“The Prayer of the Master”: An English version of the Japanese “Lord’s Prayer” suitable for private recitation

Japanese Cross found in Utaizaka (謡坂), located in Mitake Town, Gifu Prefecture

A few months ago, I wrote about what the traditional Japanese version of the Lord’s Prayer — or the Prayer of the Master (主の祈り, Shu no Inori) — can teach us about the way the meaning of iconic, apparently stable prayers such as this one is never fixed or final. You can find that piece here:

The Prayer of the Lord (主の祈り) as a “dove that ventured outside”—The Lord’s Prayer’s journey into Japanese and back to English

Since then, I have been slowly working on an English version suitable for private recitation — one that might help free the prayer from conventional English Christian terminology and allow just an echo of the Buddhist and Shintō resonances of the Japanese text to come through. I did this simply for my own use, but I publish it here in case anyone else might find it helpful. Enjoy . . .

 —o0o—

 The Prayer of the Master

O our Father in the heavens,
please cause your august name to be revered.
Please cause your august realm to come.
As your august will is done in heaven,
please cause it also to be done on earth.

Please give us today our daily bread.

As we release those who have wronged us,
so please cleanse us of our impurities.

Do not bring us to the trial,
but deliver us from what is harmful.

For the realm, the power, and the splendour
are yours without limit, for it is so.

Amen.

 

主の祈り

天にまします我らの父よ。
願わくはみ名をあがめさせたまえ。
み国を来らせたまえ。
みこころの天になるごとく、
地にもなさせたまえ。

我らの日用の糧を今日も与えたまえ。

我らに罪をおかす者を、
我らがゆるすごとく、
我らの罪をもゆるしたまえ。

我らをこころみにあわせず、
悪より救い出したまえ。

国と力と栄えとは、
限りなくなんじのものなればなり。

アーメン。