Opening:
In Naniwa Bay,
now the flowers
are blossoming.
After lying dormant
all winter, now the spring
has come and those
flowers are blossoming.
Naniwa-zu ni/
Sakuya Kono Hana/
Fuyu-gomori/
Ima wo haru-be to/
Sakuya kono hana
難波津に咲
くやこの花
冬ごもり今
を春べと咲
くやこの花
●
Of the autumn paddy,
shacks have rough thatching.
Sheltering there,
my sleeves are wet with dew.
Aki no ta no/
Kariho no io no/
Toma o arami/
Waga koromode wa/
Tsuyu ni nure tsutsu
秋の田のかり
ほの庵のとま
をあらみ我が
ころも手は露
に濡れつつ
●
The spring has passed
and the summer come again;
For the white robes are
spread to dry on the
Mount of Kaguyama.
Haru sugite/
Natsu ki ni kerashi/
Shirotae no/
Koromo hosuchou/
Ama-no-Kaguyama
春過ぎて夏来に
けらし白妙の衣
ほすてふ天の香
具山
●
The stranger who
has traveled far,
the friend with welcome smile,
all sorts of men who come
and go meet at this
mountain stile,
—they meet and rest awhile.
Kore ya kono/
Yuku mo kaeru mo/
Wakarete wa/
Shiru mo shiranu mo/
Ausaka no seki
これやこのゆ
くもかえるも
わかれてわし
るもしらぬも
あうさかのせき
●
Oh stormy winds,
bring up the clouds,
and paint the heavens grey;
lest these fair maids
of form divine should
angel wings display,
and fly far far away.
Amatsu kaze/
Kumono kayoiji/
Fuki tojiyo/
Otome no sugata/
Shibashi todomemu
あまつかぜくも
のかよいじふき
とじよしばしと
どめむ
●
It is for your sake
that I seek the fields
in spring gathering green herbs,
while the snowflakes kept
falling on my hanging sleeves.
Kimi ga tame/
Haru no no ni idete/
Wakana tsumu/
Waga koromode ni/
Yuki wa furitsutsu
君がため春の
野に出でて若
菜摘むわが衣
手に雪は降り
つつ
●
Note that though we
may be apart,
if I am to hear that you
pine for me as the Inaba
mountain pines,
I shall return to you.
Tachiwakare Ina
ba no yama no
Mine ni nama furu
Matsu to shi kikaba
Ima ka heri komu
立ち別れいな
ばの山の峰に
生ふるまつと
し聞かば今か
へりこむ
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Classic Japanese Poems & Quotes
PoetryA collection of Japanese quotes, poems, and Japanese expressions romanized and written in both Japanese and English. A very well written and artful writings by inspired Japanese authors and also by our noble ancestors such as legendary writers, rev...
