MYS II: 217

A poem composed by Hitomaro, Lord Kakinomoto on the death of a lady-in-waiting from Tsu in Kibi.

秋山の したへる妹 なよ竹の とをよる子らは いかさまに 思ひ居れか 栲繩の 長き命を 露こそば 朝に置きて 夕は 消ゆといへ 霧こそば 夕に立ちて 朝は 失すといへ 梓弓 音聞く我れも おほに見し こと悔しきを 敷栲の 手枕まきて 劍太刀 身に添へ寢けむ 若草の その嬬の子は 寂しみか 思ひて寢らむ 悔しみか 思ひ戀ふらむ 時ならず 過ぎにし子らが 朝露のごと 夕霧のごと

akiyama nö
sitaperu imo
nayotakë nö
töwoyöru kora pa
ikasama ni
omopiwore ka
takunapa nö
nagaki inöti wo
tuyu kösö ba
asita ni okite
yupupe pa
kiyu tö ipe
kiri kösö ba
yupupe ni tatite
asita ni pa
usu tö ipe
adusa yumi
otö kiku ware mo
opo ni misi
kötö kuyasiki wo
sikitapë nö
tamakura makite
turugi tati
mï ni sope nekemu
wakakusa nö
sono tuma nö ko pa
sabusimi ka
omopite nuramu
kuyasimi ka
omopi kopuramu
töki narazu
sugi ni si kora ga
asa tuyu nö götö
yupugiri nö götö
As autumn mountains
Tinged with scarlet were you, maiden,
A pliable bamboo,
Supply bending, lady,
Of what
Were you thinking?
A rope of hemp
Should stretch your life long;
The dew
Falls with the morning
And with the evening
Vanishes, ’tis said;
The mist
Rises with the evening
And with the morn
Is lost, ’tis said;
As a catalpa bow,
The rumours, I, too, heard them, and
Saw you only briefly.
How sad:
As folded linen,
Pillowed on your arm,
A well-honed sword,
His body by yours in sleep,
As young grass,
Is your husband.
How lonely must he be ?
With thoughts of you will he sleep,
Grieving;
Fondly feeling,
It was not your time,
And you are gone, oh lady,
As is the morning dew,
As is the evening mist.

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