Monkeys 猿
あさまだきならのかれ葉をそよそよと外山をいでてましら鳴くなり
asa madaki
nara no kareba o
soyosoyo to
toyama o idete
mashira nakunari | ‘Tis not yet morn, but
The withered oak leaves
Rustle, as
To the distant mountains go
The monkeys hooting. |
Akinaka
Spiders 蜘蛛
さがるいとをみるぞうれしきささがにのくる人つぐるすぢとおもへば
sagaru ito o
miru zo ureshiki
sasagani no
kuru hito tsuguru
suji to omoeba | A descending thread
When seen, fills me with joy!
For the tiny crab spider is
Announcing a guest’s arrival
I feel… |
Akinaka
Zithers 筝
ことのねをひきくらべてやしらべまし秋風なれば身にもしむかな
koto no ne o
hikikurabete ya
shirabemashi
aki kaze nareba
mi ni mo shimu kana | A zither’s notes
Plucked out—
O, how I would tune them!
For the autumn wind
Does pierce my soul! |
Akinaka
Flutes 笛
笛竹のよをさへ月やてらすらん空にも声のすみのぼるかな
fuetake no
yo o sae tsuki ya
terasuran
sora ni mo koe no
suminoboru kana | Is it the flute that
Tonight does make the moon
Seem to shine so bright?
Into the sky its notes
So clearly climb! |
Akinaka
Next Door 隣
冬くれば中がきあけて我がやどをへだてもなくや君もみるらん
fuyu kureba
nakagaki akete
wa ga yado o
hedate mo naku ya
kimi mo miruran | Winter has come, so
The fence between I’ll open up and
Into my home
With nothing in your way
Might you turn your gaze? |
Akinaka
Boats 船
おそろしやともへはしりそ波間行くあかしを舟のあからめなせそ
osoroshi ya
tomoe hashiri so
namima yuku
akashi o fune no
akarame na se so | O, how frightening!
Bows and sterns, don’t race so
Between the breakers go
The lights – so from the boats
Take not your wayward gaze! |
Akinaka
Seafolk 泉郎
黒うしがたこぎいづるあまのとも舟は鱸つるにや波まわくらん
kuro’ushi gata
kogi’izuru ama no
tomobune wa
suzuki tsuru ni ya
namima wakuran | From Kuro’ushi Inlet
Row out the fisherfolk,
All in boats together—
I wonder, will they fish for seabass
Forging between the breakers? |
Akinaka
Old Folk 老人
いやましにひたひのなみはかくれどもきえてもとしのゆきつもるかな
iyamashi ni
hitai no nami wa
kakuredomo
kiete mo toshi no
yuki tsumoru kana | More and more
The waves upon my forehead
Do I seek to hide, yet
Though they vanish, the years
In drifts of snow appear! |
Akinaka
Singing Girls 妓女
をとめ子がもすそにあまるくろかみのなびけくをみるぞいふかたもなき
otomego ga
mosuso ni amaru
kurokami no
nabikeku o miru zo
iu kata mo naki | The maidens’
Skirt hems swept by
Raven tresses
Trailing – the sight does
Leave me wordless… |
Akinaka
Wang Zhaojun 王昭君
かきながすみくづになれるいきのををむすびとどむる世こそつらけれ
kakinagasu
mikuzu ni nareru
iki no o o
musubitodomuru
yo koso tsurakere | Swept away as
Flotsam is my sorry
Thread of life,
Tied tight about
This, oh so cruel world! |
Akinaka
'Simply moving and elegant'