Category Archives: Man’yōshū

MYS II: 228

[One of] two poems composed to express his grief and sorrow by Kawabe no Miyahito when he saw the coffin of a young girl in the pine groves of Himeshima in Wadō 4 [711].

妹之名者 千代尓将流 姫嶋之 子松之末尓 蘿生万代尓

いもがなは ちよにながれむ ひめしまの こまつがうれに こけむすまでに

imo ga na pa
tiyo ni nagaremu
pimesima no
komatu ga ure ni
kokemusu made ni
This maiden’s name
Will drift down a thousand ages
Until Himeshima’s
Pine seedling shoots are
Choked with hanging moss.

Kawabe no Miyahito

MYS XIX: 4210

敷治奈美乃 志気里波須疑奴 安志比紀乃 夜麻保登等芸須 奈騰可伎奈賀奴

ふぢなみの しげりはすぎぬ あしひきの やまほととぎす などかきなかぬ

pudinami no
sigeri pa suginu
asipiki no
yamapototogisu
nado ka kikanu
The wisteria waves’
Verdant time has passed,
O, leg-wearying
Mountain cuckoo, so
Why won’t you sing?

Composed by Secretary Kume no asomi Hironawa on the 23rd day.

MYS VIII: 1555

A poem by Prince Aki.

秋立而 幾日毛不有者 此宿流 朝開之風者 手本寒母

あきたちて いくかもあらねば このねぬる あさけのかぜは たもとさむしも

aki tatite
ikuka mo araneba
kono nenuru
asake no kaze pa
tamoto samusi mo
Since autumn arrived,
Not even a few days have passed, but
Sleeping in my bed
The dawning breeze is
Cold upon my sleeves!

Prince Aki
安貴王

MYS XX: 4294

A single poem presented in reply by Prince Toneri.

安之比奇能 山尓由伎家牟 夜麻妣等能 情母之良受 山人夜多礼

あしひきの やまにゆきけむ やまびとの こころもしらず やまびとやたれ

asipiki no
yama ni yukikemu
yamabito no
kokoro mo shirazu
yamabito ya tare
To the leg-wearying
Mountains seeming to have gone
An immortal’s
Heart I cannot know, but
Who might that immortal be?

MYS XI: 2453

春楊 葛山 発雲 立座 妹念

はるやなぎ かづらきやまに たつくもの たちてもゐても いもをしぞおもふ

paru yanagi
kadurakiyama ni
tatu kumo no
tatite mo wite mo
imo wo si zo omopu
Spring willows
Cap Kazuraki Mountain, where
Clouds rise, but
Rising or remaining
My darling is ever in my thoughts

Kakinomoto no Hitomaro Collection

MYS XIV: 3477

安都麻道乃 手児乃欲婢佐可 古要弖伊奈婆 安礼波古非牟奈 能知波安比奴登母

あづまぢの てごのよびさか こえていなば あれはこひむな のちはあひぬとも

adumadi no
tego no yobisaka
koete inaba
are pa kopinamu na
noti pa apinuru tomo
On eastland roads lies
Tego-no-Yobisaka:
When I pass across it,
How filled am I with yearning,
Even should we meet once more…

MYS IV: 500

神風之 伊勢乃浜荻 折伏 客宿也将為 荒浜辺尓

かむかぜの いせのはまをぎ をりふせて たびねやすらむ あらきはまべに

kamukaze no
ise no pamawogi
woripusete
tabine ya suramu
araki pamabe ni
Divine winds blow
Cogon grass on the shore at Ise
I weave and lay me down—
Should I doze upon my travels?
On this wild beachside…

MYS XVII: 3901

[One of] Six poems new poems to harmonise and follow those on plum blossom, when he was at Dazai.

民布由都芸 芳流波吉多礼登 烏梅能芳奈 君尓之安良祢婆 遠久人毛奈之

みふゆつぎ はるはきたれど うめのはな きみにしあらねば おくひともなし

mipuyu tugi
paru pa kitaredo
ume no pana
kimi ni si araneba
oku pito mo nasi
After deep winter’s passing
Spring has come, and yet
The plum blossom
Is not you, my love, so
There’s no one to beckon me here…

Ōtomo no Fumimochi