Translation assistance

[Kyle68]

Can anyone help with the translation? 

[YourBabyBjornBorg]

Hi! This reads 遠州横須賀住一帯子國安 文政五年月日 抜則砕敵蔵則安国.

 

抜(to draw)則(then)砕(to crush)敵(enemy), 蔵(to conceal, in the context to sheath?)則(then)安(peace, or to make peace)国(nation, country) means "crushing the enemy when drawn out, secure/protect the country when sheathed/kept away".

 

It's written in Chinese, kind of like Latin to Edo Japan. Not a known proverb,

 

and structured and worded in a way that a Japanese reader can read this after a minimum shuffling of the wording to 抜則敵砕 蔵則国安.

[PNSSHOGUN]

https://www.samuraishokai.jp/sword/19166.html

 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

國安 Kuniyasu, first half of YBBB’s translation above.

[Kyle68]

@Bugyotsuji @PNSSHOGUN so it was made by “kuniyasu”? Edo period? Is it common to have a “chinese” proverb on it or was that a modern addition? Or is the sword a fake? 

Edited May 7 by Kyle68

[Bugyotsuji]

Studied under Suishinshi Masahide, so 1800s.

Sayings, prayers, exhortations were often cut into sword tangs.

[ROKUJURO]

Dated BUNSEI fifth year, May, so 1823.

[MauroP]

On 5/7/2026 at 7:11 AM, Kyle68 said:

Edo period? Is it common to have a “chinese” proverb on it or was that a modern addition? Or is the sword a fake? 

At that time, the Chinese were not communists, and the Japanese were not chauvinists....