edwardwhite

The Stove King Sutra (2)

  1. 灶王经(灶君经) From Baidu.com

This is a second version of the Stove King Sutra. I have already translated a much shorter text that has the same name here https://edwardwhite.mataroa.blog/blog/the-stove-king-sutra-1.

This sutra is a fairly complex text. Rather than being a simple prayer, it describes the benefits of venerating the stove god, and immoral acts that anger the stove god- things like gossipping and selling false medicines, as well as a set of 10 'prohibitions of the stove', like burning refuse in it or keeping a dirty kitchen. In this case we can see the role of the stove god as a moral enforcer. A narrative of this role can be found here https://edwardwhite.mataroa.blog/blog/draft-the-tale-of-yu-jingyi-meeting-the-stove-god-f7aff82e/

The sutra is written in short lines of 3,3,4 characters each. Because of the line's shortness, I have chosen to separate the lines with slashes rather than line breaks (to avoid the post from becoming too long.

I have taken the text from Baidu. https://baike.baidu.com/item/灶王经/4863401. The baidu article claims that this text has been translated into English before, but I have been unable to find any English translation.

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灶王经(灶君经)
Sutra of the Stove King (Sutra of the Stove God

进厨房,常存恭敬。敬灶王,口念真经。
When entering the kitchen/ always respectfully greet/ greet the Stove-King/and recite aloud the True Sutra.

遵十戒,诸恶莫作。持佛法,众善奉行。
Keep the ten Prohibitions/ do not do any form of evil/Upkeep the Buddha’s way/walk in the path of universal goodness.

东厨司命,九皇灶君。居台前,显威灵。
The Life-allotter of the Eastern Kitchen/Stove-Lord of the Nine Emperors/resides in the platform before me/ He is powerfully numinous.

善恶奏天庭,赐福宅中。家家保安宁,南无灶君王菩萨摩阿萨。
He reports all good and evil to the Court of heaven/ gives fortune to households/ protects every household from harm/All hail! King Stove-lord, mighty Boddhisatva, Savha!

这一部,灶王经,何人留下。由西天,老佛爷,自古创成。 This particular sutra/ the stove-king sutra/ Who left it to us?/ It comes from the Western Heavens/ The Old Lord Buddha/ of old had created it.

唐三藏,去取经,带来东土。传流到,普天下,苦劝众生。
When Tang Sanzang/ Went to take the Sutras/ he brought it to the East/ where it was transmitted/to all under heaven/to help the suffering beings/

灶王爷,司东厨,一家之主。一家人,凡做事,有的分明。
The Lord Stove-King/ Controller of the Eastern kitchen/ Lord of every household/ Whatever every member/ of the family does/ He clearly records.

谁行善,谁作恶,件件同记。每个月,三十日,上奏天庭。
Whoever does good/ whoever does evil/ he records every act alike/ every month/ on the 30th day/ he reports this to heaven/

只要你,肯行善,存心正道。常言说,积善家,吉庆多增。
So long as you/are willing to do good/ travel in the correct path/ The proverb goes/”Those who amass goodness/ will increase in happiness”.

你若是,心里坏,行了恶事。老天爷,降灾殃,决不留情。
However if you/ are bad at heart/ do bad things/ The Old Lord of Heaven/ will bring down disaster/ without mercy.

家家有,灶王爷,不知尊敬。他掌着,善恶本,记得更清。
Every family has/ Lord Stove-King/ if you don’t respect him, / In the book of good and evil/that he holds in hand/he will record this most clearly.

灶王爷,圣诞日,人不祭祀。坐东厨,太冷淡,礼上不通。
[on] Lord Stove-King’s/ holy birthday/ if people do not sacrifice./ He sits on the Eastern Kitchen/ most desolately/ receiving no offering.

秋八月,初三日,圣诞即期。说与你,普天下,大众齐听。
In the autumn; in the eight month/its third day/ is the stove-gods birthday/I tell this to you!/ all under heaven!/ [should] listen to this.

有善男,和信女,烧香上供。一家家,各户户,同点明灯。
If good men/ along with faithful ladies/ would burn incense as an offering./ every family/ every household/ all light brilliant lamps

又增福,又增寿,无灾无害。只要你,秉真心,口念真经。
They will increase in fortune/ they will increase in longevity/ there would be no disaster/ You only need,/ with pure heart/to recite this true sutra aloud.

若有人,把真经,传流世界。保佑你,光景好,子贵孙荣。
If there is anyone/ who takes this sutra/ and transmits it to the world/ You will be protected/ have a good environment/ Sons will be noble, grandsons glorious.

读书人,敬灶王,名登金榜。种田人,敬灶王,五谷丰登。
If scholars/ pray to the Stove-King,/ their names will be in the Golden list./ Should farmers/ pray to the Stove-King,/ Their five grains will prosper/

手艺人,敬灶王,诸般顺利。生意人,敬灶王,买卖兴隆。
If artisans/ pray to the Stove-King,/ whatever trade they encounter will go smoothly./ If merchants/ pray to the Stove-King/ they will become glorious in trade/

在家人,敬灶王,身体康健。出外人,敬灶王,到处身安。
If people at home/ pray to the Stove-King,/they will be healthy/ If people outside/pray to the Stove-King,/their bodies will be safe.

老年人,敬灶王,眼明脚快。少年人,敬灶王,积下阴功。
If old people/ pray to the Stove-King,/they will be bright of eye and fleet of foot/If young people/ pray to the Stove-King/ they will accumulate hidden virtue.

世间人,往往的,舍近求远。远烧香,多赶庙,千里路程。
Those in the world/ who come and go/ seeking the far and neglecting the near /burning incense from afar/ rushing to temples/ a thousand miles away

灶王前,你若是,诚心祷告。无论你,什么事,都感应承。
Before the Stove king, / if you / sincerely pray/ no matter/ what thing you ask/ you will receive a response.
Baidu has敢 in error

只要你,存好心,多行方便。能与你,一件件,转奏天庭。
So long as you/ keep a good heart/ perform expedient devices / I can, help you/ to report every [good deed]/ To heaven.

为名的,管保你,功名显达。为利的,管保你,财发万金。
Those who desire renown/ I promise that / your fame would increase. /Those who desire profit/ I promise that / you will flourish with a myriad of gold.

有病的,管保你,疾病全好。求寿的,管保你,寿过九旬。
Those who are ill/ I promise that,/ you will completely recover./ Those who wish for longevity/ I promise that / your age will exceed nine decades.

求儿的,管保你,生育贵子。有子孙,管保你,连科高升。
Those who desire children/ I promise that/ you will conceive many noble sons/ If you have children/ I promise that/ they will ascend to high rank.

见玉皇,能给你,多说好话。祷必灵,求必应,百事如心。
When I visit the Jade Emperor/ I can help you/ say a few more good things. / Praying to me will be numinous/ What you seek you’ll get/ all things will go as you please/

只要你,孝父母,恭敬兄长。只要你,亲宗族,和睦乡邻。
So long as you/ are dutiful to your parents/ respectful to your elders and brethren/ So long as you/ are good your clan/ and your village,/

行仁义,顾廉耻,各安生理。守本分,学良善,忍辱让人。
Travel in righteousness/ are circumspect and honest/ Mind your buisness/ Upkeep one’s duty/ study kindness/ and be patient.

灶王下,秉真心,奏知上帝。玉皇爷,慈悲发,永不屈人。
Before the Stove King/ Be sincere./ He will Report this to the Jade emperor/ The Jade Emperor, who is most compassionate/ never wrongs anyone

有一等,歹妇人,心肠毒狠。惹是非,招口舌,骂断四邻。
There is one type/of wicked woman/ she is poisonously hateful/ she creates strife/ and contention/ and scolds throughout the whole neighbourhood.

说人长,道人短,欺大压小。气翁姑,愚妯娌,作践男人。
She gossips of other’s strengths/and their shortcomings/ slights the great, oppresses the weak/s angry at her in-laws,/ cheats sisters-in-law/ tramples on men.

有一等,好诈人,口善心恶。对着人,说好话,背地黑心。
Then there is another type/ one who likes cheating/ whose mouth is full of kindness and whose heart is full of evil/When meeting people , they are full of good words/ but their hearts are black.

说真话,卖伪药,弥陀枉念。这等人,天不饶,鬼神难容。
Speaking the truth/selling false medicines/ hurriedly reciting Amida / these people, heaven would not give their bounty/ ghosts and gods find them hard to tolerate.

心不好,莫说你,吃素行善。做好人,行好事,方得安宁。
If your heart is not good/-- I’m not talking about you/ you should be vegetarian and do good deeds/ Be a good person/ do good things/ you will get peace and calm.

众善人,你要想,诸事顺利。厨房里,要干净,朔望明灯。
All kind people/ all things will go/as you wish/ The Kitchen /should be clean/and brightly lit.

我与你,传流下,厨房十戒。众善人,一个个,牢记在心。
To you I shall/ transmit a set/ of ten prohibitions of the kitchen/ Meritorious persons/ each and every one/ should engrave them in their hearts.

一不许,到灶前,刮锅响碗。敲锅铲,刀板响,家破人穷。
First you should not/ before the stove/ scrape pots, clatter pans/ knock spatulas/clatter knives/ the family would be bankrupt and poor.

二不许,到灶前,赤身露体。不像人,没廉耻,恼怒神明。
Second, you should not/ before the stove/ be naked / it is not becoming a man/ it is dishonourable/ it makes the gods angry.

三不许,到灶前,大解小便。尿屎盆,臭气物,远离厨中。
Third you should not/ before the stove/ Pee and poo/ The chamber pot/and other smelly things/ should be kept far away from the kitchen.

四不许,到灶前,涕唾吵闹。颉葫芦,摔马勺,神不安宁。
Fourth you should not/ before the stove/ cry or make noise,/ clatter gourds/ trip ladles/ the gods will not be at peace.

五不许,到灶前,指猪骂狗。数黄瓜,道茄子,任嘴胡云。
Fifth you should not/ before the stove/ point at pigs or scold dogs/ chitter and chatter/ without reason/ speak idle words.

六不许,牛马粪,破鞋乱底。鸡毛骨,葱蒜皮,推入灶门。
Sixth, do not place/ The dung of horses or cows,/ broken shoes/ chicken bones or feathers/ onion skins/ inside the stove.

七不许,烤破衣,烤鞋烤脚。小衣儿,妇女衫,烤在灶门。
Seventh do not/ dry old clothes/ toast the feet or legs/or small clothes/ the shirts of women/ before the stove

八不许,轻五谷,抛米撒面。有剩茶,和剩饭,施与饥人。
Eighth, do not/ slight the five grains/ cast away rice and noodles/ if there are leftover tea/ or leftover rice/ give them to the starving.

九不许,无故的,杀鸡宰鸭。吃斋人,要行善,戒杀放生。
Ninth, do not/ without reason/ kill chickens or ducks/ Vegetarians/ and those who would be kind/ must refrain from killing and free animals.

十不许,吃牛肉,并吃狗肉。牛耕田,狗守夜,大有功能。
Tenth do not/ eat beef/ or dog meat./ Cows plough the fields/ dogs guard at night/ they are most important animals.

众善人,记准这,厨房十戒。又消灾,又免难,福禄多增。
O kind people/ Do remember this well/ the ten prohibitions of the kitchen/ [following them] resolves disaster/ removes difficulty/ increase wealth and rank

若再能,听我劝,敬惜字纸。生贵子,做高官,到处扬名。
If you can again/ hear me do this/ treasure written paper./[dong so] would give birth to Noble Sons/You will be a high official/ your name known
throughout the land.

到八月,初三日,果知尊敬。我保你,一家人,有显有灵。
On the eighth month/ its third day/ you should pay respects to me/ I will protect you/and your family/ most effectively.

若把我,灶王经,敬念一遍。合家人,保平安,百病不生。
If you take me/ the Stove King’s sutra/ and recite me once/your family would be harmonious/ safe and peaceful/ and free from illness.

常念我,灶王经,几千万遍。多增福,多增寿,辈辈高封。
If you recite me often/ The Stove-King’s sutra/ Several thousand times/ Your fortune will increase/ your life would increase/ generation after
generation flourish.


英文版灶王经藏于中国厨房文化博物馆 [1] 内,是目前唯一一个英文版的古代经文。 The English version of the “stove King’s sutra” is to be found in the China Kitchen Museum; as of present it is the only English version of an ancient Sutra.

Translator’s note: I cannot find a single copy of this English edition online. I have translated it independently of any English version.