Category Archives: Man’yōshū

MYS III: 378

A poem composed by Akahito, Lord Yamabe, on the landscaped pool in the garden belonging to the late Chancellor, Lord Fujiwara [no Fuhito].

いにしへの古き堤は年深み池の渚に水草生ひにけり

inisipe nö
puruki tutumi pa
tösi pukami
ikë nö nagisa ni
mikusa opinikeri
Since olden times
On these ancient banks
With the passing of the years
By the pool water’s edge
Thickly grew the waterweed.

MYS III: 317

A poem by Akahito, Lord Yamabe, on yearning for Mt Fuji.

天地の 別れし時ゆ 神さびて 高く貴き 駿河なる 富士の高嶺を 天の原 振り放け見れば 渡る日の 影も隱らひ 照る月の 光も見えず 白雲も い行きはばかり 時じくぞ 雪は降りける 語り繼ぎ 言ひ繼ぎ行かむ 富士の高嶺は

amëtuti nö
wakaresi töki yu
kamu sabite
takaku taputoki
suruga naru
pudi nö takane wo
ama nö para
purisake mireba
wataru pi nö
kagë mo kakurapi
teru tukï nö
pikari mo miezu
sirakumo mo
i yuki pa bakari
tökidiku zö
yuki pa purikeru
kataritugi
ipitugi yukamu
pudi nö takane pa
Heaven and earth:
Since the time they parted,
Of manifest divinity,
Reaching the heights of awe,
In Suruga stands
The high peak of Fuji;
The field of heaven:
On gazing at the distant sight
The coursing sun
Light is blocked and
The shining moon
Light goes unseen;
The white clouds, too,
Shrink from passing by as
Ceaselessly
Snow falls:
From mouth to mouth will pass the word,
Travelling and speaking
Of the peak of Fuji.