ソーラン節の「[男度胸]{おとこどきょう}。。。」という一節


The line in Soran Bushi that says

> [男度胸]{おとこどきょう}なら [五尺]{ごしゃく}のからだ  
>  どんと乗り出せ 波の上 チョイー

What does it literally mean? I think I know the words, but I can't understand
what they mean from those meanings... I thought it means "Men, if you are
brave, your five feet of body..." Then I don't know what どんと乗り出せ means- どん
like the sound, and I'm lost as to the meaning of 乗り出せ, and why it's
imperative.




It is an admonition, not a strict imperative (command). It says that a man of
五尺 (five feet) must be brave, to 乗り出せ ( _ride out_ or perhaps _lean out_ ) 波の上
(over the waves).

I feel that the tenor of the command is more like Horace Greeley's published
quote of J. B. Soule's hortatory advice, "Go west, young man, go west." Not
"do it now" but "aspire to do it."

Perhaps a better analogue (note: _not_ a translation of the above, just a
parallel mood of exhortation):

> Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men's blood and probably
> themselves will not be realized. — [Daniel Burnham, Chicago
> architect](http://www.ontko.com/pub/rayo/burnham.html)

