Plum blossom at an ancient estate.
年ふればやどはあれにけり梅のはな花はむかしの香ににほへども
toshi fureba
yado wa arenikeri
ume no hana
hana wa mukashi no
ka ni nioedomo | The years have passed, so
The house has into ruin fallen, yet
The plum’s blossoming
Flowers, as in days long gone
Scent the air with fragrance. |
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Image created with Adobe Firefly.
Composed on plum blossom.
鶯はいたくなわびそ梅のはなことしのみちるならひならねば
uguisu wa
itaku na wabi so
ume no hana
kotoshi no michiru
narai naraneba | O, warbler,
Cry not with such sorrow!
For the plum blossom’s
Fair scattering this year
Is not a one-time thing… |
Composed on plum blossom.
さりともと思ひし程に梅のはな散りすぐるまで君がきまさぬ
saritomo to
omoishi hodo ni
ume no hana
chirisuguru made
kimi ga kimasanu | Soon, ‘twould be
Was I a’thinking, but
The plum blossom
Is scattered and gone and
Of you there is no sign at all… |
Composed on plum blossom.
わが袖に香をだにのこせ梅花あかで散りぬるわすれがたみに
wa ga sode ni
ka o dani nokose
ume no hana
akade chirinuru
wasuregatami ni | Upon my sleeves
Your scent, at least, leave behind,
O, plum blossom!
That, unsated, when you have scattered
I’ll have a keepsake to forget you not… |
Composed on plum blossom.
さきしよりかねてぞをしき梅花ちりのわかれはわが身とおもへば
sakishi yori
kanete zo oshiki
ume no hana
chiri no wakare wa
wa ga mi to omoeba | Since you bloomed,
I have felt nothing but regret,
O, plum blossoms!
For on parting, the one to scattered
Will be me, I fear… |
Composed on plum blossom.
わがやどの八重のこうばいさきにけりしるもしらぬもなべてとはなん
wa ga yado no
yae no kōbai
sakinikeri
shiru mo shiranu mo
nabete towanan | At my house
Eightfold scarlet plum
Has bloomed;
Acquaintances, and not,
All, equally, I would have you come to visit! |
Composed on plum blossom.
梅のはなさけるさかりをめのまへにすぐせるやどは春ぞすくなき
ume no hana
sakeru sakari o
me no mae ni
suguseru yado wa
haru zo sukunaki | The plum blossoms
Are blooming in profusion
Before my eyes
Passing time at my house
Spring is brief, indeed! |
Composed on plum blossom.
春風はふけどふかねど梅花さけるあたりはしるくぞ有りける
harukaze wa
fuketobu kanedo
mume no hana
sakeru atari wa
shiruku zo arikeru | Whether the breeze in springtime
Blows, or blows not, that
The plum blossom
Is blooming here is
Startlingly clear! |
Composed on plum blossom.
梅がえにこほれる霜やとけぬらんほしあへぬ露の花にこぼるる
ume ga e ni
kōreru shimo ya
tokenuran
hoshiaenu tsuyu no
hana ni koboreru | Upon the plum tree’s branches
The frozen frost
Is melting, it seems—
Never-drying dewdrops
Overflow the blossom. |
One drizzly morning, when I saw the plum blossom blooming at the Shōchōjuin, and wove a garland from them.
ふる寺の朽木の梅も春雨にそほちて花ぞほころびにける
furudera no
kuchigi no mume mo
harusame ni
sōchite hana zo
hokorobinikeru | At an ancient temple
Even the gnarled plum tree,
By spring showers
Drenched, into blossom
Has burst out! |
'Simply moving and elegant'
