たつたがはあきはみづなくあせななむあかぬもみぢのながるればをし[1]
tatsutagawa
aki wa mizu naku
asena namu
akanu momiji no
nagarureba oshi | The river Tatsuta
In autumn, lacks water and
Is shallow, indeed, but though
I never tire of the scarlet leaves
When they flow by, how I do regret it! |
13
いなづまはあるかなきかに見ゆれどもあきのたのみはほにぞいでける
inazuma wa
aru ka naki ka ni
miyuredomo
aki no tanomi wa
ho ni zo idekeru | A flash of lightning:
It may, or may not
Appear, yet
In autumn you can trust that
Ripened ears of rice will. |
14
[1] This poem was included in Gosenshū (VII: 416).
夜もすがら山田の庵は稲妻の光をのみや－灯火にする
yomosugara
yamada no io wa
inazuma no
hikari o nomi ya
tomoshibi ni suru |
All throughout the night
In a hut among the mountain fields,
Is the lightning’s
Light alone the only
Lamp? |
さと遠み山田のいほはいなづまのひかりのもるをともとみるかな
sato tōmi
yamada no io wa
inazuma no
hikari no moru o
tomo to miru kana | Far from home
In the mountain fields a hut
By lightning’s
Light is drenched,
Which we watch together. |
Higo, from the Residence of the Kyōgoku Regent
京極関白家肥後
かづらぎや木かげにひかるいなづまを山ぶしのうつ火かとこそみれ
kazuragi ya
kokage ni hikaru
inazuma o
yamabushi no utsu
hi ka to koso mire | In Kazuragi
Amongst the shadows of the trees flashes
Lightning:
A hermit struck
Flame, does it seem to be… |
Kanemasa
兼昌
世の中のはかなきほどにくらぶればなほいなづまも久かりけり
yo no naka no
hakanaki hodo ni
kurabureba
nao inazuma mo
hisashikarikeri | This mundane world’s
Transitory length:
By comparison
Even the lightning
Does last for ever… |
Tadafusa
目もかれずまもる山田のいなづまのひかりにふれてただならずみゆ
me mo karezu
mamoru yamada no
inazuma no
hikari ni furete
tada narazu miyu | Still fresh to my eyes,
The mountain fields I ward
By lightning’s
Light are brushed, and
Appear again anew. |
Toshiyori
Lightning 稲妻
秋の夜のいなばの露にはいなづまのひかりをやどす程は我が身か
aki no yo no
inaba no tsuyu ni
inazuma no
hikari o yadosu
hodo wa wa ga mi ka | On an autumn night
In the dewdrops on the rice fronds
The lightning’s
Light does lodge –
Will I last as long? |
Nakazane
Lightning 稲妻
はかなしや田中の里はいなづまのほどなきかげをたのみてぞふる
hakanashi ya
tanaka no sato wa
inazuma no
hodo naki kage o
tanomite zo furu | So briefly
At this dwelling among the fields
Upon the lightning’s
Lengthless light
I will rely and lie me down… |
Akinaka
朝露のおくての稲は稲妻を恋ふと濡れてや乾かざるらむ
asatuyu no
okute no ine Fa
inaduma wo
koFu to nurete ya
kawakazaruramu |
Morning dew
Falls upon the sprouting rice;
Is it the lightning’s
Love that wets it, so
It does never seem to dry? |
足引きの山田を植て稲妻のともに秋には逢はむとぞ思ふ
asiFiki no
yamada wo uwete
inaduma no
tomo ni aki ni Fa
aFamu to zo omoFu |
Leg-wearying
Mountain fields are planted
With lightning;
Together in the autumn
Do they seem to meet, I feel. |
'Simply moving and elegant'