かくらくのとませの山の山際にいさよふ雲は妹にかもあらむ
kakuraku no
tomase no yama no
yamagiFa ni
isayoFu kumo Fa
imo ni kamo aramu |
Hidden away,
By Tomase Mountain’s
Foothills
Waver clouds:
Where, perhaps, my darling is! |
夏の日の俄かに曇る夕立の思ひもかけぬ世にもあるかな
natu no Fi no
niFka ni kumoru
yuFudati no
omoFi mo kakenu
yo ni mo aru kana |
A summer day
Briefly clouded by
An evening shower:
How unexpected
Is this world! |
夕立の雨うち降れば春日野の尾花が上の白露は思ほゆ
yuFudati no
ame utiFureba
kasugano no
wobana ga uFe no
siratuyu Fa omoFoyu |
When evening showers’
Rain does fall,
On the plain at Kasuga
Upon the miscanthus grass
Silver dewfall comes to mind. |
夕立に夏はいぬめりそぼちつつ秋の境にいまやいたらむ
yuFudati ni
natu Fa inumeri
sobotitutu
aki no sakaFi ni
ima ya itaramu |
In an evening shower
Summer seems to leave;
All drenched is
The edge of autumn
Now arrived, indeed! |
常盤なる花橘に時鳥鳴きとよめつつ千代も経ぬかな
tokiFa naru
Fanatatibana ni
Fototogisu
nakitoyometutu
tiyo mo Fenu kana |
From the eternal
Orange blossom
The cuckoo
Calls will ever resound
Though a thousand ages go by! |
橘のてらの長屋にひと目見し髫髪は今は髪あげつらむ
tatibana no
tera no nagaya ni
Fitome misi
unawi Fa ima Fa
kami ageturamu |
Oranges
Gleam round the longhouse where
I saw but once
A youthful maiden, who now
Will bind up her hair… |
橘の照れる長屋にわかゐねし髫髪放れは髪あげつらむ
tatibana no
tereru nagaya ni
wa ga winesi
unawiFhanare Fa
kami agetsuramu |
Oranges
Shine round the longhouse where
I did sleep with
A youthful maiden
Who will bind up her hair… |
ひしくればいざとく寝なむ夏衣脱ぐかとすれば明けぬといふ夜に
Fisikureba
iza toku nenamu
natugoromo
nugu ka to sureba
akenu to iFu yo ni |
When the sky grows dark,
Let me loosen and to bed
In my summer garb!
But when I am to take it off,
Dawn comes to the night… |
夏衣薄きかひなく秋待てば木の下風のやまず吹かなむ
natugoromo
usuki kaFinaku
aki mateba
ko no sitakaze no
yamazu Fukanamu |
My summer garb is
Thin, but to no effect, so
I will wait for autumn, then
Beneath the trees the breezes
Will blow ceaselessly! |
春にたにもありし心を夏衣いかにうすさの今日まさるらむ
Faru ni dani mo
arisi kokoro wo
natugoromo
ika ni ususa no
keFu masaruramu |
Even in the spring
I had a mind to wear
My summer garb;
How much its lightness
Today does seem far better! |
'Simply moving and elegant'