Waterweed 萍
かきやればたぎちながるるうき草も世をはやくして過ぎぬべらなり
kakiyareba
tagichi nagaruru
ukikusa mo
yo o hayakushite
suginuberanari | Dragged this way and that, by
Rapidly flowing races,
For a waterweed, too,
The world so swiftly
Must pass by. |
Toshiyori
Waterweed 萍
水の上によるべさだめぬうき草のよそへられぬる我が身なりけり
mizu no ue ni
yorube sadamenu
ukikusa no
yosoerarenuru
wa ga mi narikeri | Upon the water,
With no hope of haven,
A waterweed is
How I imagine
Myself to be. |
Nakazane
Waterweed 萍
涙川みなとにうかぶうき草のうきねとどめむかたのなきかな
namidagawa
minato ni ukabu
ukikusa no
ukine todomemu
kata no naki kana | On the river of tears lies
A harbour where floats
A waterweed –
To bring a halt to sorrowful, solitary sleep is
There no way at all! |
Akinaka
Dwarf Bamboo 小篠
あさまだきをざさが原を分けゆけば露けぎ袖を人やとがめん
asa madaki
ozasa ga hara o
wakeyukeba
tsuyukeki sode o
hito ya togamen | Just before the break of dawn
Through a grove of dwarf bamboo
Do I forge my way, so
Will my dew-drenched sleeves
By folk be condemned? |
Daishin
Dwarf Bamboo 小篠
露しげきをざさが原を分けゆけば衣のすそになびくしら玉
tsuyu shigeki
ozasa ga hara o
wakeyukeba
koromo no suso ni
nabiku shiratama | Drenched with dew is
This grove of dwarf bamboo through which
I forge my way, so
My garment’s hems
Trail white gemlets. |
Higo
Dwarf Bamboo 小篠
葉をしげみ道見えずとてやすらへばそよそよといふをざさ原かな
ha o shigemi
michi miezu tote
yasuraeba
soyosoyo to iu
ozasawara kana | So lush the leaves
My way is hidden, I think –
And when I take my ease a while
‘That’s right! That’s right!’ rustle
The dwarf bamboo groves! |
Kanemasa
Dwarf Bamboo 小篠
まとはるるまくずまじりの玉ざさはたまさかにかるもうるさかりけり
matowaruru
makuzu majiri no
tamazasa wa
tamasaka ni karu mo
urusakarikeri | Entangled with
Fair kudzu vines around is the
Bejewelled dwarf bamboo:
Rarely reaping it, too,
How bothersome that is! |
Tadafusa
Dwarf Bamboo 小篠
山川の岩まのささのひたすらにしのびしふしはあらはれにけり
yamakawa no
iwama no sasa no
hitasura ni
shinobishi fushi wa
arawarenikeri | Along a mountain stream
From the cracks between the crags, dwarf bamboo
Earnestly
Its once hidden knots
Has displayed! |
Toshiyori
Dwarf Bamboo 小篠
ふむ人もなき庭に生ふる玉ざさのこたふばかりにふるあられかな
fumu hito mo
naki niwa ni ouru
tamazasa no
kotau bakari ni
arare kana | No folks’ feet tread
Upon these grounds where grows
Bejewelled dwarf bamboo – and
In response comes only
Hailstones! |
Nakazane
Dwarf Bamboo 小篠
あさタに露のしら玉みるものをいたくなかりそ岡のささはら
asa yū ni
tsuyu no shiratama
miru mono o
itaku na kari so
oka no sasawara | Morning and evening both
Upon white gemlet dewdrops
Do I gaze –
O, reap not
The dwarf bamboo groves on the hillside! |
Akinaka
'Simply moving and elegant'