Miyamoto Musashi - Go Rin No Sho: A Book Of Five Rings (The Way Of Strategy) [tekst, tłumaczenie i interpretacja piosenki]

In China and Japan practitioners of the Way have been known as "masters of strategy". Warriors must learn
this Way.
Recently there have been people getting on in the world as strategists, but they are usually just
sword−fencers. The attendants of the Kashima Kantori shrines of the province Hitachi received instruction
from the gods, and made schools based on this teaching, travelling from country to country instructing men.
This is the recent meaning of strategy.
In olden times strategy was listed among the Ten Abilities and Seven Arts as a beneficial practice. It was
certainly an art but as a beneficial practice it was not limited to sword−fencing. The true value of
sword−fencing cannot be seen within the confines of sword−fencing technique.

If we look at the world we see arts for sale. Men use equipment to sell their own selves. As if with the nut and
the flower, the nut has become less than the flower. In this kind of Way of strategy, both those teaching and
those learning the way are concerned with coloring and showing off their technique, trying to hasten the
bloom of the flower. They speak of This Dojo and That Dojo". They are looking for profit. Someone
once said, Immature strategy is the cause of grief". That was a true saying.

There are four Ways in which men pass through life: as gentlemen, farmers, artisans and merchants.
THE WAY OF THE FARMER. Using agricultural instruments, he sees springs through autumns with an eye
on the changes of season.
SECOND IS THE WAY OF THE MERCHANT. The wine maker obtains his ingredients and puts them to
use to make his living. The Way of the merchant is always to live by taking profit. This is the Way of the
merchant.
THIRDLY THE GENTLEMAN WARRIOR, carrying the weaponry of his Way. The Way of the warrior is
to master the virtue of his weapons. If a gentleman dislikes strategy he will not appreciate the benefit of
weaponry, so must he not have a little taste for this?
FOURTHLY THE WAY OF THE ARTISAN. The Way of the carpenter is to become proficient is the use of
his tools, first to lay his plans with a true measure and then to perform his work according to plan. Thus he
passes through life. These are the four Ways of the gentleman, the farmer, the artisan and the merchant.