Composed on falling blossoms on a mountain path.
さくらばなみちみえぬまでちりにけりいかがはすべきしがのやまごえ
sakurabana
miti mienu made
tirinikeri
ikaga Fa subeki
siga no yamagoe | Cherry blossoms
Until the path is lost to view
Have fallen;
Whatever can I do
On the path across the Shiga Mountains? |
Tachibana no Narimoto
Sages’ Dwellings 仙宮
我もいざたづね入りなんをののえのくちけん山の跡をしのびて
ware mo iza
tazune’iri nan
ono no e no
kuchiken yama no
ato o shinobite | I, too, somehow
Seem to have paid a visit there!
Of an axe handle
Rotting on a mountain
I have remnants of recollection. |
Higo
中空に雪もやられずおぼつかな霞はれせぬ志賀の山越
nakazora ni
yuki mo yararezu
obotsukana
kasumi haresenu
shiga no yamagoe |
In the centre of the skies
There is no snow at all, but
Hidden
Ever in the haze is
The path across the Shiga Mountains. |
峯つづき花に心のとまりつつ雪もやられず志賀の山越
mine tsuzuki
hana ni kokoro no
tomaritsutsu
yuki mo yararezu
shiga no yamagoe |
All along the peaks
The blossoms in my heart
Do rest, and
There is no snow at all
On the path across the Shiga Mountains. |
たちわたる峯の霞はもろともに志賀の 山越するにやあるらむ
tachiwataru
mine no kasumi wa
morotomo ni
shiga no yamagoe
suru ni ya aruramu |
Rising all around
Do the hazes on the peak
All together
Along the path across the Shiga Mountains
Find their way, I wonder? |
いへづとにをれる桜をちらさじといそぎぞしつる志賀の山越
iezuto ni
oreru sakura o
chirasaji to
isogi zo shizuru
shiga no yamagoe |
As a gift
I have plucked some cherry blossom
That it scatter not;
I must make haste along
The path across the Shiga Mountains! |
Composed on fallen flowers on a mountain path.
櫻花道みえぬ迄ちりにけりいかゞはすべき志賀の山ごえ
sakurabana
miti mienu made
tirinikeri
ikaga Fa subeki
siga no yamagoe |
Cherry blossoms
Hide the way
So many have fallen;
What am I to do,
On the path across the Shiga Mountains? |
Tachibana no Narimoto
橘成元
'Simply moving and elegant'