Monkeys 猿
ゆふづくひさすや嵐の山もとに物わびしらにさるさけぶなり
yūzuku hi
sasu ya arashi no
yamamoto ni
monowabishira ni
saru sakebunari | The twilight sun
Shines around Arashi
Mountain’s foot where
So sorrowfully
The monkeys howl. |
Nakazane
Spiders 蜘蛛
ささがにのしるしもいさやいかならんこよひにてみんくものふるまひ
sasagani no
shirushi mo isa ya
ika naruran
koyoi nite min
kumo no furumai | A tiny crab’s
Sign, well,
What to make of it?
Tonight will I attend to
The spider’s behaviour… |
Nakazane
Zithers 筝
空の色によそへることのことぢをばつらなるかりとおもひけるかな
sora no iro ni
yosoeru koto no
kotoji o ba
tsuranaru kari to
omoikeru kana | The heavens’ hues
I recall—my zither’s
Bridges
Aligned like geese
Do seem to be! |
Nakazane
Flutes 笛
吹きたつる笛のしらべの声きけばのどけきちりもあらじとぞおもふ
fukitatsuru
fue no shirabe no
koe kikeba
nodokeki chiri mo
araji to zo omou | When, soaring,
A flute’s melodious
Notes I hear,
Leisurely lacks
Have they none, I feel. |
Nakazane
Next Door 隣
色かへてふりぬる物は年たかきとなりの松とわれとなりけり
iro kaete
furinuru mono wa
toshi takaki
tonari no matsu to
ware to narikeri | Hues do change as
Age falls upon one:
Towering with years have
Both the pines next door and
I become. |
Nakazane
Boats 船
くもつよりすすめぐりするこし舟のおきこぎさかるほのぼのにみゆ
kumotsu yori
susu megurisuru
koshibune no
oki kogisakaru
honobono ni miyu | From Kumotsu
Around to Susu go
The boats from Koshi,
Rowing further into the offing
Only faintly to be seen. |
Nakazane
Seafolk 泉郎
おほいそにあさな夕なにかづきするあまも我がごとそでやぬるらん
ōiso ni
asana yūna ni
kazukisuru
ama mo wa ga goto
sode ya nururan | At Ōiso
Every morn and evening, too,
Diving do
The fisher-girls, just as I,
Have soaking sleeves, I wonder? |
Nakazane
Old Folk 老人
朝露をひさしき物とおもふ世にほとけの兄にいかでなりけん
asatsuyu o
hisashiki mono to
omou yo ni
hotoke no ani ni
ikade nariken | My morning dew is
A thing of times long gone
I feel, but in this world
The Buddha’s four-score years and one
How might I attain? |
Nakazane
Singing Girls 妓女
絵にかくと筆もおよばじ乙女子が花のすがたを誰にみせまし
e ni kaku to
fude mo oyobaji
otomego ga
hana no sugata o
tare ni misemashi | A painted picture
No brush can match –
The maidens’
Blossoming forms:
To whom should I reveal? |
Nakazane
Wang Zhaojun 王昭君
ゆくすがら心もゆかず別ぢはなほふる里のことぞかなしき
yuku sugara
kokoro mo yukazu
wareji wa
nao furusato no
koto zo kanashiki | On my way along,
Uncomprehending,
This path of parting,
O, my home –
How sad I am with thoughts of you! |
Nakazane
'Simply moving and elegant'