哥一首有るで話しにけつまづき
uta isshu
aru de hanashi ni
ketsu mazuki |
‘There’s a single verse apt for this,’
He says, bringing conversation to
An awkward halt. |
男ならすぐに汲ふに水鏡
otoko nara
sugu ni kumau ni
mizu kagami |
A man will
Soon drink up a girl’s
Water for her mirror! |
雨やどり額の文字を能おぼへ
ame yadori
gaku no moji o
yoku oboe |
Sheltering from the rain,
The letter’s on the Buddha’s forehead
I study hard! |
迷い子のおのが太鼓で尋られ
mayoigo no
ono ga taiko de
tazunerare |
A lost child
With his own drum
Makes his presence known. |
たそがれに出て行男尻知らず
tasogare ni
dete yuku otoko
shiri shirazu |
His mind on thought of love
A man sets out
Ignorant of his backside! |
子が出來て川の字形に寢る夫婦
ko ga dekite
kawa no ji nari ni
neru fufu |
A baby born and
As river-banks lie
Man and wife. |
先づ眼と眼それから手と手口と口
mazu me to me
sore kara te to te
kuchi to kuchi |
First they met eye to eye
Then hand to hand
And mouth to mouth! |
姉からと云つてる家に妹逃げ
ane kara to
itteru uchi ni
imoto nige |
‘Your elder sister first,’ they
Said, so from the house
The younger ran away! |
親達は井戸と首とで婿をとり
oyatachi wa
ido to kubi to de
muko o tori |
Her parents,
Faced with a well-head or a rope,
Took in a son-in-law. |
孕んでもいいと橋から連て來る
harande mo
ii to hashi kara
tsuretekuru |
‘Have it!
It’s fine!’ they say, and from the bridge
They bring her home. |
'Simply moving and elegant'