Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim
Music: Stephen Sondheim
It's the Day of the Rat, my lord.
There are four days remaining
and I see you entertaining
But we should have a chat, my lord.
To begin, if I may, my lord,
I've no wish to remind you
But you'll notice just behind you
There are ships in the bay
They've been sitting there all day
with a letter to convey
and they haven't gone away
and there's every indication
that they're planning to stay, my lord…
Have some tea, my lord
some chrysanthemum tea.
It's an herb that's superb for disturbances at sea.
Is the Shogun feeling better?
Good! Now, what about this letter?
Is it wise to delay, my lord?
With the days disappearing
Might we benefit from hearing
what the soothsayers say, my lord?
Wood star…
Water star…
All celestial omens are…
excellent.
Deer bones…
Turtle shells…
Each configuration spells…
victory.
Spider on the wall!
signifies success.
Whose success I cannot guess…
これは如何したことでござるか?
unless…
如何様! 下がっておれ!
It's the Day of the Ox, my lord.
With but three days remaining
and today already waning
I've a few further shocks, my lord.
To begin, let me say
at the risk of repetition
There are ships in the bay
and they didn't ask permission
But they sit there all day
in contemptuous array
with a letter to convey
And they haven't gone away
And there's every indication
that they still plan to stay
And you look a little gray, my lord…
Have some tea, my lord
some chrysanthemum tea
While we plan, if we can, what our answer ought to be
If the tea the Shogun drank will serve to keep the Shogun tranquil
I suggest, if I may, my lord
we consult the Confucians
They have mystical solutions, there are none wise as they, my lord…
Night waters do not break the moon.
That merely is illusion.
The moon is sacred.
No foreign ships can break our laws.
That also is illusion.
Our laws are sacred.
It follows there can be no ships.
They must be an illusion.
Japan is sacred.
おぬしたちも如何様か、下がっておれ...
It's the Day of the Tiger, my lord.
Only two days remaining
and I'm tired of explaining
There are ships in the bay
with a letter to convey
They're on permanent display
and we must take some position
Or the Southern Coalition
will be soon holding sway, my lord…
and we'll all have to pay, my lord…
Have some tea, my lord
some chrysanthemum tea.
It's a tangled situation
as your father would agree.
And it mightn't be so tangled
if you hadn't had him strangled.
But I fear that I stray, my lord.
I've a nagging suspicion
that, in view of your condition
what we should do is pray, my lord…
Blow, wind.
Great wind.
Great Kamikaze,
wind of the gods.
Blow, wind! Build the waves!
Hurl the infection out of the ocean.
Blow, wind!
Blow, wind!
Blow, wind!
おぬしも如何様か...
It's the Day of the Rabbit, my lord.
There's but one day remaining
and beside the fact that it's raining
There are ships in the bay
which are sitting there today
just exactly where they sat
on the Day of the Rat
Oh, speaking of that, my lord
When the ships came our way
on that first disturbing day
and I gave consideration
to this letter they convey
I decided if there weren't
any Shogun to receive it
It would act as a deterrent
since they'd have no place to leave it
And they might go away, my lord…
Do you see what I say, my lord?
In the tea, my lord
the chrysanthemum tea
an informal variation on the normal recipe
Though I know my plan had merit
it was slow in execution
If there's one thing you inherit
it's your father's constitution
And you're taking so long, my lord…
Do you think I was wrong, my lord?
No, you must let me speak:
When the Shogun is weak
then the tea must be strong, my lord…
My lord…?
The blossom falls on the mountain.
The mountain falls on the blossom.
All things fall…