Monkeys 猿
さらぬだにおいては物のかなしきに夕のましら声なきかせそ
saranu dani
oite wa mono no
kanashiki ni
yū no mashira
koe na kikase so | Not even leaving—
Sunk in
Sadness
O, monkeys, this evening
Let me not hear your cries! |
Daishin
Spiders 蜘蛛
心ぼそいつまで我が身ながらへん軒ばにすがくささがにのいと
kokoroboso
itsu made wa ga mi
nagaraen
nokiba ni sugaku
sasagani no ito | In loneliness
How long must I
Go on?
By my eaves spun into a web is
The spider’s thread… |
Daishin
Zithers 筝
まつかぜの吹くにかよひてことの音は秋のしらべの身にもしむかな
matsukaze no
fuku ni kayoite
koto no ne wa
aki no shirabe no
mi ni mo shimu kana | The wind through pine trees
Blowing blending with
A zither’s notes—
The melodies of autumn
Do pierce my soul! |
Daishin
Flutes 笛
まきの戸をあけがたにても笛竹のこちくの声ぞ人だのめなる
maki no to o
akegata nite mo
fuetake no
kochiku no koe zo
hito danomenaru | By my door of cedar wood
At the edge of dawn
A bamboo
Flute’s notes denote
A trustworthy man, indeed![1] |
Daishin
[1] An allusive variation on Kintō-shū 511.
Next Door 隣
中がきにおふる草木のはをしげみ夏ぞとなりはうとく成りける
nakagaki ni
ouru kusaki no
ha o shigemi
natsu zo tonari wa
utoku narikeru | The fence between is
Overgrown with plants with
Leaves so lush, that
In summer, next door
Seems far away, indeed! |
Daishin
Boats 船
風はやきながとのうらの舟よりもとまりさだめぬ我が身なりけり
kaze hayaki
nagato no ura no
fune yori mo
tomarisadamenu
wa ga mi narikeri | Swift, the wind from
Nagato Beach sends
A boat but more
Uncertain of my resting place
Am I… |
Daishin
Seafolk 泉郎
夜とともにもしほたれつつすまのあまの心づからや袖ぬらすらん
yo to tomo ni
moshio taretsutsu
suma no ama no
kokorozukara ya
sode nurasuran | Every night
Wringing brine from seaweed
Do the seafolk at Suma
From their own hearts
Drench their sleeves, I wonder? |
Daishin
Old Folk 老人
くろかみも色かはりゆきみる人のいとふばかりにおいにけるかな
kurokami mo
iro kawariyuki
miru hito no
itou bakari ni
oinikeru kana | My raven tresses’
Hue has changed with the snow, and
Folk who see
Simply avoid me with distaste –
Such is having grown old! |
Daishin
Singing Girls 妓女
あけぼのにかすみこめたる花よりもあかぬはいもがにほひなりけり
akebono ni
kasumi kometaru
hana yori mo
akanu wa imo ga
nioi narikeri | At the dawning
Mingled with the hazes are
The blossoms, yet far more
Unsated am I by my darling’s
Scent. |
Daishin
Wang Zhaojun 王昭君
道すがらなぐさむやとてひくことのをごとに玉をぬくなみだかな
michi sugara
nagusamu ya tote
hiku koto no
ogoto ni tama o
nuku namida kana | On the road and
Thinking it might console me
Plucking upon
My lute, where gemstone
Teardrops were strung! |
Daishin
'Simply moving and elegant'