Cathay Folk 唐人
から人は志賀のをじまに舟出してなから待つらんはたて初むなり
karabito wa
shiga no ojima ni
funade shite
nakara matsuran
hatate somu nari | The Cathay folk
From the islet of Shiga
Have set sail;
Awaiting the mid-point
Have they first reached the edge… |
Toshiyori
Sages’ Dwellings 仙宮
たちぬはぬ衣の袖しふれければみちとせへてぞ桃もなりける
tachinuwanu
koromo no sode shi
furekereba
michitose hete zo
momo mo narikeru | Neither woven nor sewn are
This robe’s sleeves, but
When they wave
Three thousand years go by
Among the peaches. |
Toshiyori
The Seventh Night 七夜
君が代はながひこのかゆ七かへりいはふ心にあへざらめやは
kimi ga yo wa
nagahiko no kayu
nana kaeri
iwau kokoro ni
aezarame ya wa | My Lord, your reign, with
Rice-shoot porridge
Seven times
Hearts in celebration
Will encounter, will it not? |
Toshiyori
Felicitations 賀
かしは木を推のしづえにをりかへてさいうさまでやふしまろぶらん
kashiwagi o
shii no shizue ni
orikaete
saifusa made ya
fushimaroburan | An oak tree into
A brushwood branch
Have I twisted –
Until the formal procession
Will I be overcome with joy? |
Toshiyori
Coming of Age 元服
うなゐこがはなちのかみをとりたててまきそめ川よ淵せかはるな
unaiko ga
hanachi no kami o
toritatete
makisomegawa yo
fuchise kawaru na | A boy’s
Loose hair about his shoulders
Being gathered up –
O, dyer’s river,
Change not your deeps and shallows! |
Toshiyori
Waterweed 萍
かきやればたぎちながるるうき草も世をはやくして過ぎぬべらなり
kakiyareba
tagichi nagaruru
ukikusa mo
yo o hayakushite
suginuberanari | Dragged this way and that, by
Rapidly flowing races,
For a waterweed, too,
The world so swiftly
Must pass by. |
Toshiyori
Dwarf Bamboo 小篠
山川の岩まのささのひたすらにしのびしふしはあらはれにけり
yamakawa no
iwama no sasa no
hitasura ni
shinobishi fushi wa
arawarenikeri | Along a mountain stream
From the cracks between the crags, dwarf bamboo
Earnestly
Its once hidden knots
Has displayed! |
Toshiyori
Katsura 桂
人しれずけふをしまつと風はやみかつらの枝を折りもよわらず
hito shirezu
kyō o shimatsu to
kaze hayami
katsura no eda o
ori mo yowarazu | Unknown to all
For today have I made ready –
Amid the rushing wind
The katsura branches will
I break without hesitation! |
Toshiyori
Sakaki 榊
榊葉をかみのみむろとあがむればゆふつけ烏のねぐらなりけり
sakakiba o
kami no mimuro to
agamureba
yūtsukedori no
negura narikeri | Leaves upon the sacred tree, as
The gods’ dwelling place
Are worshipped, so
A cockerel’s
Roost are they! |
Toshiyori
Shrines 社
いのること七のをやしろかうかうとことあはせよく口ばしるなり
inoru koto
nana no oyashiro
kaukau to
koto awase yoku
kuchibashiru nari | The prayers by
The seven guardians are
A clamour,
Words overlapping as
They gabble heedlessly on! |
Toshiyori
'Simply moving and elegant'