犬と蝶他人むきでもなかりけり
inu to chō
tanin muki de mo
nakarikeri |
A dog and a butterfly:
To look away
Neither will be first. |
犬の子の加へて寢たる柳哉
inu no ko no
kuwaete netaru
yanagi kana |
A puppy
Sleeps atop
The willow leaves. |
雀の子地藏の袖にかくれけり
susume no ko
jizō no sode ni
kakurekeri |
Little sparrows
Within the guardian Buddha’s sleeve
Have concealed themselves. |
大佛の鼻から出たる乙鳥哉
daibutsu no
hana kara detaru
tsubame kana |
From the Great Buddha’s
Nose flies
A swallow. |
隣から氣毒がるや遲ざくら
tonari kara
ki no dokugaru ya
osozakura |
From next door come
Regrets;
This cherry blossom is late, indeed! |
庭の蝶子がはへばとびはへばとぶ
niwa no chō
ko ga haeba tobi
haeba tobu |
A butterfly in the garden:
Chased by a child, flying,
Chased and flying again. |
年の暮れ龜はいつ迄釣るさるる
toshi no kure
kame wa itsu made
tsuru saruru |
At years end
For how long will the turtles
Be caught as they pass? |
づぶ濡れの大名を見る巨燵哉
zubunure no
daimyō o miru
kotatsu kana |
Soaked to the skin,
A great lord, I see from
My warm stoveside. |
行人を皿でまねくや藥喰
yuku hito o
sara de maneku ya
kusuri kui |
Passers by I
Invite with my plate,
Of winter goodies |
冬籠其夜に聞くや山の雨
fuyu gomori
sono yo ni kiku ya
yama no ame |
Shut in for winter, yet
On that night I heard
Rain fall on the mountain. |
'Simply moving and elegant'