원문
솅〮조ᇰᅌᅥᆼ〮졩〮훈〮져ᇰ〮ᅙᅳᆷ
製졩〮ᄂᆞᆫ〮글〮지ᅀᅳᆯ〮씨〮니〮御ᅌᅥᆼ〮製졩〮ᄂᆞᆫ〮님〯금〮지〯ᅀᅳ샨〮그〮리라〮訓훈〮은〮ᄀᆞᄅᆞ칠〮씨〮오〮民민ᄋᆞᆫ〮百ᄇᆡᆨ〮姓셔ᇰ〮이〮오〮音ᅙᅳᆷ은〮소리〮니〮訓훈〮民민正져ᇰ〮音ᅙᅳᆷ은〮百ᄇᆡᆨ〮姓셔ᇰ〮ᄀᆞᄅᆞ치〮시논〮正져ᇰ〮ᄒᆞᆫ소리〮라〮
國귁〮ᄋᆞᆫ〮나라〮히라〮之징ᄂᆞᆫ〮입〮겨〮지라〮語ᅌᅥᆼ〯는말〯ᄊᆞ미라〮
나랏〮말〯ᄊᆞ미〮
異잉〮乎ᅘᅩᆼ듀ᇰ國귁〮ᄒᆞ〮야〮
中듀ᇰ國귁〮ᄋᆞᆫ〮皇ᅘᅪᇰ帝뎽〮겨〯신나라〮히니〮우〮리〮나랏〮常쌰ᇰ談땀애〮江가ᇰ南남이〮라〮ᄒᆞ〮ᄂᆞ〮니라〮
中國귁〮에〮달아〮
與영〯文문字ᄍᆞᆼ〮로〮不부ᇙ〮相샤ᇰ流류ᇢ通토ᇰᄒᆞᆯᄊᆡ〮
與영〯는〮이〮와〮뎌〮와〮ᄒᆞ〮ᄂᆞᆫ겨〮체ᄡᅳ〮ᄂᆞᆫ字ᄍᆞᆼ〮ㅣ라〮文문은〮글〮와〮리라〮不부ᇙ〮은〮아니〮ᄒᆞ〮논ᄠᅳ〮디라〮相샤ᇰᄋᆞᆫ〮서르ᄒᆞ〮논ᄠᅳ〮디라〮流류ᇢ通토ᇰᄋᆞᆫ〮흘러〮ᄉᆞᄆᆞᄎᆞᆯ〮씨〮라〮
文字ᄍᆞᆼ〮와〮로〮서르ᄉᆞᄆᆞᆺ디〮아니〮ᄒᆞᆯᄊᆡ〮
故공〮로〮愚ᅌᅮᆼ民민이〮有ᅌᅮᇢ〯所송〯欲욕〮言ᅌᅥᆫᄒᆞ〮야도〮
故공〮ᄂᆞᆫ〮젼ᄎᆡ〮라〮愚ᅌᅮᆼ는〮어릴〮씨〮라〮有ᅌᅮᇢ〯는이실씨〮라〮所송〯ᄂᆞᆫ〮배〮라〮欲욕〮ᄋᆞᆫ〮ᄒᆞ고〮져〮ᄒᆞᆯ씨〮라〮言ᅌᅥᆫ은〮니를씨〮라〮
이〮런젼ᄎᆞ〮로〮어린〮百ᄇᆡᆨ셔ᇰ〮이〮니르고〮져〮호ᇙ〮배〮이셔〮도〮
而ᅀᅵᆼ終쥬ᇰ不부ᇙ〮得득〮伸신其끵情쪄ᇰ者쟝〯ㅣ多당ᅌᅴᆼ〯라〮
而ᅀᅵᆼᄂᆞᆫ〮입〮겨〮지라〮終쥬ᇰ은ᄆᆞᄎᆞ〮미라〮得득〮은〮시를〮씨〮라〮伸신ᄋᆞᆫ〮펼씨〮라〮其끵ᄂᆞᆫ〮제〯라〮情쪄ᇰ은〮ᄠᅳ〮디라〮者쟝〯ᄂᆞᆫ〮노〮미라〮多당ᄂᆞᆫ〮할씨〮라〮矣ᅌᅴᆼ〯ᄂᆞᆫ〮말〯ᄆᆺᄂᆞᆫ입〮겨〮지라〮
ᄆᆞᄎᆞᆷ〮내〯제ᄠᅳ〮들〮시러〮펴디〮몯〯ᄒᆞᇙ노〮미〮하니〮라〮
予영ㅣ爲윙〮ᄎᆞᆼ〯민〯ᅀᅧᆫᄒᆞ〮야〮
予영는〮내〮ᄒᆞ〮ᅀᆞᆸ시〮논ᄠᅳ〮디〮시니〮라〮此ᄎᆞᆼ〯ᄂᆞᆫ〮이〮라〮憫민〯然ᅀᅧᆫ은〮어〯엿비〮너기〮실씨〮라〮
내〮이〮ᄅᆞᆯ〮爲윙〮ᄒᆞ〮야〮어〯엿비〮너겨〮
新신制졩〮ᅀᅵᆼ〮十씹〮八바ᇙ〮ᄍᆞᆼ〮ᄒᆞ〮노니〮
新신ᄋᆞᆫ〮새〮라〮制졩〮ᄂᆞᆫ〮ᄆᆡᇰᄀᆞ〮ᄅᆞ〮실씨〮라〮二ᅀᅵᆼ〮十씹〮八바ᇙ〮ᄋᆞᆫ〮스〮믈〮여들〮비라〮
새〮로〮스〮믈〮여듧〮字ᄍᆞᆼ〮ᄅᆞᆯ〮ᄆᆡᇰᄀᆞ〮노니〮
欲욕〮使ᄉᆞᆼ〯人ᅀᅵᆫᅀᅵᆫᄋᆞ〮로〮易잉〮習씹〮ᄒᆞ〮야〮便뼌安ᅙᅡᆫᄒᆞᆫᅀᅵᆼ〮케〮ᄒᆞ〮고져〮홇〮ᄯᆞᄅᆞ미〮니라〮
使ᄉᆞᆼ〯는〮ᄒᆡ〯ᅇᅧ〮ᄒᆞ〮논마〮리라〮人ᅀᅵᆫᄋᆞᆫ〮사〯ᄅᆞ〮미라〮易잉〮ᄂᆞᆫ〮쉬〯ᄫᅳᆯ씨〮라〮習씹〮ᄋᆞᆫ〮니길〮씨〮라〮便뼌은〮便뼌安ᅙᅡᆫᄒᆞᆯ씨〮라〮
사〯ᄅᆞᆷ마〯다〮ᄒᆡ〯ᅇᅧ〮수〯ᄫᅵ〮니겨〮날〮로〮ᄡᅮ〮메〮便ᅙᅡᆫ킈〮ᄒᆞ고〮져〮ᄒᆞᇙᄯᆞᄅᆞ미〮니라〮
훈민정음 언해본(1459, 월인석보 권1 수록) 어제서문 전문. 한 구절씩 한문 원문을 앞세우고 그 한자음과 우리말 새김을 협주(夾註, 작은 글씨 풀이)로 단 다음 언해 문장을 잇는 당대의 편집 방식을 그대로 살렸다. "나랏말싸미 듕귁에 달아"로 시작하는, 오늘날 가장 널리 알려진 그 문장이다. 옛한글 자모(ㆆㆁㅿㆍ 등)는 폰트 환경에 따라 다르게 보일 수 있다.
풀이
세종어제훈민정음.
製는 글을 지으실 씨니 御製는 임금이 지으신 글이라. 訓은 가르칠 씨오 民은 백성이오 音은 소리니, 訓民正音은 백성 가르치시는 바른 소리라.
나라의 말이,
중국과 달라,
문자와로 서로 통하지 아니할새,
이런 까닭으로 어린(어리석은) 백성이 이르고자 할 바 있어도
마침내 제 뜻을 능히 펴지 못할 사람이 많으니라.
내가 이를 위하여 가엾이 여겨,
새로 스물여덟 자를 만드노니,
사람마다 하여금 쉬이 익혀 날로 씀에 편안케 하고자 할 따름이니라.
The original
솅〮조ᇰᅌᅥᆼ〮졩〮훈〮져ᇰ〮ᅙᅳᆷ
製졩〮ᄂᆞᆫ〮글〮지ᅀᅳᆯ〮씨〮니〮御ᅌᅥᆼ〮製졩〮ᄂᆞᆫ〮님〯금〮지〯ᅀᅳ샨〮그〮리라〮訓훈〮은〮ᄀᆞᄅᆞ칠〮씨〮오〮民민ᄋᆞᆫ〮百ᄇᆡᆨ〮姓셔ᇰ〮이〮오〮音ᅙᅳᆷ은〮소리〮니〮訓훈〮民민正져ᇰ〮音ᅙᅳᆷ은〮百ᄇᆡᆨ〮姓셔ᇰ〮ᄀᆞᄅᆞ치〮시논〮正져ᇰ〮ᄒᆞᆫ소리〮라〮
國귁〮ᄋᆞᆫ〮나라〮히라〮之징ᄂᆞᆫ〮입〮겨〮지라〮語ᅌᅥᆼ〯는말〯ᄊᆞ미라〮
나랏〮말〯ᄊᆞ미〮
異잉〮乎ᅘᅩᆼ듀ᇰ國귁〮ᄒᆞ〮야〮
中듀ᇰ國귁〮ᄋᆞᆫ〮皇ᅘᅪᇰ帝뎽〮겨〯신나라〮히니〮우〮리〮나랏〮常쌰ᇰ談땀애〮江가ᇰ南남이〮라〮ᄒᆞ〮ᄂᆞ〮니라〮
中國귁〮에〮달아〮
與영〯文문字ᄍᆞᆼ〮로〮不부ᇙ〮相샤ᇰ流류ᇢ通토ᇰᄒᆞᆯᄊᆡ〮
與영〯는〮이〮와〮뎌〮와〮ᄒᆞ〮ᄂᆞᆫ겨〮체ᄡᅳ〮ᄂᆞᆫ字ᄍᆞᆼ〮ㅣ라〮文문은〮글〮와〮리라〮不부ᇙ〮은〮아니〮ᄒᆞ〮논ᄠᅳ〮디라〮相샤ᇰᄋᆞᆫ〮서르ᄒᆞ〮논ᄠᅳ〮디라〮流류ᇢ通토ᇰᄋᆞᆫ〮흘러〮ᄉᆞᄆᆞᄎᆞᆯ〮씨〮라〮
文字ᄍᆞᆼ〮와〮로〮서르ᄉᆞᄆᆞᆺ디〮아니〮ᄒᆞᆯᄊᆡ〮
故공〮로〮愚ᅌᅮᆼ民민이〮有ᅌᅮᇢ〯所송〯欲욕〮言ᅌᅥᆫᄒᆞ〮야도〮
故공〮ᄂᆞᆫ〮젼ᄎᆡ〮라〮愚ᅌᅮᆼ는〮어릴〮씨〮라〮有ᅌᅮᇢ〯는이실씨〮라〮所송〯ᄂᆞᆫ〮배〮라〮欲욕〮ᄋᆞᆫ〮ᄒᆞ고〮져〮ᄒᆞᆯ씨〮라〮言ᅌᅥᆫ은〮니를씨〮라〮
이〮런젼ᄎᆞ〮로〮어린〮百ᄇᆡᆨ셔ᇰ〮이〮니르고〮져〮호ᇙ〮배〮이셔〮도〮
而ᅀᅵᆼ終쥬ᇰ不부ᇙ〮得득〮伸신其끵情쪄ᇰ者쟝〯ㅣ多당ᅌᅴᆼ〯라〮
而ᅀᅵᆼᄂᆞᆫ〮입〮겨〮지라〮終쥬ᇰ은ᄆᆞᄎᆞ〮미라〮得득〮은〮시를〮씨〮라〮伸신ᄋᆞᆫ〮펼씨〮라〮其끵ᄂᆞᆫ〮제〯라〮情쪄ᇰ은〮ᄠᅳ〮디라〮者쟝〯ᄂᆞᆫ〮노〮미라〮多당ᄂᆞᆫ〮할씨〮라〮矣ᅌᅴᆼ〯ᄂᆞᆫ〮말〯ᄆᆺᄂᆞᆫ입〮겨〮지라〮
ᄆᆞᄎᆞᆷ〮내〯제ᄠᅳ〮들〮시러〮펴디〮몯〯ᄒᆞᇙ노〮미〮하니〮라〮
予영ㅣ爲윙〮ᄎᆞᆼ〯민〯ᅀᅧᆫᄒᆞ〮야〮
予영는〮내〮ᄒᆞ〮ᅀᆞᆸ시〮논ᄠᅳ〮디〮시니〮라〮此ᄎᆞᆼ〯ᄂᆞᆫ〮이〮라〮憫민〯然ᅀᅧᆫ은〮어〯엿비〮너기〮실씨〮라〮
내〮이〮ᄅᆞᆯ〮爲윙〮ᄒᆞ〮야〮어〯엿비〮너겨〮
新신制졩〮ᅀᅵᆼ〮十씹〮八바ᇙ〮ᄍᆞᆼ〮ᄒᆞ〮노니〮
新신ᄋᆞᆫ〮새〮라〮制졩〮ᄂᆞᆫ〮ᄆᆡᇰᄀᆞ〮ᄅᆞ〮실씨〮라〮二ᅀᅵᆼ〮十씹〮八바ᇙ〮ᄋᆞᆫ〮스〮믈〮여들〮비라〮
새〮로〮스〮믈〮여듧〮字ᄍᆞᆼ〮ᄅᆞᆯ〮ᄆᆡᇰᄀᆞ〮노니〮
欲욕〮使ᄉᆞᆼ〯人ᅀᅵᆫᅀᅵᆫᄋᆞ〮로〮易잉〮習씹〮ᄒᆞ〮야〮便뼌安ᅙᅡᆫᄒᆞᆫᅀᅵᆼ〮케〮ᄒᆞ〮고져〮홇〮ᄯᆞᄅᆞ미〮니라〮
使ᄉᆞᆼ〯는〮ᄒᆡ〯ᅇᅧ〮ᄒᆞ〮논마〮리라〮人ᅀᅵᆫᄋᆞᆫ〮사〯ᄅᆞ〮미라〮易잉〮ᄂᆞᆫ〮쉬〯ᄫᅳᆯ씨〮라〮習씹〮ᄋᆞᆫ〮니길〮씨〮라〮便뼌은〮便뼌安ᅙᅡᆫᄒᆞᆯ씨〮라〮
사〯ᄅᆞᆷ마〯다〮ᄒᆡ〯ᅇᅧ〮수〯ᄫᅵ〮니겨〮날〮로〮ᄡᅮ〮메〮便ᅙᅡᆫ킈〮ᄒᆞ고〮져〮ᄒᆞᇙᄯᆞᄅᆞ미〮니라〮
The complete royal preface as it appears in the Eonhaebon of 1459, printed in the first volume of the Worin seokbo. The layout of the period has been preserved: each clause of the classical Chinese is given first, followed by small interlinear glosses explaining the Sino-Korean readings and the meaning of each character, and then the Korean rendering. This is the passage that opens 'Naratmalssami Dyunggwig-e dara' — the single most widely known sentence in the Korean language. Some fifteenth-century letters (ㆆ ㆁ ㅿ ㆍ) may display differently depending on the fonts available.
In English
The Correct Sounds for the Instruction of the People, composed by King Sejong himself.
[Gloss] To compose is to make a piece of writing; a royal composition is a writing made by the king. To instruct is to teach; the people are the common people; sound is voice. So Hunminjeongeum means the correct sounds by which the people are taught.
The speech of this country
is different from that of China,
and does not fit together with its writing.
For this reason, among the ignorant people there are many who,
having something they wish to say,
are in the end unable to express what they mean.
I find this pitiable, and have
newly made twenty-eight letters,
wishing only that every person may learn them easily and use them in comfort day by day.
[On the text] What the king is describing is a mismatch between a spoken language and a writing system built for a different one. Korean and Chinese belong to entirely unrelated language families, and Chinese characters encode meaning rather than the sounds of Korean speech. To write Korean with them, a Korean had first to learn a foreign literary language — which in practice meant that writing belonged to the small class with the leisure to do so. The preface names the consequence in a single clause: people who have something to say cannot say it. The remedy proposed is not more education but a different instrument.