2011年1月14日仙谷辞职

zdenny0001

    江戸の昔、大店（おおだな）の盛衰は主人よりも大番頭の人次第だったという。存在は大きかったが、ゆえに心得違いをする者もいたらしく、戒めも伝わる。「分限玉の礎（いしずえ）」という古文書は七カ条を挙げ、第一に次の心得を説く▼「主人大事と思うは勿論（もちろん）、軽き親方（主人）なりとも侮るべからず」。続く第二条は「この家に我なくばなどと、高慢顔あるべからず」とある（青野豊作〈ぶんさく〉著『番頭の研究』）。むろん仙谷官房長官に心得違いなどなかったろうが、菅内閣の大番頭がついに交代と相成る▼ときに首相をしのぐ存在感が揶揄（やゆ）を招いた。参院で問責決議をされてもいた。交代によって野党から審議拒否の大義名分を奪い、身内の小沢元代表の政権批判も封じる。二方面に向けた首のすげ替えというが、政治はこれで沈滞を突破できようか▼登山をしていて「輪形彷徨（りんけいほうこう）」に陥ることがある。道を失って同じ所を歩き回ることで、体力を消耗して死につながる。民主党の政治も似ていよう。歩いても歩いても「小沢山」「マニフェスト谷」「ねじれ峠」――と同じ地形が悪夢のように現れてくる▼「このままでは行き倒れだ」は全国幹事長会議での悲鳴だという。国民はもっとたまらない。早く稜線（りょうせん）へ出て、新しい地平を見せてくれるのが、何をおいてもの政治の使命だろう▼冒頭の七カ条に戻れば、しんがりの第七条には「勘忍の二字、忘れまじ」が控える。勘忍は美徳だが、世論調査を見れば国民の堪忍袋の緒はぎりぎりに細っている。大番頭の交代から先、掛け値なしの背水の陣が待つ。

zdenny0001

   很久以前的江户时代，大店铺的兴衰起落与其说是取决于店主，不如说是取决于管家。不过这角色虽举足轻重，也有人就因此而得意忘形起来。关于如何做好管家一职有训诫之言流传下来。《分限玉的基础》这本古文书中就列举了七条训诫，第一条是这么说的：▼“凡事理应以东家为重，就算看轻东家也万不可表露”。接下来的第二条是：“切不能面露倨傲之色，妄忖此家万不能离我”（青野丰作 著《管家的研究》）。当然我并不是说仙谷官房长官有得意忘形之举，可到底菅首相内阁的大管家还是要换人了。▼有时候，仙谷那凌驾于首相之上的领导架势还是会招来揶揄之词。参议院还通过了对他的问责决议案。更换官房长官此举不但夺走了在野党拒绝审议的堂皇借口，也封住了同党派内原党代表小泽对政权的批判。虽说出于以上这两点考虑将这重要职位进行了大换血，日本当前的政治僵局是否就能由此打破呢。▼登山时，会有陷入“兜圈子”的情况发生。一旦迷失了方向，就会在同一个地方来回地兜圈子，最终体力衰竭而亡。民主党的政治局面也类似于此。菅首相内阁不断摸索着走啊走啊，看到的却尽是“小泽山”“政权公约谷”“众参两院势均力敌的山隘口”——相同的地形坐标如噩梦般接连出现。▼“这样下去迟早要倒下的。”全国理事长会议上甚至发出了如此悲叹。对于国民来说这就更忍无可忍了。当局的政治使命不就应该是尽快带领国家走出绵延起伏的迷茫山区，带给人民新的希望吗？▼回到本文开头所述的那七条训诫，最后一条是“不可忘记忍耐二字”。忍耐虽说是美德，可看一下民意测验结果的话就会发现国民的忍耐力已几近底限。菅首相内阁的大管家换人以后，等待着依然是严峻的背水之战。

zdenny0001

   Back in the Edo Period (1603-1867), people used to say that the fortunes of large retail or wholesale businesses rested in the hands of their "o-banto" general managers, rather than the owners. But some general managers apparently got the wrong idea about their own importance and had to be put in their place. "Banto no Kenkyu" (A study on general managers) by Bunsaku Aono mentions an old document titled "Bungen Tama no Ishizue," which listed seven "don'ts" for general managers.
   Topping the list was this warning: "You must respect your master. Even if you don't think much of him, you must never show your contempt for him." No. 2 was, "Do not be so arrogant as to presume you are indispensable to the business." A government's chief Cabinet secretary may be likened to its general manager. I don't believe Yoshito Sengoku had the wrong idea about his own importance, but he finally agreed Thursday to step down as chief Cabinet secretary of the Naoto Kan administration.
   The fact that Sengoku sometimes held a more commanding presence than Kan invited snickers. And the Upper House passed a censure motion against him in November. Now that Sengoku has bowed out, opposition parties can no longer attack the Kan administration by refusing deliberations. And with Sengoku out of the way, Kan has effectively silenced former party leader Ichiro Ozawa, the administration's most formidable critic. Sengoku's dismissal is expected to benefit the administration in these two ways, but I doubt the move will do anything to improve the pathetic state of Japanese politics today.
Alpinists who lose their bearings have been known to wander in circles and eventually die from exhaustion. The way the DPJ is conducting its politics isn't much different. It appears to be plodding on blindly, living the nightmare of returning again and again to the same old landmarks--Ozawa Mountain, Manifesto Valley and Divided Diet Pass.
    Senior executives of the DPJ's prefectural chapters are said to be deeply worried that the party could "fall over dead by the roadside." Such an eventuality would be more detrimental to the general public than to the party itself. As the ruling party, the DPJ's foremost responsibility now is to get its bearings sorted out so it won't continue to lead the nation astray. To get back to that Edo list of seven "don'ts" for general managers, the last one says, "Never lose patience." Patience is a virtue, but according to opinion polls, the public's patience is wearing dangerously thin. Replacing its "general manager" hasn't let the Kan administration off the hook. It still has its back to the wall.

abyssthinice

一、
在网上搜索了搜索，也没有找到“分限玉の礎（いしずえ）”的明确解释。

有一个网页（http://tamutamu2011.kuronowish.com/kotoba.htm）算是稍微解释了一下：
「分限（ぶんげん＝持っている身分・才能などの程度。身のほど。分際）玉の礎（いしずえ）」


不妨姑妄言之：

窃以为“分限玉の礎（いしずえ）”应断作“分限 玉の礎（いしずえ）”，似可直译为《分限玉礎》。所谓“玉の礎”，大约是“礎”的美称，类似于“宝典”、“宝鉴”等说法。

书名如硬要意译，似可译为《安分宝鉴》。



二、
「軽き親方（主人）なりとも侮るべからず」译为“就算看轻东家也万不可表露”大概参照了英文“Even if you don't think much of him, you must never show your contempt for him.”吧。:)

窃以为英文“show contempt for”是个固定搭配，就是“轻视”的意思，未必很强调“show（表露）”。

英文版此句不知是否达意。

窃以为此句可译为：
即使是平庸的主人，亦不可轻视。