Tag Archives: path

Man'yōshū

MYS XIII: 3305

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A question and response poem.

物不念　道行去毛　青山乎　振放見者　茵花　香未通女　桜花　盛未通女　汝乎曽母　吾丹依云　吾　毛曽　汝丹依云　荒山毛　人師依者　余所　留跡序云　汝心勤

物思はず　道行く行くも　青山を　振り放け見れば　つつじ花　にほえ娘子　桜花　栄え娘子　汝れをぞも　我れに寄すといふ　我れをもぞ　汝れに寄すといふ　荒山も　人し寄すれば　寄そるとぞいふ　汝が心ゆめ

mono’omowazu
michi yukuyuku mo
aoyama o
furisakemireba
tsutsujibana
nioe otome
sakurabana
hae otome
nare o somo
ware ni yosu to iu
ware o mo
nare ni yosu to iu
arayama mo
hito shi yosureba
yosuru to zo iu
na ga kokoroyume		Unburdened by gloomy thoughts
Along the path I went on and on,
To the green-growing mountain,
When in the distance I saw
An azalea
Fair bright maiden,
A cherry blossom
Glorious maiden:
O, you, truly
Give your heart to me;
And I, too,
Will give my heart to you;
Upon the wild mountain
Folk give their hearts
To one another, so
Never will I abandon you!
Kanpyō no ōntoki kisai no miya uta'awase

Kanpyō no ōntoki kisai no miya uta’awase 20

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Left

常盤なる松のみどりも春くれば今一しほの色まさりけり

tokiwa naru
matsu no midori mo
haru kureba
ima hitoshio no
iro masarikeri		When to the eternal
Pine’s green
Spring does come,
Now all the more vibrant
Is its hue!

39[1]

Right

くる春にあはむことこそかたからめ過行く方におくれずもがな

kuru haru ni
awamu koto koso
katakarame
sugiyuku kata ni
okurezu mogana		With arriving spring
To meet is truly
Hard, indeed, but
On the path it take passing by
I would not have it linger!

40

[1] Kokinshū I: 24, attributed to Minamoto no Muneyuki.

San'I minamoto no hirotsune ason uta'awase

San’i minamoto no hirotsune ason uta’awase 14

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First snow seen at dawn (暁見初雪)

Left

鏡山あか月方に見わたせばあまぎりあひて初雪ぞふる

kagamiyama
akatsukikata ni
miwataseba
amagiri aite
hatsuyuki zo furu		When Mirror Mountain
At the edge of dawn
I do survey
Blended with the misting rain is
The first fall of snow.

Fujiwara no Akinobu, Secretary of Music
27

Right

あさぼらけまだふみ分けぬ初雪にいづれを道とわきぞかねつる

asaborake
mada fumiwakenu
hatsuyuki ni
izure o michi to
waki zo kanetsuru		By dawn’s first light
As yet no feet have marked
This first fall of snow;
How long can the path
Remain untrodden?

Akichika, Ranked without office
28

Minbukyō yukihira uta’awase

Minbukyō yukihira uta’awase 5

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Left (Tie)
仄かなる声を聞きては時鳥鳴きつる方をまづぞ求むる

Fonokanaru
kowe wo kikite Fa
Fototogisu
nakituru kata wo
madu zo motomuru		 Your faint
Song I do hear
O, cuckoo,
Along the path you call
Am I in truth invited.

9

Right
小夜更けぬ布留の都の 時鳥帰る雲路の声を聞かせよ

sayo Fukete
Furu no miyako no
Fototogisu
kaFeru kumodi no
kowe wo kikaseyo		 The brief night dawns
At the ancient capital of Furu;
O, cuckoo
From your homeward path among the clouds
Let me hear your song!

10