A poem by the Nara Emperor.
ふるさととなりにしならのみやこにも色はかはらず花はさきけり
Furusato to
narinisi nara no
miyako ni mo
iro Fa kaFarazu
Fana Fa sakikeri |
A former home,
It has become: Nara,
Capital as was, yet even there
The colours are as they ever were
When the flowers bloom. |
Emperor Heijō
Topic unknown.
春雨のふるは涙かさくら花ちるををしまぬ人しなければ
Farusame no
Furu Fa namida ka
sakurabana
tiru wo wosimanu
Fito si nakereba |
The spring showers
Falling, are they tears?
Cherry blossoms
Scattered and unmourned-
There’s no one so hard hearted. |
Ōtomo no Kuronushi (late 9th Century)
大友黒主
Composed on the cherry blossoms falling.
久方のひかりのどけき春の日にしづ心なく花のちるらむ
Fisakata no
Fikari nodokeki
Faru no Fi ni
sizugokoronaku
Fana no tiruran |
When the e’er lasting
Light shines gently
From the sun in springtime,
Why should, with unquiet hearts,
The blossoms scatter? |
Ki no Tomonori (Fl. ?850-?904)
紀友則
Topic unknown.
のこりなくちるぞめでたきさくら花有りて世中はてのうければ
nokorinaku
tiru zo medetaki
sakurabana
arite yo no naka
Fate no ukereba |
Every single one
Will fall! How wonderful are
Cherry blossoms:
For to remain in this world of ours
Until the bitter end is hateful. |
Anonymous
Topic unknown.
まてといふにちらでしとまる物ならばなにをさくらに思ひまさまし
mate to ifu ni
tirade si tomaru
mono naraba
nani wo sakura ni
omoFimasamasi |
When I say, “Wait!”
They do not fall, but stay.
Were that to be,
What more than blossoming cherries
Could fill my thoughts? |
Anonymous
Topic unknown.
春霞たなびくやまのさくら花うつろはむとや色かはり行く
Farukasumi
tanabiku yama no
sakurabana
uturoFamu to ya
iro kaFariyuku |
Spring mist
Trails across the mountains’
Cherry blossoms:
Are they to vanish
With the changing colours? |
Anonymous
Composed when a man from whom she had heard nothing for a long time came calling when the cherries were blooming most abundantly.
あだなりと名にこそたてれ櫻花年にまれたる人もまちけり
adanari to
na ni koso tatere
sakurabana
tosi ni maretaru
Fito mo matikeri | Most fragile flowers
Are they called,
These cherries,
Appearing only once a year
The man I’ve waited for. |
Anonymous
Composed on seeing cherry trees in the mountains.
見てのみや人にかたらむさくら花てごとにおりていへづとにせん
mite nomi ya
Fito ni kataramu
sakurabana
tegotoni orite
iFeduto ni sen |
Should I this simple sight
Describe to folk?
Cherry blossoms
Plucked by hand
Would be taken as a gift. |
The Monk Sosei
素性法師
Topic unknown.
いしばしるたきなくもがな櫻花たおりてもこんみぬひとのため
isibasiru
taki naku mo gana
sakurabana
taoritemokon
minu Fito no tame |
Running o’er the rocks
This cataract I’d halt, for
Cherry blossom
In my hand I’d take
For one who’ll see them not. |
Anonymous
Topic unknown.
山たかみ人もすさめぬさくら花いたくなわびそ我みはやさむ
yama takami
Fito mo susamenu
sakurabana
itaku na wabi so
ware miFayasamu |
In these mountain heights
There is no one to sing the praises of
You cherry blossoms.
Do not be aggrieved
For I will do it. |
Anonymous
'Simply moving and elegant'