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. |