Category Archives: Man’yōshū

MYS XIX: 4201

伊佐左可尓 念而来之乎 多祜乃浦尓 開流藤見而 一夜可経

いささかに おもひてこしを たこのうらに さけるふぢみて ひとよへぬべし

isasaka ni
omopitekosi wo
tako no ura ni
sakeru pudi mite
pitoyo penubesi
Just for a moment
Did I think to come, but
At the Bay of Tako
I see blooming wisteria, and
Must pass a night here.

Secretary Kume no asomi Hironawa

判官久米朝臣広縄

MYS X: 2116

白露尓 荒争金手 咲芽子 散惜兼 雨莫零根

しらつゆに あらそひかねて さけるはぎ ちらばをしけむ あめなふりそね

siratuyu ni
arasopikanete
sakeru pagi
tiraba osikemu
ame na puri so ne
With the silver dewdrops
Unable to compete is
The blooming bush clover–
Should they scatter, how I would regret it, so
O, rain, fall not!

MYS XI: 2365

内日左須 宮道尓相之 人妻姤 玉緒之 念乱而 宿夜四曽多寸

うちひさす みやぢにあひし ひとづまゆゑに たまのをの おもひみだれて ぬるよしぞおほき

utipi sasu
miyadi ni apisi
pitoduma yuwe ni
tama no wo no
omopimidarete
nuru yosi zo opoki
Bright sun shines on
The avenues of the capital where I met
Another’s wife, who
My jewelled thread of life
Cast into tangled passion–
So many the nights we slept together!

[One of] five poems from an ancient collection.

MYS VIII: 1598

棹壮鹿之 朝立野辺乃 秋芽子尓 玉跡見左右 置有白露

さをしかの あさたつのへの あきはぎに たまとみるまで おけるしらつゆ

sawosika no
asa tatu nobe no
akipagi ni
tama to miru made
okeru siratuyu
Stags
Stand in the morning meadows, where
Upon the autumn bush clover
As gemstones appearing
Have fallen silver dewdrops.

Ōtomo sukune Yakamochi

MYS III: 351

A poem by Novice Manzei.

世間乎 何物尓将譬 旦開 榜去師船之 跡無如

よのなかを なににたとへむ あさびらき こぎいにしふねの あとなきがごと

yo no naka wo
nani ni tatopemu
asabiraki
kogi inisi pune no
ato naki ga goto
This mundane world,
To what might I compare?
At dawn’s breaking,
A boat rowed out but
Has left no wake at all—that’s it.

MYS XX: 4328

A poem by Chief Border Guard Hasetsukabe no miyatsuko Hitomaro.

於保吉美能 美許等可之古美 伊蘇尓布理 宇乃波良和多流 知知波波乎於伎弖

おほきみの みことかしこみ いそにふり うのはらわたる ちちははをおきて

opokimi no
mikoto kasikomi
iso ni puri
unopara wataru
titipapa wo okite
At my Great Lord’s
Dread command,
Striking the rocky shore
The sea-plain shall I cross
Leaving father and mother behind…

MYS II: 228

[One of] two poems composed to express his grief and sorrow by Kawabe no Miyahito when he saw the coffin of a young girl in the pine groves of Himeshima in Wadō 4 [711].

妹之名者 千代尓将流 姫嶋之 子松之末尓 蘿生万代尓

いもがなは ちよにながれむ ひめしまの こまつがうれに こけむすまでに

imo ga na pa
tiyo ni nagaremu
pimesima no
komatu ga ure ni
kokemusu made ni
This maiden’s name
Will drift down a thousand ages
Until Himeshima’s
Pine seedling shoots are
Choked with hanging moss.

Kawabe no Miyahito

MYS XIX: 4210

敷治奈美乃 志気里波須疑奴 安志比紀乃 夜麻保登等芸須 奈騰可伎奈賀奴

ふぢなみの しげりはすぎぬ あしひきの やまほととぎす などかきなかぬ

pudinami no
sigeri pa suginu
asipiki no
yamapototogisu
nado ka kikanu
The wisteria waves’
Verdant time has passed,
O, leg-wearying
Mountain cuckoo, so
Why won’t you sing?

Composed by Secretary Kume no asomi Hironawa on the 23rd day.