松浦なる玉島川に鮎釣ると立たせる子らが家道知らずも
matura naru tamasima ni ayu turu to tataseru kora ga ipedi sirazu mo |
On Matsura’s Jewelled islets Catching sweetfish Stand many maidens: Their route home I do not know… |
Ōtomo no Tabito
松浦なる玉島川に鮎釣ると立たせる子らが家道知らずも
matura naru tamasima ni ayu turu to tataseru kora ga ipedi sirazu mo |
On Matsura’s Jewelled islets Catching sweetfish Stand many maidens: Their route home I do not know… |
Ōtomo no Tabito
松浦川川の瀬光り鮎釣ると立たせる妹が裳の裾濡れぬ
maturagapa kap no se pikari ayu turu to tataseru imo ga mo no suso nurenu |
“At Matsura River From the rushing waters shining Sweetfish I will catch,” So says my darling, standing there Her dress-hem drenched! |
Ōtomo no Tabito
Cormorant Fishing on the River(鵜河)
大井河う舟にともすかがり火のかかる世にあふあゆぞはかなき
ōigawa ubune ni tomosu kagaribi no kakaru se ni au ayu zo hakanaki | On the River Ōi The cormorant boats’ kindled Torches Reflect off the rushing rapids; What sorrow for the sweetfish! |
Daishin
Cormorant Fishing on the River (鵜河)
かひのぼるう舟のなはのしげければせぶしのあゆの行かたやなき
kainoboru ubune no nawa no shigekereba sebushi no ayu no yuku kata ya naki | Heading upstream The cormorant boats’ hawsers Are so many that Sweetfish through the rapids Have no path to take! |
Higo, from the Residence of the Kyōgoku Regent
年のはに鮎し走らば辟田河鵜八つ潜けて河瀬尋ねむ
tosi no pa ni ayu si pasiraba sakitagapa u yatu kadukete kapase tadunemu |
Every year When the sweetfish run so swift At Sakita River Many cormorants do gather, and Sport among the river rapids |
Ōtomo no Yakamochi
年ごとに鮎しはしれば沢田川鵜やつかつけて川瀬たづねむ
toshigoto ni ayu shi hashireba sawadagawa u yatsu kazukete kawase tazunemu |
Every year When the sweetfish run so swift, At Sawada River The cormorants do gather, and Sport among the river rapids! |
One autumn, when I invited Lord Michitsuna, the Middle Captain, to go fishing, he said, ‘You prefer taking life to the Way of the Buddha!’, and I composed:
宇治川の網代の氷魚もこの秋はあみだ佛に寄るとこそ聞け
uzigaFa no aziro no Fiwo mo kono aki Fa amida Fotoke ni yoru to koso kike |
Upon the River Uji Sweetfish-fry against the nets This autumn To Amida Buddha Are drawn, or so I hear! |
Composed on wicker fishing nets.
ひおのよる川瀨に見ゆるあじろ木はたつ白波の打つにやあるらん
Fio no yoru kaFase ni miyuru aziro ki Fa tatu siranami no utu ni ya aruran |
Sweetfish in the night I see by the river rapids Wicker net poles Standing-do the rising whitecaps Strike them, I wonder? |
Empress Higo