An old plum tree by the eaves.
なにとなくのきなつかしきむめゆゑにすみけん人の心をぞしる
nani to naku
noki natsukashiki
mume yue ni
sumiken hito no
kokoro o zo shiru | Somehow,
So charming are my eaves
Due to the plum,
Those who dwelt here once:
I know their hearts! |
44
Plum at my lodging while travelling.
ひとりぬるくさのまくらのうつりがは垣ねのむめのにほひなりけり
hitori nuru
kusa no makura no
utsuriga wa
kakine no mume no
nioi narikeri | Sleeping alone
On a grassy pillow,
The shifting scent is
Plum by the brushwood fence
Fragrant. |
43
つくりおきしこけのふすまに鶯は身にしむ梅のかやにほふらん
tsukuri’okishi
koke no fusuma ni
uguisu wa
mi ni shimu mume no
ka ya niouran | Having built
A mossy nest
Will the warbler,
Soaked with plum’s
Fragrant scent be? |
42
When a warbler was singing from the plum blossom.
むめがかにたぐへてきけばうぐひすのこゑなつかしき春の山ざと
mume ga ka ni
taguete kikeba
uguisu no
koe natsukashiki
haru no yamazato | When the scent of plum
I imagine, I hear,
The warbler’s
Song makes for a charming
Spring at my mountain retreat. |
41
When I was at a place called Moriyama[i] in Ise, and my hut was saturated with the scent of plum.
しばのいほにとくとくむめのにほひきてやさしきかたもあるすみかかな
shiba no io ni
tokutoku mume no
nioi kite
yasashiki kata mo
aru sumika kana | To a brushwood hut
Swiftly, so swiftly, plum’s
Scent comes and,
An elegant element
Does the dwelling have! |
40
[i] The location of this place remains unknown.
Composed looking at the plum before my hut.
梅が香をたにふところにふきためていりこん人にしめよ春風
mume ga ka o
tani futokoro ni
fukitamete
irikon hito ni
shimeyo harukaze | With the scent of plum
My hidden valley
Has been filled, so
Let folk coming here
Be bathed with it, O, breeze of spring! |
39
When I was living in Saga, and the way was blocked by plum blossom scattering from my hermitage on the breeze.
ぬしいかに風わたるとていとふらんよそにうれしき梅のにほひを
nushi ika ni
kaze wataru tote
itouran
yoso ni ureshiki
mume no nioi o | How their master
By the passing breeze
Must be disgusted, though
From a distance happy at
The scent of plum… |
38
このはるはしづが垣ねにふればひてむめがかとめん人したしまん
kono haru wa
shizu ga kakine ni
furebaite
mume ga ka tomen
hito shitashiman | This spring
From the woodsman’s brushwood fence
Go wafting;
Let the scent of plum halt
Folk with kindly care! |
37
心せんしづがかきねの梅はあやなよしなくすぐる人とどめけり
kokoro sen
shizu ga kakine no
mume wa ayana
yoshi na suguru
hito todomekeri | O, they linger in the heart!
By a woodsman’s brushwood fence
The plum, strangely,
For no reason, passing
Folk’s feet bring to a stop. |
36
Plum at my mountain hut.
かをとめん人にこそまて山ざとの垣ねの梅のちらぬかぎりは
ka o tomen
hito ni koso mate
yamazato no
kakine no mume no
chiranu kagiri wa | While the fragrance lingers
Folk I will yet await
At my mountain retreat, for
The plum by my brushwood fence
Remains unscattered… |
35
'Simply moving and elegant'
