さ月やみさよふけぬらし時鳥神なび山におのが妻よぶ
satsuki yami
sayo fukenurashi
hototogisu
kaminabiyama ni
ono ga tsuma yobu | In the drizzling dark
It seems brief night has fallen, for
A cuckoo
On the sacred mount
Is calling for his mate. |
五月やみ神なびやまのほととぎす妻ごひすらし鳴くねかなしも
satsuki yami
kaminabiyama no
hototogisu
tsumagoisurashi
naku ne kanashi mo | In the drizzling dark
On the sacred mount
A cuckoo
Longs for his mate, it seems, for
The calls he cries are truly so sad… |
A cuckoo in the depths of night.
五月やみおぼつかなきに郭公ふかき峰より鳴きていづなり
satsuki yami
obotsukanaki ni
hototogisu
fukaki mine yori
nakite’izu nari | In the drizzling dark
Uncertainly
A cuckoo
From deep within the peaks
Calls out. |
A cuckoo at dusk.
夕やみのたづたづしきにほととぎす声うらがなし道やまどへる
yū yami no
tazutazushiki ni
hototogisu
koe uraganashi
michi ya modoeru | In the evening gloam
Faintly
A cuckoo’s
Call is somehow sad—
Has he lost his way, perhaps? |
A cuckoo at a mountain dwelling.
山ちかく家ゐしせれば郭公なくはつこゑをわれのみぞきく
yama chikaku
ie ishisereba
hototogisu
naku hatsukoe o
ware nomi zo kiku | Near unto the mountains
Have I set my home, so
The cuckoo’s
First sung call
Is for me, alone, to hear! |
夏ごろもたちし時よりあし曳の山ほととぎすなかぬ日ぞなき
natsugoromo
tachishi toki yori
ashihiki no
yama hototogisu
nakanu hi zo naki | My summer garb
Sewn, arrived and since then
The leg-wearying
Mountain cuckoo
Cries not, on not a single day… |
はつこゑを聞くとはなしに今日も又山ほととぎすまたずしもあらず
hatsukoe o
kiku to wa nashi ni
kyō mo mata
yama hototogisu
matazu shimo arazu | That first call
I’ve not heard, while
Today, once more,
The mountain cuckoo
It’s not that I am not awaiting… |
ほととぎすきくとはなしにたけくまの松にぞ夏の日数へぬべき
hototogisu
kiku to wa nashi ni
takekuma no
matsu ni zo natsu no
hikazu henubeki | O, cuckoo,
I’ve not heard you, while
Beside Takekuma’s
Pines in summer
Have I passed a number of days. |
Waiting for a cuckoo
ほととぎすかならずまつとなけれどもよなよなめをもさましつるかな
hototogisu
kanarazu matsu to
nakeredomo
yonayona me o mo
samashitsuru kana | O, cuckoo,
Not for definite have I awaited
You, and yet
Night after night have my eyes
Stayed open! |
On the beginning of summer.
夏ごろもたつたのやまのほととぎすいつしかなかん声をきかばや
natsugoromo
tatsuta no yama no
hototogisu
itsu shika nakan
koe o kikaba ya | As a summer robe
On Tatsuta Mountain,
O, cuckoo,
I would have you swiftly sing,
For your song I long to hear… |
'Simply moving and elegant'
