every matter.

Three: The hearts of all the world

are reflected as in a mirror.

Four: Well done, coming to follow the Service;

this is the foundation of salvation.

Five: Always Kagura and hand-dance:

in the end, wondrous salvation will be given.

Six: Prayers come out wildly and without order;

the ways of receiving are also a thousand.

Seven: However much faith you have practiced,

you must not misunderstand the teaching.

Eight: Still, you must practice faith;

if you misunderstand, begin again.

Nine: Having practiced faith this far,

you must see even one fruit of it.

Ten: This time it has appeared:

the inquiry of the fan. This is wondrous.

Song Seven

One: A single word of conversation is hinokishin;

I leave only the fragrance behind.

Two: Since there is a deep intention,

no one should hold it back.

Three: In the hearts of all the world,

there is no one who does not need a field.

Four: If there is good land,

surely everyone alike will want it.

Five: It is the same for every person;

I too want that land.

Six: I will not force you to do this or that;

that depends on each person's heart.

Seven: Because I want the field by all means,

whatever the price may be.

Eight: The Residence is God's field;

every seed sown there will sprout.

Nine: If this is the field of this world,

I too will sow the seed firmly.

Ten: This time, all alike,

you have come well to sow the seed.

Those who sowed the seed

will reap the crop without fertilizer.

Song Eight

One: In the wide world and throughout the countries,

are there no stones, no standing trees?

Two: Though I carry out the wondrous construction,

I ask no favor of anyone.

Three: If all come together from the world,

one after another, it will be accomplished.

Four: Forget the heart of greed;

begin by firmly settling the heart.

Five: However long you wait and watch,

it is not something done from within yourselves.

Six: Do not hurry wildly or without thought;

ponder from deep within the breast.

Seven: If the heart has become clear in any way,

begin the construction quickly.

Eight: Going into the mountains,

I have looked at the stones and standing trees.

Nine: Shall this tree be cut, or that stone chosen?

That depends on the heart of God.

Ten: This time, all alike,

within the breast all has become clear.

Song Nine

One: I go around the wide world,

one cleansing and then another, carrying salvation onward.

Two: I will make it so hardship is no more;

lean upon the heart of God.

Three: Looking at the hearts of the world,

I see greed mixed within them.

Four: If there is greed, cast it away;

God cannot receive it.

Five: It is the same for every person:

settle your thought and follow.

Six: I do not say to go out by force,

not until the heart is settled.

Seven: This time, all alike,

you must ponder deeply.

Eight: Even in the mountains, here and there,

the Service of Tenri-O is performed.

Nine: Though the Service is performed here,

no one has understood the heart.

Since you call the name of God,

come quickly and ask at the origin.

Song Ten

One: The human heart

is not understood in a moment.

Two: Though I have brought wondrous salvation,

this is the first time it comes openly forth.

Three: This mud within the water:

I want it quickly drawn out.

Four: Greed is muddy water without end;

when the heart becomes clear, there is paradise.

Five: Forever and ever,

this will become a seed of stories.

Six: Even when severe words have been spoken,

it is because salvation is urgent.

Seven: Hardship too comes from the heart;

therefore blame your own self.

Eight: Illness is painful,

but no one knows its origin.

Nine: Until this time, all alike

did not know the origin of illness.

Ten: This time it has appeared:

the origin of illness is from the heart.

Song Eleven

One: At Shoyashiki, in the land of the sun,

the Jiba of God's residence is fixed.

Two: Husband and wife together in hinokishin:

this is the first seed of things.

Three: Looking out, the world comes step by step,

carrying earth-baskets in hinokishin.

Four: Forgetting greed in hinokishin:

this becomes the first fertilizer.

Five: However long the earth-carrying continues,

if there is still more, I too will go.

Six: Do not stop anyone by force;

if the heart is there, let anyone come.

Seven: What wondrous earth-carrying:

if this becomes an offering to God.

Eight: Digging earth from the Residence,

you are only moving it from place to place.

Nine: Until this time, all alike

did not understand the heart. How regrettable.

Ten: This year, without fertilizer,

we raise and reap enough.

Ah, how promising. Ah, how grateful.

Song Twelve

One: First, to the carpenter's inquiry,

I entrust every matter.

Two: If you undertake the wondrous construction,

make inquiry and give instruction.

Three: From all the world, step by step,

cast fragrance upon the carpenters who come.

Four: If there is a good master carpenter,

quickly draw that one to the origin.

Five: In time, four master carpenters will be needed;

quickly make inquiry and see.

Six: I will not force anyone to come;

each will come following step by step.

Seven: This wondrous construction:

once it is begun, there will be no end to it.

Eight: If you go into the mountains,

take the rough-work master carpenter with you.

Nine: This is the finish-work master carpenter;

the raising master carpenter, this is the plane.

Ten: This time, all alike,

the carpenters too have come together.

Colophon

This is a Good Works Translation prepared for the Good Works Library in June 2026.

Japanese transcription consulted: https://ja.wikisource.org/wiki/みかぐらうた. Public-domain scan witness: Wikimedia Commons file NDL816095_みかぐらうた.pdf, from the National Diet Library, DOI 10.11501/816095.

Terminology note: this translation distinguishes the opening こゑ as "voice" from the later agricultural こえ as "fertilizer." It renders しん／＼゛ as faith or devotion according to context, while preserving the major Tenrikyo terms named in the introduction.

Nakayama Miki died in 1887. The underlying Japanese text is public-domain old material; the Wikisource transcription layer was consulted and should be credited. The National Diet Library permits reuse of eligible public-domain content with source credit. This English rendering is a fresh translation from the Japanese source route above, not a copy of modern official English Tenrikyo translations.

Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.

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Source Text: みかぐらうた

Japanese source text from the Japanese Wikisource transcription, checked against the NDL816095 scan witness for title and structure. Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.

第一節

あしきをはらうてたすけたまへ
てんりわうのみこと

第二節

ちよとはなしかみのいふこと
きいてくれあしきのことは
いはんでなこのよのぢいと
てんとをかたどりてふうふを
こしらへきたるでなこれハこの
よのはじめだし

第三節

あしきをはらうてたすけ
せきこむいちれつすましてかんろだい

第四節

よろづよ八首

よろづよのせかい一れつみはらせど
むねのわかりたものはない
そのはずやといてきかしたことハない
しらぬがむりでハないわいな
このたびはかみがおもてへあらわれて
なにかいさいをときゝかす
このところやまとのぢばのかみがたと
いうていれどももとしらぬ
このもとをくはしくきいた事ならバ
いかなものでもこいしなる
きゝたくバたづねくるならいうてきかす
よろづいさいのもとなるを
かみがでゝなにかいさいをとくならバ
せかい一れついさむなり
一れつにはやくたすけをいそぐから
せかいのこゝろもいさめかけ

第五節

一下り目

一ッ　正月こゑのさづけは
やれめづらしい
二ニ　につこりさづけもろたら
やれたのもしや
三ニ　さんざいこゝろをさだめ
四ッ　よのなか
五ッ　りをふく
六ッ　むしやうにでけまわす
七ッ　なにかにつくりとるなら
八ッ　やまとハほうねんや
九ッ　こゝまでついてこい
十ド　とりめがさだまりた

二下り目

とん／＼とんと正月をどりはじめハ
やれおもしろい
二ッ　ふしぎなふしんかゝれバ
やれにぎはしや
三ッ　みにつく
四ッ　よなほり
五ッ　いづれもつきくるならば
六ッ　むほんのねえをきらふ
七ッ　なんじふをすくひあぐれバ
八ッ　やまひのねをきらふ
九ッ　こゝろをさだめゐやうなら
十デ　ところのをさまりや

三下り目

一ッ　ひのもとしよやしきの
つとめのばしよハよのもとや
二ッ　ふしぎなつとめばしよハ
たれにたのみはかけねども
三ッ　みなせかいがよりあうて
でけたちきたるがこれふしぎ
四ッ　よう／＼こゝまでついてきた
じつのたすけハこれからや
五ッ　いつもわらはれそしられて
めづらしたすけをするほどに
六ッ　むりなねがひはしてくれな
ひとすぢごゝろになりてこい
七ッ　なんでもこれからひとすぢに
かみにもたれてゆきまする
八ッ　やむほどつらいことハない
わしもこれからひのきしん
九ッ　こゝまでしん／＼゛したけれど
もとのかみとハしらなんだ
十ド　このたびあらはれた
じつのかみにはさうゐない

四下り目

一ッ　ひとがなにごといはうとも
かみがみているきをしずめ
二ッ　ふたりのこゝろををさめいよ
なにかのことをもあらはれる
三ッ　みなみてゐよそばなもの
かみのすることなすことを
四ッ　よるひるどんちやんつとめする
そばもやかましうたてかろ
五ッ　いつもたすけがせくからに
はやくやうきになりてこい
六ッ　むらかたはやくにたすけたい
なれどこゝろがわからいで
七ッ　なにかよろづのたすけあい
むねのうちよりしあんせよ
八ッ　やまひのすつきりねはぬける
こゝろハだん／＼いさみくる
九ッ　こゝはこのよのごくらくや
わしもはや／＼まゐりたい
十ド　このたびむねのうち
すみきりましたがありがたい

五下り目

一ッ　ひろいせかいのうちなれバ
たすけるところがまゝあらう
二ッ　ふしぎなたすけハこのところ
おびやはうそのゆるしだす
三ッ　みづとかみとはおなじこと
こゝろのよごれをあらひきる
四ッ　よくのないものなけれども
かみのまへにハよくはない
五ツ　いつまでしん／＼゛したとても
やうきづくめであるほどに
六ッ　むごいこゝろをうちわすれ
やさしきこゝろになりてこい
七ッ　なんでもなんぎハさゝぬぞへ
たすけいちじよのこのところ
八ッ　やまとばかりやないほどに
くに／＼までへもたすけゆく
九ッ　こゝはこのよのもとのぢば
めづらしところがあらはれた
どうでもしん／＼゛するならバ
かうをむすぼやないかいな

六下り目

一ッ　ひとのこゝろといふものハ
うたがひぶかいものなるぞ
二ッ　ふしぎなたすけをするからに
いかなることをもみさだめる
三ッ　みなせかいのむねのうち
かゞみのごとくにうつるなり
四ッ　ようこそつとめについてきた
これがたすけのもとだてや
五ツ　いつもかぐらやてをどりや
すゑではめづらしたすけする
六ッ　むしやうやたらにねがひでる
うけとるすぢもせんすぢや
七ッ　なんぼしん／＼゛したとても
こゝろえちがひはならんぞへ
八ッ　やつぱりしん／＼゛せにやならん
こゝろえちがひはでなほしや
九ッ　こゝまでしん／＼゛してからハ
ひとつのかうをもみにやならぬ
十ド　このたびみえました
あふぎのうかゞひこれふしぎ

七下り目

一ッ　ひとことはなしハひのきしん
にほひばかりをかけておく
二ッ　ふかいこゝろがあるなれバ
たれもとめるでないほどに
三ッ　みなせかいのこゝろにハ
でんぢのいらぬものハない
四ッ　よきぢがあらバ一れつに
たれもほしいであらうがな
五ツ　いづれのかたもおなしこと
わしもあのぢをもとめたい
六ッ　むりにどうせといはんでな
そこはめい／＼のむねしだい
七ッ　なんでもでんぢがほしいから
あたへハなにほどいるとても
八ッ　やしきハかみのでんぢやで
まいたるたねハみなはへる
九ッ　こゝハこのよのでんぢなら
わしもしつかりたねをまこ
十ド　このたびいちれつに
ようこそたねをまきにきた
たねをまいたるそのかたハ
こえをおかずにつくりとり

八下り目

一ッ　ひろいせかいやくになかに
いしもたちきもないかいな
二ッ　ふしぎなふしんをするなれど
たれにたのみハかけんでな
三ッ　みなだん／＼とせかいから
よりきたことならでけてくる
四ッ　よくのこゝろをうちわすれ
とくとこゝろをさだめかけ
五ツ　いつまでみあわせゐたるとも
うちからするのやないほどに
六ッ　むしやうやたらにせきこむな
むねのうちよりしあんせよ
七ッ　なにかこゝろがすんだなら
はやくふしんにとりかゝれ
八ッ　やまのなかへといりこんで
いしもたちきもみておいた
九ッ　このききらうかあのいしと
おもへどかみのむねしだい
十ド　このたびいちれつに
すみきりましたがむねのうち

九下り目

一ッ　ひろいせかいをうちまわり
一せん二せんでたすけゆく
二ッ　ふじゆうなきやうにしてやらう
かみのこゝろにもたれつけ
三ッ　みれバせかいのこゝろにハ
よくがまじりてあるほどに
四ッ　よくがあるならやめてくれ
かみのうけとりでけんから
五ツ　いづれのかたもおなじこと
しあんさだめてついてこい
六ッ　むりにでやうといふでない
こゝろさだめのつくまでハ
七ッ　なか／＼このたびいちれつに
しつかりしあんをせにやならん
八ッ　やまのなかでもあちこちと
てんりわうのつとめする
九ッ　こゝでつとめをしてゐれど
むねのわかりたものハない
とてもかみなをよびだせば
はやくこもとへたづねでよ

十下り目

一ッ　ひとのこゝろといふものハ
ちよとにわからんものなるぞ
二ッ　ふしぎなたすけをしてゐれど
あらはれでるのがいまはじめ
三ッ　みづのなかなるこのどろう
はやくいだしてもらひたい
四ッ　よくにきりないどろみづや
こゝろすみきれごくらくや
五ツ　いつ／＼までもこのことハ
はなしのたねになるほどに
六ッ　むごいことばをだしたるも
はやくたすけをいそぐから
七ッ　なんぎするのもこゝろから
わがみうらみであるほどに
八ッ　やまひはつらいものなれど
もとをしりたるものハない
九ッ　このたびまでハいちれつに
やまひのもとハしれなんだ
十ド　このたびあらはれた
やまひのもとハこゝろから

十一下り目

一ッ　ひのもとしよやしきの
かみのやかたのぢばさだめ
二ッ　ふうふそろうてひのきしん
これがだいゝちものだねや
三ッ　みれバせかいがだん／＼と
もつこになうてひのきしん
四ッ　よくをわすれてひのきしん
これがだいゝちこえとなる
五ツ　いつ／＼までもつちもちや
まだあるならバわしもゆこ
六ッ　むりにとめるやないほどに
こゝろあるならたれなりと
七ッ　なにかめづらしつちもちや
これがきしんとなるならバ
八ッ　やしきのつちをほりとりて
ところかへるばかりやで
九ッ　このたびまではいちれつに
むねがわからんざんねんな
十ド　ことしハこえおかず
じふぶんものをつくりとり
やれたのもしやありがたや

十二下り目

一ッ　いちにだいくのうかゞひに
なにかのこともまかせおく
二ッ　ふしぎなふしんをするならバ
うかゞひたてゝていひつけよ
三ッ　みなせかいからだん／＼と
きたるだいくににほいかけ
四ッ　よきとうりやうかあるならバ
はやくこもとへよせておけ
五ツ　いづれとうりやうよにんいる
はやくうかゞいたてゝみよ
六ッ　むりにこいとハいはんでな
いづれだん／＼つきくるで
七ッ　なにかめづらしこのふしん
しかけたことならきりハない
八ッ　やまのなかへとゆくならバ
あらきとうりやうつれてゆけ
九ッ　これハこざいくとうりやうや
たてまへとうりやうこれかんな
十ド　このたびいちれつに
だいくのにんもそろひきた

{{PD-old-auto-1996|deathyear=1887}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:みかぐらうた}}
Category:天理教

Source Colophon

Base text: Japanese Wikisource みかぐらうた, raw route fetched for the 2026-07-03 standards repair. Scan witness: National Diet Library / Wikimedia Commons NDL816095_みかぐらうた.pdf, DOI 10.11501/816095. Source voice attributed to Nakayama Miki / Oyasama; underlying text public-domain by age and author death. English translation by the Good Works Library from the Japanese source route, not from modern official English translations.

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