Composed on birds.
五月山卯の花月夜霍公鳥聞けども飽かずまた鳴かぬかも
satukiyama
u no panaduku yo
pototogisu
kikedomo akazu
mata nakanu kamo |
In the moutains in the Fifth Month,
On moonlit nghts when deutzias bloom
To the cuckoo
I listen, yet cannot get my fill;
O sing for me once more! |
Anonymous
Topic unknown.
類なくつらしとぞ思ふ秋の夜の月を殘してあくる東雲
taguFinaku
turasi to zo omoFu
aki no yo no
tuki o nokosite
akuru sinonome |
Limitlessly
Cold are you, I feel,
On this autumn night,
When the moon remains
In the dark before dawn’s light. |
Former Major Councillor Narimichi
前大納言成通
Topic unknown.
郭公鳴くやさ月の短夜も一人し寝れば明しかねつも
Fototogisu
naku ya satuki no
mizika yo mo
Fitori si nureba
akasikanetu mo |
A cuckoo
Calls on a Fifth Month’s
Brief night;
Sleeping alone, yet
The dawn brings only pain… |
Anonymous
夏の夜はにはかに照らす稲妻の光の間にも明けぬべらなり
natu no yo Fa
niFakani terasu
inaduma no
Fikari no ma ni mo
akenuberanari |
On summer nights
A brief flash
Of lightning:
And as it shines
The dawn can break! |
Minamoto no Shunrai
源俊頼
衣手もやや肌寒し夏の夜の月の光は秋の空かは
koromode mo
yaya Fadasamusi
natu no yo no
tuki no Fikari Fa
aki no sora ka Fa |
Even my sleeves
Are slightly chill;
On a summer night
The moon’s light
Recollects the autumn sky… |
Minamoto no Shunrai
源俊頼
夏の夜は山時鳥待ちかねて夕づけ鳥の鳴きぬべきかな
natu no yo Fa
yamaFototogisu
matikanete
yuFutukedori no
nakinubeki kana |
On summer nights
The mountain cuckoo
Cannot bear to wait, so
The cockerel
Has no need to crow! |
Minamoto no Shunrai
源俊頼
夏の夜の臥すかとすれば時鳥鳴く一声に明くる東雲
natu no yo no
Fusu ka to sureba
Fototogisu
naku Fito kowe ni
akuru sinonome |
On a summer night
I am just about to take to bed, when,
A cuckoo calls, and
With a single song
Light comes to the eastern sky. |
Ki no Tsurayuki
夏の夜を寝ぬに明けぬと言ひおきし人は物をや思はざりけむ
natu no yo o
nenu ni akenu to
iFiokisi
Fito wa mono wo ya
omoFazarikemu |
“On this summer night
I’ll get no sleep before the dawn,”
Was all she said, and
Nothing else
Seemed to touch her thoughts. |
松浦川七瀬の淀は淀むとも我れは淀まず君をし待たむ
maturagapa
nanase no yodo pa
yodomu tomo
ware pa yodomazu
kimo wo si matamu |
Though Matsura River’s
Many flows
May calm,
I will not hesitate, but
Ever wait for you… |
遠つ人松浦の川に若鮎釣る妹が手本を我れこそ卷かめ
topotu pito
matura no kapa ni
wakayu turu
imo ga tamoto wo
ware koso makame |
Folk far away
On Matsura River
Catching sweetfish sprats;
My darling girl, upon your sleeve
I would rest my head… |
Ōtomo no Tabito
'Simply moving and elegant'