Composed on the spirit of early dawn.
あか月とつげの枕をそばだてゝきくもかなしき鐘のをと哉
akatsuki to
tsuge no makura o
sobadatete
kiku mo kanashiki
kane no oto kana |
‘Dawn has come!’
From my boxwood pillow
I hark;
To hear it is such a sorrow:
That tolling bell. |
Master of the Dowager Empress Household Office Toshinari
藤原俊成
Topic unknown.
またれつる入あひのかねのをとすなりあすもやあらばきかんとすらん
mataretsuru
iriai no kane no
oto su nari
asu mo ya araba
kikan to suran |
I await
The sunset bell’s
Chime;
Should I still live tomorrow,
Then will I hear it once again. |
The Monk Saigyō
西行
On autumn leaves in a hundred poem sequence of reminiscences.
嵐ふくみねのもみぢの日にそへてもろくなりゆくわが涙哉
arashi fuku
mine no momiji no
hi ni soete
moroku nariyuku
wa ga namida kana |
As the storm winds rage
On the peaks the leaves turn
With the passing days
How much easier it is to shed
My tears. |
Master of the Dowager Empress Household Office Toshinari
藤原俊成
Topic unknown.
こがらしの風にもみぢて人しれずうきことの葉のつもる比かな
kogarashi no
kaze ni momijite
hito shirezu
uki koto no ha no
tsumoru koro kana |
The bitter winter
Wind turns them:
Unknown to all,
These cold words-like leaves-
Mount up, now. |
Ono no Komachi
小野小町
Topic unknown.
月のゆく山に心をゝくりいれてやみなるあとの身をいかにせん
tsuki no yuku
yama ni kokoro o
okuri irete
yami naru ato no
mi o ika ni sen |
The moon heads
For the moutains – their hearts
As one;
Left behind in darkness,
What is to be come of me? |
The Monk Saigyō
西行
Topic unknown.
いづくにもすまれずはたゞすまであらんしばのいほりのしばしなるよに
izuku ni mo
sumarezu wa tada
sumade aran
shiba no iori no
shibashi naru yo ni |
Nowhere at all
Would I live on; all
Is pointless:
A hut of twigs
Is this fleeting world. |
The Monk Saigyō
西行
In the conception of reminiscence, at the Poetry Office.
おしむともなみだに月も心からなれぬる袖に秋をうらみて
oshimu tomo
namida ni tsuki mo
kokoro kara
narenuru sode ni
aki o uramite |
I do regret it, yet,
That the moon is in my tears are
From my heart;
Accustomed to it are my sleeves,
Despising autumn. |
The Daughter of Master of the Dowager Empress’ Household Office Toshinari
On the spirit of reminiscence, at the Poetry Office.
君がよにあはずはなにを玉のをのながくとまではおしまれじ身を
kimi ga yo ni
awazu wa nani o
tama no o no
nagaku tomade wa
oshimareji mi o |
If with your reign
I am not to meet, for what should
My jewelled belt of life
Stretch on and on,
Without a care? |
Sada’ie
定家
Topic unknown.
うけがたき人のすがたにうかびいでゝこりずやたれも又しづむべき
ukegataki
hito no sugata ni
ukabi idete
korizu ya tare mo
mata shizumubeki |
Irredeemable
Folk
Are reborn;
Having learned nothing, all
Must once again fall. |
The Monk Saigyō
西行
Topic unknown.
年月をいかでわが身におくりけん昨日の人も今日はなき世に
toshi tsuki o
ikade wa ga mi ni
okuriken
kinō no hito mo
kyō wa naki yo ni |
The years and months:
How have I
Spent them?
Yesterday, he was here, but
Today is gone – even so is this world. |
The Monk Saigyō
西行
'Simply moving and elegant'