When she was alone, an enquiry arrived from someone as to how she was, so she attached this to a morning glory and sent it to him.
夕暮のさびしき物は朝顔の花を頼める宿にぞ有りける
yuFugure no
sabisiki mono Fa
asagaFo no
Fana wo tanomeru
yado ni zo arikeru |
The evening is
So lonely:
A morning glory
Bloom alone is trustworthy
At my house! |
Anonymous
家にありし櫃にかぎさし蔵めてし恋の奴のつかみかかりて
ipe ni arisi
pitu ni kagisasi
wosametesi
kopi no yatuko no
tukami kakarite |
In my house and
Locked within a box;
I did control it, but
I am love’s slave –
Caught tight! |
Prince Hozumi
穂積皇子
妹が家路みち黄昏になる時は垣根の花を訪ねてぞ行く
imo ga iFedi
miti tasogare ni
naru toki Fa
kakine no Fana wo
tadunete zo yuku |
The way to my darling’s house is
In full dusk;
That is the hour
The blossom in the brushwood fence
I do go to visit! |
Falling Leaves
やどにしくにしきをみればうれしくてさすがに木のはちらばをしまる
yado ni shiku
nishiki o mireba
ureshikute
sasuga ni ko no ha
chiraba oshimaru | Spread around my house,
I gaze upon the brocade,
And am pleased;
Indeed, if the leaves from the trees
Fall, it is a pleasure! |
Minamoto no Akinaka
源顕仲
限りなく君が齢を延へつつ名だたる宿の露とならなむ
kagirinaku
kimi ga yoFaFi wo
nobaFetutu
nadataru yado no
tuyu to naruramu |
Limitless
My Lord, are the years
That stretch before you;
In such an illustrious house
A dewdrop is what I would be. |
Ise
伊勢
夢路にはなれし宿見る現にて宇津の山辺の蔦ふける庵
yumeji ni wa
nareshi yado miru
utsutsu nite
utsu no yamabe no
tsuta fukeru io |
Upon the path of dreams
I saw a house I used to know so well;
In reality, it is
Near to Utsu Moutain,
A hut all twined with ivy… |
Fujiwara no Shunzei
藤原俊成
草深く荒たる宿の灯火の風にきえぬは蛍なりけり
kusa Fukaku
aretaru yado no
tomosibi no
kaze ni kienu Fa
Fotaru narikeri |
Deep within the grasses
A ruined house has
Torches
Not guttering in the breeze:
Fireflies. |
忘れ草茂れる宿を来て見れば思ひ軒より生ふるなりけり
wasuregusa
shigereru yado o
kitemireba
omoinoki yori
ouru narikeri |
The day-lilies
Are thick around this house
I have come to see;
Beneath the eaves, my thoughts run wild
As the growing plants… |
Minamoto no Shunrai
源俊頼
When converting the Man’yōshū to Japanese.
独ぬる宿には月の見えざらば恋しき事の数はまさらじ
Fitori nuru
yado ni Fa tuki no
miezaraba
koFisiki koto no
kazu Fa masarazi |
Sleeping solo
In this house, if the moon
I could not see,
All my thoughts of love
Would increase in number, wouldn’t they? |
Minamoto no Shitagō
徒然と眺めせしまに夏草のあはれや宿にしげりあひにけり
tsuredure to
nagamesesi ma ni
natsu kusa no
aFare ya yado ni
sigeriaFinikeri |
In idleness
Have I gazed upon
The summer grasses
How sad that at my house
They grow so lush together! |
'Simply moving and elegant'