Composed when he presented a hundred poem sequence, during the reign of former Emperor Horikawa.
山ざとはさびしかりけりこがらしのふく夕ぐれのひぐらしのこゑ
yamazato Fa sabisikarikeri kogarasi no Fuku yuFugure no higurasi no kowe | A mountain retreat is Lonely, indeed; The biting wind Blows of an evening with The sundown cicadas’ cries. |
Fujiwara no Nakazane
藤原仲実
あきのよにたれをまつとかひぐらしのゆふぐれごとになきまさるらん
aki no yo ni tare o matsu to ka higurashi no yūgure goto ni nakimasaruran | On an autumn night Who is it that you await, I wonder? The sundown cicadas With each evening Cry ever louder… |
41
あき風のふきくるよひはきりぎりす草のねごとにこゑみだれけり[1]
akikaze no fukikuru yoi wa kirigirisu kusa no ne goto ni koe midarekeri | The autumn wind Comes gusting late at night, when The crickets From every single blade of grass Let out confused cries. |
42
[1] This poem was included in Gosenshū (V: 257).
ひぐらしのなくあき山をこえくればことぞともなくものぞかなしき[1]
higurashi no naku aki yama o koekureba koto zo tomonaku mono zo kanashiki | The sundown cicadas Sing in the autumn mountains Passing by, Everything is somehow All the more sad… |
17
あきののとなりぞしにける草むらの見るひごとにもまさるつゆかな
aki no no to nari zo shinikeru kusamura no miru hi goto ni mo masaru tsuyu kana | The autumn fields Have all turned to Tangled clumps of grass— Every day I sight them, How finer is the dewfall! |
18
[1] This poem was included in two later anthologies: Fubokuwakashu (6015) and Shūfū wakashū 秋風和歌集 (307).
Right
夏なれば木高き枝になく蟬のかげにかくせる風を恋ふとか
natu nareba kodakaki eda ni naku semi no kage ni kakuseru kaze wo koFu to ka | When the summer comes, In the topmost branches of the trees In the singing cicadas’ Shadows have you hidden The breeze I love? |
5
This video discusses the images and vocabulary used in the poems on the topic of ‘Cicadas’.
Cicadas (蟬)
声たてていかに鳴くらんうつせみの我が身からとは思ひしらずや
koe tatete ika ni nakuran utsusemi no wa ga mi kara to wa omoishirazu ya | Raising up their voices How they seem to sing! An abandoned, cicada-shell Am I – empty! Are they all ignorant of that? |
Daishin
Cicadas (蟬)
みやまべをひとりこゆればをちこちの道しるべなるせみの声かな
miyamabe o hitori koyureba ochikochi no michishirube naru semi no koe kana | When deep within the mountains All alone I make my way From near and far My guides are The cicadas’ songs. |
Higo
Cicadas (蟬)
袖かくるならのしづ枝に鳴くせみの声はたかくもきこゆななりけり
sode kakuru nara no shizue ni naku semi no koe wa takakumo kikoyunarikeri | Hanging ‘pon my sleeves, Are the oak trees’ bottom branches, where The sing cicadas are In such good voice That I hear them clear! |
Tadafusa
Composed at the time a hundred poem sequence was presented, during the reign of former Emperor Horikawa.
山里は淋しかりけり木枯らしの吹く夕暮の日暮の声
yamazato Fa
sabisikarikeri
kogarasi no
Fuku yuFugure no
Figurasi no kowe |
A mountain dwelling
Seems lonely:
When the chill winter wind
Blows on an evening with
The sunset cicadas’ song… |
Fujiwara no Nakazane
藤原仲実
おくるてふ蟬の初声聞くよりもいまはと麦の秋を知りぬる
okuru teFu
semi no Fatugowe
kiku yori mo
ima Fa to mugi no
aki o sirinuru |
It is late, they say:
The cicadas’ first call –
But now I hear it
Now is barley’s
Autumn – that I know! |
'Simply moving and elegant'