Winter
Left
冬くれば紅葉ふりしく神無月佐保の山辺はむべもりぬらん
fuyu kureba momiji furishiku kaminazuki saho no yamabe wa mube morinuran When the winter comes, Scarlet leaves, falling and scattering In the Godless Month, Upon the slopes of Mount Saho, Indeed, are at their finest.
19
冬ごもりかれてみゆらん梅がえは今はた花の春はにほはん
fuyugomori karete miyuran ume ga e wa ima hata hana no haru wa niowan Sealed in winter, and All withered seeming, The plum tree’s branches, Now, for sure, the blossoms’ Spring will scent.
20
冬みれば水もまかせぬ小山田にいつすき返し種をまきけん
fuyu mireba mizu mo makasenu oyamada ni itsu sukikaeshi tane o makiken ‘Tis winter, I see, so There’s no water to draw for The little mountain paddies: O, when might I till them, and Sow my seeds, I wonder?
21
Right
時雨降る宿にすまへば冬の夜に錦とみゆる木木の花かな
shigure furu yado ni sumaeba fuyu no yo ni nishiki to miyuru kigi no hana kana Showers fall Upon the house where I do dwell, so Upon a winter’s night As brocade do seem The blossoming trees!
22
ゆふだすき神の社にかけつればしもし降るにもたのもしきかな
yūdasuki kami no yashiro ni kaketsureba shimo shi furu ni mo tanomashiki kana Sacred mulberry cords Around the God’s shrine Are hung, so Even amidst the frost fall, The future does seem bright!
23
白雲のふたへふりしくときは山うらはへとしはみどりなりけれ
shiragumo no futae furishiku tokiwa yama ura hae toshi wa midori narikere Clouds of white Lie scattered, twofold, upon The unchanging mountain: Stretching out behind, the year Is simply green.
24
Spring
Left
春のたつ霞の衣うらもなく年を経てこそ花の散りけれ
haru no tatsu kasumi no koromo ura mo naku toshi o hete koso hana no chirikere Spring does sew A robe of haze Without an underlay, The year passes by in A scattering of blossom
1
春の野の雪間をわけていつしかと君がためとぞ若菜摘みつる
haru no no no yuki ma o wakete itsushika to kimi ga tame to zo wakana tsumitsuru Across the springtime meadows Do I forge between the snows, Eagerly, so eagerly, For you, my Lord, Have I gathered fresh herbs!
2
春霞かすみこめたる山里はこほりとくともかげはみえじを
harugasumi kasumi kometaru yamazato wa kōri toku tomo kage wa mieji o The haze of spring Blurs all around A mountain retreat, Even were the ice to melt I could see no sign of it!
3
Right
梅枝にきゐる鶯年毎に花の匂ひをあかぬ声する
ume ga e ni ki’iru uguisu toshigoto ni hana no nioi o akanu koesuru Upon the plum tree’s branches Has come to rest the warbler; Every single year, that Of the blossoms’ scent He cannot get his fill he sings.
4
桜色に花さく雨はふりぬとも千しほぞそめてうつろふなそで
sakurairo ni hana saku ame wa furinu tomo chishio zo somete utsurou na sode Cherry-coloured Blossoms flower, as the rain Falls on, yet Dyed a thousand times Fade not, o, my sleeves!
5
青柳のいとはるばると緑なる行末までも思ひこそやれ
aoyagi no ito harubaru to midori naru yukusue made mo omoi koso yare The willow’s Branches dangle lengthily So green Right to the very end Will I fondly think of you.
6
Right
夏なれば木高き枝になく蟬のかげにかくせる風を恋ふとか
natu nareba kodakaki eda ni naku semi no kage ni kakuseru kaze wo koFu to ka When the summer comes, In the topmost branches of the trees In the singing cicadas’ Shadows have you hidden The breeze I love?
5
Katsura 桂
なが月の月の光のさゆるかなかつらの枝にしもやおくらん
nagatsuki no tsuki no hikari no sayuru kana katsura no eda ni shimo ya okuran In the longest month The moonlight is Chill, indeed! Upon the branches of the silver trees I wonder, does frost fall?
Kanemasa
Katsura 桂
はれまなき心のやみにまよひつつえこそたをらね月のかつらを
harema naki kokoro no yami ni mayoitsutsu e koso taorane tsuki no katsura o No parting of the clouds Of darkness in my heart, so I am ever lost – No branch will I break from A silver tree upon the moon…
Tadafusa
Katsura 桂
人しれずけふをしまつと風はやみかつらの枝を折りもよわらず
hito shirezu kyō o shimatsu to kaze hayami katsura no eda o ori mo yowarazu Unknown to all For today have I made ready – Amid the rushing wind The katsura branches will I break without hesitation!
Toshiyori
Katsura 桂
我が身には吹くべき風も吹きこねばかつらの枝もをらずぞ有りける
wa ga mi ni wa fukubeki kaze mo fukikoneba katsura no eda mo orazu zo arikeru Upon my flesh I expect the touch of wind, but Not a gust does come, so The katsura branches, too, Have remained unbroken.
Nakazane
Sakaki 榊
ゆふしでやかけつついのることのははさかきがえだにしげるなるらん
yūshide ya kaketsutsu inoru koto no ha wa sakaki no eda ni shigerunaruran Mulberry cloth Hangs down, while the prayers’ Words Upon the branches of the sacred trees Do seem to grow ever thicker!
Akinaka
A party of ladies on their way home from Shiga came into the precincts of the Kazan temple and stood for a while beneath the wisteria; when they had gone, he composed this and sent it to them.
よそに見てかへらん人にふぢの花はひまつはれよ枝はおるとも
yoso ni mite kaFeran Fito ni Fudi no Fana FaFimatuFare yo eda Fa oru tomo A casual glance, and Then those girls are gone; O, wisteria blooms, Twine around and hold them here, Though your branches break…
Archbishop Henjō
Composed when there was much disturbance in the world.
朝な朝な鹿の柵む萩がえの末葉の露のありがたのよや
asana asana
sika no sikaramu
Fagi ga e no
suweba no tuyu no
arigata no yo ya
Every morning
The stag is tangled in
Bush clover branches,
Dew upon the leaf-tips –
Such is the length of life…
Zōki
増基
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