A lament, with tanka.
天地の 初めの時ゆ うつそみの 八十伴の男は 大君に まつろふものと 定まれる 官にしあれば 大君の 命畏み 鄙離る 國を治むと あしひきの 山川へだて 風雲に 言は通へど 直に逢はず 日の重なれば 思ひ戀ひ 息づき居るに 玉桙の 道來る人の 傳て言に 我れに語らく はしきよし 君はこのころ うらさびて 嘆かひいます 世閒の 憂けく辛けく 咲く花も 時にうつろふ うつせみも 常なくありけり たらちねの 母の命 何しかも 時しはあらむを まそ鏡 見れども飽かず 玉の緖の 惜しき盛りに 立つ霧の 失せぬるごとく 置く露の 消ぬるがごとく 玉藻なす 靡き臥い伏し 行く水の 留めかねつと たはことか 人の言ひつる およづれか 人の告げつる 梓弓 爪引く夜音の 遠音にも 聞けば悲しみ にはたづみ 流るる涙 留めかねつも
| amë tuti nö pazimë nö töki yu utusomi nö yaso tömo nö wo pa opokimi ni maturopu monö tö sadamareru tukasa ni si areba opokimi nö mikötö kasikomi pina zakaru kuni wo wosamu tö asipiki nö yama kapa pedate kaze kumo ni kötö pa kayopedö tada ni apazu pi nö kasanareba omopikopi ikidukiworu ni tamapokö nö miti kuru pitö nö tute kötö ni ware ni kataraku pasikiyösi kimi pa könö körö urasabite nagëkapiimasu yo nö naka nö ukeku turakeku saku pana mo töki ni uturöpu utusemi mo tunenaku arikeri taratine nö papa nö mikötö nani si kamo töki si pa aramu wo masokagami miredömo akazu tama nö wo nö wosiki sakari ni tatu kïri nö usenuru götöku oku tuyu nö kenuru ga götöku tamamo nasu nabiki koipusi yuku midu nö todomekanetu tö tapa kötö ka pitö nö ipituru oyodure ka pitö nö tugeturu adusa yumi tuma piku yoto nö töpoto ni mo kikeba kanasimi nipatadumi nagaruru namida todomekanetu mo |
Heaven and earth: Ever since their age began, In this world, Many officials, To the great lord, Proffer their service: So it is determined, and As I, too, am a servant, Of His Majesty, I received His awesome word, To go into the distant provinces and Rule the lands. Foot-wearying Mountain rivers parted us; The winds and clouds Carried words back and forth, but Face-to-face we did not meet, Piling up the days; Fondly thinking, Sighing, when Along the jeweled-spear Road folk come, A message They speak to me: Our dear Lord is at this time Desolate at heart, And grieving. The world of men Is cold and cruel; Even the blooming flowers Will fade with time, And this world, too, Is not for ever. O’erflowing with love Your noble mother- Why should it be? Would there be a time? A mirror: Whose sight would never sate my gaze; A jeweled belt: So precious; As the rising mist, She vanished; As the dewfall Did she disappear; As the jeweled seaweed, She, trembling, laid her down; And, as running water, Could not be held- Are these wild words? The folk are saying; A deception? Folk are telling me; A catalpa bow String plucked sounds at night And though a distant echo Hearing it fills me with sadness; The trickling waters Of my flowing tears Cannot be stopped either. |