I have heard people say, “I am too old to spread God’s truth”. What does God have to say about this? In the first chapter in the Ofudesaki, is the following:

Waga mi niwa mo goju ya to) omoedomo  

Kami no me niwa mada saki ga aru 1-63 

One’s own body, already 50, you are thinking.

To God’s eye, yet you still have a future.

Kotoshi yori rokuju nen wa shikkari to  

Kami no ho niwa shikato ukeyau 1-64  

From this year, 60 years, if unwavering

toward God. I will certainly assure you.

Korekara wa kokoro shikkari irekae yo

Akuji harote wakaki ni yohou 1-65  

From now on, your mind, firmly replace it.  

Your evil deeds, sweep them. Young to be, I predict.

From these verses, we can assume that God wants old yoboku, or missionaries.  Our age does not hinder us from spreading God’s truth. It may actually help it.

These warnings were given to Shuji, Oyasama’s son. I have taken the liberty of translating verse 1-65 differently than accepted.  I have always been uncomfortable about the verse, especially concerning God telling Shuji to take a young wife. I can see that people, especially females are uncomfortable when they hear this verse.

The reasons for my different translations are as follows:

1. The two previous verses are talking about Shuji’s age, and his concern he is too old to serve God.
2. the Japanese hiragana of the last word has ho instead of bo, so the word is yohou, which means prediction.
   

I am the first to admit that my translation may not be correct. I am interested in what others have to say.