Boats 船
水あさみ川せの波はたつものをくだすう舟のみつや何なる
| mizu asami kawase no nami wa tatsu mono o kudasu ubune no mitsu ya ika naru | How shallow the waters in The river rapids where waves Arise – What will become of the cormorant boats, sailing down If they be full? |
Tadafusa
Waterweed 萍
世の中は水のうへなるうき草のうきにたへたる身をいかにせん
| yo no naka wa mizu no uenaru ukikusa no uki ni taetaru mi o ikani sen | In this mundane world Atop the waters lies A waterweed – In endless misery, O, what am I to do? |
Higo
Waterweed 萍
水の上によるべさだめぬうき草のよそへられぬる我が身なりけり
| mizu no ue ni yorube sadamenu ukikusa no yosoerarenuru wa ga mi narikeri | Upon the water, With no hope of haven, A waterweed is How I imagine Myself to be. |
Nakazane
Temples 寺
谷ふかみ跡だに見えぬ山寺はかけひの水のゆくにてぞ知る
| tani fukami ato dani mienu yamadera wa kakehi no mizu no yuku nite zo shiru | Deep within the valley No tracks lead to This mountain temple: Water through the culverts’ Passing reveals it. |
Akinaka
すべらぎのながゐの池は水すみてのどかにちよのかげぞ見えける
| suberagi no nagai no ike wa mizu sumite nodoka ni chiyo no kage zo miekeru | Our Sovereign’s Nagai Pond has Water so clear, that In peaceful calm a thousand generations Shape is revealed. |
Higo
Waterfalls 滝
谷川やおちくる滝のしらいとを水のあやには織るにやあるらん
| tanikawa ya ochikuru taki no shira’ito o mizu no aya ni wa oru ni ya aruran | From a stream within the valley Comes tumbling a cataract of White threads: A motley pattern of water Do they seem to weave? |
Daishin
Stones 石
いかにして水の下なるさざれ石のなかのおもひのきえせざるらん
| ika ni shite mizu no shita naru sazare’ishi no naka no omoi no kiezaruran | O, what am I to do? Beneath the waters Pebbles lie, as many as My passionate thoughts within That show no signs of fading… |
Daishin
A poem from a poetry competition held by Her Majesty, the Empress, during the Kanpyō period.
吹風と谷の水としなかりせば深山がくれの花を見ましや
| Fuku kaze to tani no midu to si nakariseba miyama gakure no Fana wo mimasi ya | The gusting wind and The valley’s waters Were there none, then Hidden in the mountains’ depths These blossoms – would any wish to see them? |
Tsurayuki
Composed on seeing cherry blossom flowing along the stream in the grounds of the Palace of the Crown Prince.
枝よりもあだにちりにし花なればおちても水の泡とこそなれ
| eda yori mo ada ni tirinisi Fana nareba otitemo midu no awa to koso nare | From the branch Have simply scattered These blossoms, so they are Fallen, yet the waters’ Foam have they become. |
Sugano no Takayo
Composed on plum blossom blooming by the water’s edge.
年をへて花のかがみとなる水は散りかかるをや曇るといふ覧
| tosi wo Fete Fana no kagami to naru midu Fa tirikakaru wo ya kumoru to iFuran | As the year draws on The blossom mirroring Waters With scattered petals Will be clouded, one might say? |
Ise