犬と蝶他人むきでもなかりけり
inu to chō
tanin muki de mo
nakarikeri |
A dog and a butterfly:
To look away
Neither will be first. |
庭の蝶子がはへばとびはへばとぶ
niwa no chō
ko ga haeba tobi
haeba tobu |
A butterfly in the garden:
Chased by a child, flying,
Chased and flying again. |
蝶とんで我身も塵のたぐひ哉
chō tonde
wa ga mi mo chiri no
tagui kana |
A butterfly in flight, and
I, too, am a speck of dust
Just the same. |
On butterflies.
釣鐘にとまりてねむるこてふ哉
tsurigane ni
tomarite nemuru
kochō kana |
On the great temple bell
Alighting for a doze
Are butterflies. |
On autumn.
胡蝶にもならで秋ふる菜蟲哉
kochō ni mo
narade aki furu
namushi kana |
A butterfly, it has
Not managed to become, so late in autumn
This caterpillar. |
(1689)
On chrysanthemums.
秋をへて蝶もなめるや菊の露
aki o hete
chō mo nameru ya
kiku no tsuyu |
With the passing of autumn
Butterflies, too, sup upon
Dewdrops on the chrysanthemums. |
(Date unknown)
On mulberries.
椹や花なき蝶の世すて酒
kuwa no mi ya
hana naki chō no
yo sute zake |
The mulberries,
For a butterfly lacking blooms, will make
A wine with which to leave the world. |
(1682)
On butterflies.
物好や匂はぬ草にとまる蝶
monozuki ya
niowanu kusa ni
tomaru chô |
Perhaps from love of novelty
Upon a scentless stalk of grass
Alights a buterfly. |
(1690 or before)
On butterflies.
蝶の飛ばかり野中の日かげ哉
chō no tobu
bakari nonaka no
hikage kana |
Butterflies fly
Alone amid the fields:
Shadows in the sunlight. |
(1685)
'Simply moving and elegant'