Composed when there was much disturbance in the world.
朝な朝な鹿の柵む萩がえの末葉の露のありがたのよや
asana asana
sika no sikaramu
Fagi ga e no
suweba no tuyu no
arigata no yo ya |
Every morning
The stag is tangled in
Bush clover branches,
Dew upon the leaf-tips –
Such is the length of life… |
Zōki
増基
[One of] three poems composed at a banquet on the 3rd day of the Third Month, with an imperial envoy sent to inspect the border guards and messengers from the Ministry of War in attendance.
朝な朝な上がる雲雀になりてしか都に行きて早帰り来む
asana asana
agaru pibari ni
naritesika
miyako ni yukite
paya kaperikon |
Every single morning
Soars the skylark –
If only I were she, then
To the capital I’d go, and
Swiftly return home! |
Abe no Samimaro
安倍沙美麻呂
Left
時鳥今宵はとまれ片岡の朝の原に帰りやせぬ
Fototogisu
koyoFi Fa tomare
katawoka no
asita no Fara ni
kaFeri ya senu |
O, cuckoo
Stay here this night, and
Down the hillside
With the morning to the plain
Will you not return? |
19
Right
我が宿に声な惜しみそ時鳥通ふ千里のゆきはてぞ此は
wa ga yado ni
kowe na osimi so
Fototogisu
kayoFu tisato no
yukiFate zo ko Fa |
At my home
I regret not your song,
O, cuckoo,
For your thousand league
Journey’s end lies here. |
20
Sad thoughts.
夕凝りの霜置きにけり朝戸出にいたくし踏みて人に知らゆな
yupu kori no
simo okinikeri
asa tode ni
itakusi pumite
pito ni sirayuna |
With the evening chill
Frost has fallen;
In the morning, opening the door
Tread lightly, so
No one will know… |
朝戸出の君が足結を濡らす露原早く起き出でつつ我れも裳裾濡らさな
asa tode no
kimi ga ayupi wo
nurasu tuyu para
payaku oki
idetutu ware mo
mosuso nurasana |
In the morning, opening the door
Bound up, your belt
Will be drenched by the dewy fields;
Swiftly rising
I, too, shall venture out and
Soak my skirt-hem… |
Kakinomoto no Hitomaro Collection
柿本人麻呂歌集
On parting.
朝戸出の君が姿をよく見ずて長き春日を恋ひや暮らさむ
asa tode no
kimi ga sugata wo
yoku mizute
nagaki parupi wo
kopi ya kurasamu |
In the morning, opening the door
My lord’s form
I could not see well, so
How through this long spring day
Can I live with my love? |
Composed on the conception of the moon over the water, at the residence of Supernumerary Middle Councillor Toshitada at Katsura.
あすも来む野路の玉川萩こえて色なる浪に月やどりけり
asu mo komu
nodi no tamakaFa
Fagi koete
ironaru nami ni
tuki yadorikeri |
The morning comes, too,
To Noji’s jewelled river;
Over-running the bush-clover are
Motley waves where
The moon does lodge. |
Minamoto no Shunrai
源俊頼
玉鉾の朝行く道の小笹原わくるもす裾に霜冴えにけり
tamahoko no
asa yuku michi no
ozasawara
wakuru mo suso ni
shimo saenikeri |
Jewelled-spear straight
My morning’s path through
The groves of young broad-leaved bamboo;
Forging through upon my hem
How chill lies the frost! |
Higo
On frogs.
背を早み落ちたぎちたる白波にかはづ鳴くなり朝夕ごとに
se wo payami
otitagititaru
siranami ni
kapadu nakunari
asayupu goto ni |
The current flows so swift
There are eddies making
Whitecaps where
The frogs do call,
Morning and evening both… |
Anonymous
'Simply moving and elegant'