SJ 90

陥穽に陥入れたのは誰の罪？

Who is guilty of letting you fall into the entrapment?

River names on map: Mandalay, Irrawaddy River, Myingyan, Chindwin

この地図を見せ給え

Look at this map

袋のねずみとなり中央ビルマの日本軍は絶對絶命の窮地に落入っているではないか。

Like a rat caught in a sack, the Japanese army in Central Burma is trapped in an absolutely desperate situation.

現地で死ぬのが諸君の義務だと君たちの将校は言ってみるが死んだとて大勢を挽回する事は不可能だ、実際とんな死方を犬死と云うのだ、犬死して母国の為め何の役に立つか？

Your officers will tell you that it is your duty to die in the field, but even if you die, you will not be able to regain your position, in reality, such a death is called a dog's death [a futile death], what good will it do for your country if you die a meaningless death?

諸君の将校が出す命令は上官より受継いだものに過ぎず、彼等も状況の望み無きを百も承知していり、再三失敗を重ねる総指令官の命令を信じている樣な馬鹿者ではあるまい。

The orders issued by your officers are only what they have received from their superiors. They are fully aware of the hopelessness of the situation. They are not fools to believe in the orders of the Commander-in-Chief*, who has repeatedly failed them.

義務観念一遍で動いているのだが、あまり愚純だ。

They are working with a single conception of duty, but they are not very perceptive.

命令は別としても諸君の将校は目下の状態に君たちが戦い継続するのを期待してはいない。

Apart from your orders, your officers do not expect you to continue fighting in these conditions.

今日の日本の状態より推察して見ると日本青年の死は国家の滅亡と同一だ、心に秘かに諸君の生きのとる事を望んでいる。

We infer from the state of Japan today that the death of the Japanese youth is the same as the destruction of the nation, we in our hearts we hope that you will live.

部隊より孤立した場合あるは落後した際、心配御無用。

Don't worry if you are isolated from your unit or if you fall behind.

心静かに勤務を果たした勇士と尊敬する僕たちの到着を待ち給え。

Calmly we await the arrival of the brave and respected men who have fulfilled their duty.

英兵は諸君の戦友数百名を優遇している如く君たちにも温い手を差のべるのである。

The British soldiers will extend a warm hand to you as they have done to several hundred of your comrades-in-arms.

騎士道に二言はない

Chivalry never repeats itself

[This is sentence uses a proverb, “武士に二言はない”, essentially “a samurai never speaks twice”, or “never repeats himself”.]