波の上に浮き寝のみする海女の子はさせるとまりを定めぬぞ憂き
nami no ue ni
ukine nomi suru
ama no ko wa
saseru tomari o
sadamenu zo uki |
Atop the waves,
She sleeps but briefly;
That my diving girl
Has no fixed place
To rest, is sad, indeed! |
Sent to a woman.
天の戸をあけぬあけぬと言ひなして空鳴きしつる鳥の声かな
ama no to o
akenu akenu to
iinashite
sora nakishitsuru
tori no koe kana |
“The gates of Heaven
Are open! Are open!”
Cries
A song from the sky
In a bird’s call… |
Anonymous
水の面にをはうち触れて立つ鳥のやや天さかる人ぞ恋しき
mizu no omo ni
owa uchifurete
tatsu tori no
yaya ama sakaru
hito zo koishiki |
The face of the water,
Is brushed by tails and wings
As the birds take flight
Returning briefly to the skies –
O, how I do love her! |
Minamoto no Yorimasa
源頼政
In reply.
名のみして逢ふ事浪の茂き間にいつか玉藻を海人は潜かん
na nomi site
aFu koto nami no
sigeki ma ni
ituka tamamo wo
ama wa kadukan |
In name alone
Do we meet; while the waves
Are so strong,
When for gemweed
Will the fisherman dive? |
Anonymous
荒雄らが行きにし日より志賀の海人の大浦田沼は寂しくもあるか
arawora ga
yukinisi pi yori
siga no ama no
opouratanu wa
sabusiku mo aru ka |
Arao
Left and since that day
The fishermen of Shika
At Ōuratanu
Seem somehow sad… |
A poem to correct one whose feelings had gone astray.
ひさかたの天道は遠しなほなほに家に帰りて業を為まさに
pisakata no
amadi pa toposi
naponapo ni
ipe ni kaperite
nari o simasa ni
|
The eternal
Road to the heavens is long, indeed;
Meekly
Return home, and
Get to work! |
Yamanoue no Okura
山上憶良
A poem in reply to the celestial maidens of Pine Tree Bay.
君を待つ松浦の浦の娘子らは常世の国の海人娘子かも
kimi o matu
matu’ura no ura no
wotomera wa
tokoyo no kuni no
ama wotome kamo |
Awaiting My Lord,
On the shore of Pine Tree Bay,
The maidens,
Paradise ‘s
Diving girls do seem to be! |
朝なぎに楫の音聞こゆ御食つ国野島の海人の舟にしあるらし
asa nagi ni
kadi no oto kikoyu
miketu kuni
nozima no ama no
pune ni si arurasi |
In the morning calm
I hear the sound of oars;
Tribute-bearing,
The fisherfolk of Nojima
Have taken ship, it seems. |
Yamabe no Akahito
When she was asked about the possibility of a meeting.
みるめ刈る海人の行きかふ湊路に勿来の関も我は据ゑぬを
mirume karu
ama no yukikau
minatoji ni
nakoso no seki mo
ware wa suenu o |
Gathering seaweed
The fisherfolk go back and forth
Along the harbour ways;
Come not to the barrier of Nakoso –
I have not placed it there, so… |
Ono no Komachi
小野小町
This poem is also Komachi-shū 小町集 (late. C9th) 5.
あゆの風いたく吹くらし奈呉の海人の釣する小船漕ぎ隠る見ゆ
ayu no kaze
itaku pukurasi
nago no ama no
turisuru wobune
kogikakuru miyu |
The eastern wind
Blows strong, it seems;
The fisherfolk at Nago:
Their tiny boats
Seem to hide, as they row along. |
Ōtomo no Yakamochi
大伴家持
'Simply moving and elegant'