Topic unknown.
思ひいづるときはの山の郭公唐紅のふりいでてぞなく
omoFiiduru
tokiFa no yama no
Fototogisu
karakurenawi no
Furiidete zo naku |
Deep in my memories:
In the Tokiwa mountains
A cuckoo
With crimson tongue
Bursts into song. |
Anonymous
Topic unknown.
ほととぎすながなくさとのあまたあれば猶うとまれぬ思ふ物から
Fototogisu
naga naku sato no
amata areba
naFo utomarenu
omoFu mono kara |
Cuckoo,
At length you sing at dwelling
After dwelling;
I find it hard to take,
Though you are dear to me. |
Anonymous
Topic unknown.
郭公なくこゑきけばわかれにしふるさとさへぞこひしかりける
Fototogisu
naku kowe kikeba
wakarenisi
Furusato saFe zo
koFisikarikeru |
Oh, cuckoo,
When I hear your song,
Those I left-long ago-
At home:
I miss them more than ever. |
Anonymous
Topic unknown.
夏山になく郭公心あらば物思ふ我に聲なきかせそ
natu yama ni
naku Fototogisu
kokoro araba
mono’omoFu ware ni
kowe nakikaseso |
In these summer mountains,
Oh, singing cuckoo,
Take pity on me-
So melancholy-
And shut up! |
Anonymous
Composed at the Iso no Kami temple in Nara on hearing the cuckoo sing.
いその神ふるき宮この郭公聲ばかりこそむかしなりけれ
iso no kami
Furuki miyako no
Fototogisu
kowe bakari koso
mukasi narikere |
Here at Iso no Kami
In the ancient capital
The cuckoo’s
Call alone
Is as of old. |
The Monk Sosei (859-897)
素性法師
Composed on hearing the first cuckoo of the year.
郭公はつこゑきけばあぢきなくぬしさだまらぬこひせらるはた
Fototogisu
Fatsukowe kikeba
adikinaku
nusi sadamaranu
koFiseraru Fata |
The cuckoo’s
First call comes to me and,
Foolishly,
With no one in mind
I think of love. |
The Monk Sosei (859-897)
素性法師
Composed when he was passing through the Otowa mountains and heard a cuckoo calling.
おとは山けさこえくれば郭公こずゑはるかに今ぞなくなる
otoFa yama
kesa koekureba
Fototogisu
kozuwe Farukani
ima zo nakunaru |
In the Otowa mountains,
As I pass through this morning,
A cuckoo
Far distant in the treetops
Is singing. |
Ki no Tomonori (d. ca. 905)
紀友則
Topic unknown.
けさきなきいまだたびなる郭公花たちばなにやどはからなむ
kesa ki naki
imada tabi naru
Fototogisu
Fana tachibana ni
yado Fa karanan |
This morning, you did come, and call
But still you journey on;
Oh, cuckoo,
These orange blossoms
I would lend you for a lodging. |
Anonymous.
Topic unknown.
いつのまにさ月きぬらむあしひきの山郭公今ぞなくなる
itu no ma ni
satuki kinuran
asiFiki no
yama Fototogisu
ima zo nakunaru |
In an instant
The Fifth month is here, for
Foot-wearying
Mountain cuckoos
Are already calling. |
Anonymous.
Topic unknown.
さつきまつ花橘のかをかげば昔の人の袖のかぞする
satuki matu
Fana tatibana no
ka wo kageba
mukasi no Fito no
sode no ka zo suru |
Awaiting the Fifth Month
The orange blossoms’
Scent fills the air, and
Folk from long ago
With their perfumed sleeves come back to me. |
Anonymous
'Simply moving and elegant'