A poem composed on the 17th day of the Eighth Month Tempyō 4 by Takahashi no Mushimaro, when Fujiwara no Umakai was sent into the west to inspect the military forces there.
白雲の 龍田の山の 露霜に 色づく時に うち越えて 旅行く君は 五百重山 い行きさくみ 敵守る 筑紫に至り 山のそき 野のそき見よと 伴の部を 班ち遣はし 山彦の 答へむ極み たにぐくの さ渡る極み 国形を 見したまひて 冬こもり 春さりゆかば 飛ぶ鳥の 早く来まさね 龍田道の 岡辺の道に 丹つつじの にほはむ時の 桜花 咲きなむ時に 山たづの 迎へ参ゐ出む 君が来まさば
sira kumo no
tatuta no yama no
tuyusimo ni
iroduku toki ni
utikoete
tabi yuku kimi pa
ipopeyama
iyukisakumi
adamamoru
tukusi ni itari
yamanosoki
no nosoki miyo to
tomo no be wo
akati tukapasi
yamabiko no
kotapemu kipami
taniguku no
sawataru kipami
kunikata wo
misitamapite
puyugomori
paru sariyukaba
tobu tori no
payaku kimasane
tatsutadi no
wokabe no miti ni
nitutuzi no
nipopamu toki no
sakurabana
sakinamu toki ni
yamatadu no
mukaemawidemu
kimi ga kimasaba |
Clouds of white
On Tatsuta Mountain
When the frosty dewfall
Shades it,
Across it
You will go, my Lord,
Many mountains
Passing, and
At foe-warding
Tsukushi arrive;
On the mountains end,
On the plains end, gazing;
Sentry squads
Dividing for despatch;
Echoes from the mountains’
Bounds,
Toad
Testing limits
Of the land
A’viewing;
Sealed in winter, then
When spring comes once more
As a soaring bird
Swiftly return!
When upon the trails of Tatsuta
Upon the hillside paths
Ochre azaleas
Bloom brightly;
When cherry blossom
Blooms,
Bearing elder flowers
Will we come to greet you!
Should you come home again… |
Shun’e
俊恵
A poem composed on the day of a poetry gathering on the peak of Tsukuba.
鷲の住む 筑波の山の 裳羽服津の その津の上に 率ひて 娘子壮士の 行き集ひ かがふかがひに 人妻に 我も交らむ 我が妻に 人も言問へ この山 を うしはく神の 昔より 禁めぬわざぞ 今日のみは めぐしもな見そ 事もとがむな
washi no sumu
tukuba no yama no
mopakitu no
sono tu no upe ni
adomopite
wotome wotoko no
yukitudopi
kagapu kagapi ni
pitoduma ni
ware mo maziramu
wa ga tuma ni
pito mo koto tope
kono yama o
usipaku kami no
mukasi yori
isamenu waza zo
kepu nomi pa
megusi mo na mi so
koto mo togamu na |
Where eagles dwell
On the mount of Tsukuba,
At Mowakitsu,
From the landing,
We all went together
Men and women both
Gathering together
For a poetry meet;
With another’s wife
Did I consort;
My own wife
Did others woo;
This mountain’s
Ruling deity,
Since days long gone,
Has not forbade it;
On this day, alone,
We will find no misfortune;
No words of blame! |
Takahashi no Mushimaro Collection
白雲の龍田の山の瀧のうへ小倉の峰に咲きをせる櫻の花は
sirakumo no
tatuta no yama no
taki no upe
ogura no mine ni
saki o seru
sakura no pana pa |
The white clouds
Above Mount Tatsuta’s
Cascade:
On Ogura’s peak
Are flowering
Cherry blossoms |
Takahashi no Mushimaro
富士の嶺を高み畏み天雲もい行きはばかりたなびくものを
pudi nö ne wo
takami kasikomi
amakumo mo
iyuki pabakari
tanabiku monö wo |
Fuji’s peak
Scales the heights of awe;
Heaven’s clouds
Halt in their course,
Billowing. |
Envoys:
富士の嶺に降り置く雪は六月の十五日に消ぬればその夜降りけり
pudi nö ne ni
puri oku yuki pa
minaduki nö
moti ni kenureba
sono yo purikeri |
On Fuji’s peak
The fallen snow
When on the Sixth Month’s
15th day has vanished,
That very night will it fall again. |
A poem on Mount Fuji, with tanka.
なまよみの 甲斐の國 うち寄する 駿河の國と こちごちの 國のみ中ゆ 出で立てる 富士の高嶺は 天雲も い行きはばかり 飛ぶ鳥も 飛びも上らず 燃ゆる火を 雪もて消ち 降る雪を 火もて消ちつつ 言ひも得ず 名付けも知らず くすしくも います神かも せの海と 名付けてあるも その山の つつめる海ぞ 富士川と 人の渡るも その山の 水のたぎちぞ 日の本の 大和の國の 鎭めとも います神かも 寶とも なれる山かも 駿河なる 富士の高嶺は 見れど飽かぬかも
namayomi nö
kapi nö kuni
utiyösuru
suruga nö kuni tö
kötigöti nö
kuni nö minaka yu
idetateru
pudi nö takane pa
amakumo mo
iyuki pabakari
tobu töri mo
tobi mo noborazu
moyuru pï mo
yuki mote keti
puru yuki wo
pï mote ketitutu
ipi mo izu
naduke mo sirazu
kususiku mo
imasu kamï ka mo
se nö umi tö
nadukete aru mo
sono yama nö
tutumeru umi zö
pudigapa tö
pitö nö wataru mo
sono yama nö
midu nö tagiti zö
pi nö motö nö
yamatö nö kuni no
sidume tömo
imasu kamï ka mo
takara tö mo
nareru yama ka mo
suruga naru
pudi nö takane pa
miredö akanu ka mo |
By
The land of Kai and
The wave-washed
Land of Suruga
Around about
Lie the lands and in their midst
Rises up
The peak of Fuji:
Heaven’s clouds
Halt in their course, and
Winging birds, as well
Will not fly atop it;
Its burning fire
Is quenched with snow, and
Falling snow
Dissolves in fire;
No words can tell,
I know not how to name
The mystery
Of this living God;
The Barnacle Sea
Or so is named,
The mountain’s
Embraced waters;
“The Fuji River” they say,
As men cross,
The mountain’s
Foaming torrents;
Source of the sun,
The land of Yamato
Is warded by
The living God;
A treasure
Is the mountain,
In Suruga
The high peak of Fuji:
I gaze on it, yet am never sated by the sight. |
Takahashi no Mushimaro (active 720s – 730s)
高橋虫麻呂
'Simply moving and elegant'