Love and tales.[i]
わかれにしむかしは露かあさぢ原跡なき野べにあきかぜぞふく
wakarenishi
mukashi wa tsuyu ka
asajiwara
ato naki nobe ni
akikaze zo fuku | Since they were parted,
Were those ancient times dewdrop brief?
Across the cogon grass
Upon the trackless plain
The autumn wind is blowing! |
546
[i] The ‘tale’ here is the Song of Everlasting Woe about the doomed love between Yang Guifei and Emperor Xuanzong
あさぢはらあだなる霜のむすぼほれ日影をまつに消えやわたらん
asajiwara
adanaru shimo no
musubōre
hikage o matsu ni
kie ya wataran | Fields of cogon grass,
By faithless frost
Held fast—
Awaiting the sunshine,
Shall I, too, fade away? |
512
あさぢ原あとなきのべに置く霜のむすぼほれつつ消えやわたらん
asajiwara
ato naki nobe ni
oku shimo no
musubōretsutsu
kie ya wataran | Fields of cogon grass,
Trackless, on the hillside
With fallen frost
Held ever fast—
Shall I, too, fade away? |
511
The moon above a ruined hut
浅茅原ぬしなき宿の庭の面にあはれいくよの月かすみけん
asajiwara
nushi naki yado no
niwa no omo ni
aware iku yo no
tsuki kasumiken | On the cogon grass covered plain,
Ownerless, is a hut;
Upon its garden’s face
O, for how many ages has
The moon cast its light? |
あさぢはら露しげき庭の蛬秋ふかきよの月になくなり
asajiwara
tsuyu shigeki niwa no
kirigirisu
aki fukaki yo no
tsuki ni nakunari | A field of cogon-grass,
Dew-drenched, is this garden, where
The crickets,
Deep one autumn night
Cry up to the moon. |
Violets
あさぢ原ゆくへもしらぬのべに出でてふるさと人はすみれつみけり
asajiwara
yukue mo shiranu
nobe ni idete
furusatobito wa
sumire tsumikeri | Gone to cogon grass groves,
Whither I know not,
Out into the meadows
She I knew at my ancient home
Went picking violets. |
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