When Spring Arrives in the Old Year 旧年立春
谷の戸をいでずとなけやうぐひすは年もあけぬに春はきにけり
| tani no to o idezu to nake ya uguisu wa toshi mo akenu ni haru wa kinikeri | Will ‘From the valley’s mouth Come not!’ you sing? O, warbler, for The year has not yet dawned, though Spring has come. |
Tadafusa
Preparing Tribute 貢調
御調物きみが御代にはよしの川よし心みよたえやしけると
| mitsukimono kimi ga miyo ni wa yoshinogawa yoshi kokoromiyo tae ya shikeru to | The tribute for My Lord’s reign is as The River Yoshino! So, just try To bring it to an end! |
Tadafusa
Mandarin Ducks 鴛鴦
冬さむみはだれしもふるさ夜なかにつがはぬをしの声ぞかなしき
| fuyu samumi hadareshimo furu sayonaka ni tsugawanu oshi no koe zo kanashiki | In winter’s chill A brush of frost does fall, At midnight, when The unmated mandarins’ Cries are sad, indeed! |
Tadafusa
Kindling 薪
こりつみしほだなかりせば冬ふかきかた山ほらにいかですままし
| koritsumishi hoda nakariseba fuyu fukaki katayama hora ni ikade sumamashi | Felled Fields were there none, then Why, in the depths of winter In a mountain cave Would any wish to dwell? |
Tadafusa
Gosechi 五節
ふみもみぬ雲のかけはし外にのみあまつをとめのきき渡るかな
| fumi mo minu kumo no kakehashi soto ni nomi ama tsu otome no kikiwataru kana | Their tread hidden by The spanning bridge of clouds; Simply from afar The heavenly maidens do I hear crossing! |
Tadafusa
First Snow 初雪
冬きぬとききつるからにいちじるくいちしの原 にふれる白雪
| fuyu kinu to kikitsuru kara ni ichijiruku ichishi no hara ni fureru shirayuki | Winter has come, I have heard, and so Remarkably Upon the bramble fields Has fallen the first snow. |
Tadafusa
Crickets 蛬
ひとりすむよもぎが宿に秋きてはきりぎりすこそ友に鳴きけれ
| hitori sumu yomogi ga yado ni aki kite wa kirigirisu koso tomo ni nakikere | Living all alone In a house among the tangled mugwort, Autumn comes and It is the crickets who Companionably cry with me. |
Tadafusa
Bell Crickets 鈴虫
しぐれふり色かはりゆくあさぢふにあはれなるかなすず虫のこゑ
| shigure furi iro kawariyuku asajū ni awarenaru kana suzumushi no koe | The showers fall, and From the changing hues of The cogon grass It seems so sad: The bell crickets’ song! |
Tadafusa
Pine Crickets 松虫
ときは山ふもとの野べにとしをへて色もかはらぬ松虫のこゑ
| tokiwayama fumoto no nobe ni toshi o hete iro mo kawaranu matsumushi no koe | On the eternal mountains’ Foothills’ meadows The year passes by, yet Never-changing are the hues of The pine crickets’ songs. |
Tadafusa
Autumn Mountains 秋山
ゆきやらで秋の山路にくれぬとも下てるみねの紅葉やはなき
| yukiyarade aki no yamaji ni kurenu tomo shita teru mine no momiji ya wa naki | Not travelling far, and To this autumn mountain path Has no darkness come, yet On the shining peaks below Is there not a single scarlet leaf? |
Tadafusa