白露にざぶとふみ込む烏哉
shiratsuyu ni
zabu to fumikomu
karasu kana |
Into a field of silven dew
All of a sudden plunges
A crow. |
淋しさに飯をくふ也秋の風
sabishisa ni
meshi o kuu nari
aki no kaze |
How lonely it is,
Eating a meal
In the autumn wind. |
秋雨や乳放れの馬の旅に立つ
akisame ya
chibanare no uma no
tabi ni tatsu |
In the autumn rains
A colt, plucked from his mother’s teat
Sets off on his journey. |
山里は汁の中迄名月ぞ
yamazato wa
shiru no naka made
meigetsu zo |
In my mountain home
Right into my bowl of soup
Has come the Harvest Moo |
うつくしや障子の穴の天の川
utsukushi ya
shôji no ana no
ama no kawa |
How beautiful it is!
Through a hole in the window-screen
To see the River of Heaven. |
秋の夜や旅の男の針仕事
aki no yo ya
tabi no otoko no
hari shigoto |
On an autumn night
A travelling man
Spends his time in needlework. |
あいつらも夜永なるべしそそり唄
aitsura mo
yo naganarubeshi
sosori uta |
That lot
As the night’s so long
Pass it with a rousing song! |
あばら骨なでじとすれど夜寒哉
abara hone
nadeji to suredo
yo samu kana |
My ribs
I touch not at all, yet
I feel the cold tonight. |
是程と牡丹の仕方する子哉
kore hodo to
botan no shikata
suru ko kana |
‘It was this big!’
Hands making a peony
Says the child. |
夕貌に尻を揃へて寢たりけり
yūgao ni
shiri o soroete
netarikeri |
With moonflowers
At their backsides, all
Are asleep. |
'Simply moving and elegant'