ChatGPT4oによる候文の手紙の英訳その2。今回のは前回のより更にハードルが高いです。
いかし今回もほぼ正確に英訳しました！（「故山に帰養せし」だけちょっと間違えましたが。）
今の平均的日本人で、「舊雨の感」（旧雨今雨という四字熟語から、「雨」と「友」は中国語では発音が近いことから、昔からの友情と今の友情のことをこう言う）とか「滄桑の変」（桑畑が海原になるような世の中の大変化のこと）とか「鼓皷の間に相見る」（お互いが戦場で敵として相対する、陣太鼓の音を聴く）などをきちんと理解出来る人は少ないと思います。また「曩に」（さきに）も読める人は少ないと思います。
私
ではこれは英訳出来ますか？山県有朋が西南の役の時に西郷隆盛に降伏を勧告して送った手紙の冒頭部です。
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山縣有朋頓首再拝、謹んで書を西郷隆盛君の幕下に呈す。有朋、君と相識るここに年あり。君の心事を知るまた甚だ深し。曩に君の故山に帰養せしより、久しくその謦咳に接することを得ざりしかど、舊雨の感豈一日も有朋の懐に往来せざらんや。料らざりき、一旦滄桑の変に遭ひて、ここに君と鼓皷の間に相見るに至らんとは。君が帰郷の後ち、世の鹿児島縣士族の暴状を議するもの皆いはく、「西郷実にその巨魁たり、謀主たり」と。然れども有朋は獨りこれを斥けて、然らずとなせりき。然るに今かくの如し。嗚呼また何をか言はん。
ChatGPT
Here’s an English translation of the opening of the letter Yamagata Aritomo sent to Saigō Takamori during the Satsuma Rebellion, urging him to surrender:
With utmost respect, I, Yamagata Aritomo, bow deeply and humbly present this letter to you, Saigō Takamori. I have known you for many years and am intimately familiar with your character and intentions. Since you retired to your native mountains, it has been a long time since I last had the honor of your company. Yet, not a single day has passed without the fond memories of our past friendship crossing my mind. Never did I imagine, however, that we would meet again under such tragic circumstances, on opposing sides of the battlefield.
Since your return to Kagoshima, many have condemned the actions of the samurai of Kagoshima, asserting, “Saigō is indeed the ringleader, the mastermind of this rebellion.” Yet, I alone refuted these claims, insisting it could not be true. And now, we find ourselves in this situation. Alas, what more is there to say?
This translation captures the formal and respectful tone appropriate for the historical context of the letter. Let me know if you need further refinement.
私
「故山に帰養せし」は「故郷に帰る」という意味です。
ChatGPT
Thank you for the clarification! Here’s a revised translation:
With utmost respect, I, Yamagata Aritomo, bow deeply and humbly present this letter to you, Saigō Takamori. I have known you for many years and am intimately familiar with your character and intentions. Since you returned to your hometown, it has been a long time since I last had the honor of your company. Yet, not a single day has passed without the fond memories of our past friendship crossing my mind. Never did I imagine, however, that we would meet again under such tragic circumstances, on opposing sides of the battlefield.
Since your return to Kagoshima, many have condemned the actions of the samurai of Kagoshima, asserting, “Saigō is indeed the ringleader, the mastermind of this rebellion.” Yet, I alone refuted these claims, insisting it could not be true. And now, we find ourselves in this situation. Alas, what more is there to say?