Composed on the conception of the evening of the year by the sea, at the residence of the Tsuchimikado Palace Minister.
ゆくとしをゝじまのあまのぬれ衣かさねて袖になみやかくらん
| yuku toshi o ojima no ama no nuregoromo kasnete sode ni nami ya kakuran | The parting year covers me with Regret, as at Ojima the fisherfolk’s Drenched robes are Laid atop each other, with sleeves Still washed by waves, it seems… |
Fujiwara no Ari’ie
At the evening of the year, when she was lamenting that she had grown old.
かぞふればとしののこりもなかりけり老いぬるばかりかなしきはなし
| kazoureba toshi no nokori mo nakarikeri oinuru bakari kanashiki wa nashi | I count the days, but Remnants of this year Are none; My age, simply brings Nothing but sadness. |
Izumi Shikibu
Composed on the evening of the year.
へだて行くよよの面かげかきくらし雪にふりぬるとしの暮かな
| hedateyuku yo yo no omokage kakikurashi yuki ni furinuru toshi no kure kana | Disappearing into the distance Are the shapes of times gone by, Darkness descending with The falling snow—my age At the evening of the year. |
The Daughter of Master of the Dowager Empress Household Office Toshinari
Sent to someone at the evening of the year.
おのづからいはぬをしたふ人やあるとやすらふほどに年の暮れぬる
| onozukara iwanu o shitau hito ya aru to yasurau hodo ni toshi no kurenuru | I Said nothing, but fondly Do you think of me? And while I wondered, The year has reached its evening. |
Saigyō
あまのはらやどかす人のなければやあきくるかりのねをばなくらん[1]
| ama no hara yado kasu hito no nakereba ya aki kuru kari no ne o ba nakuran | Upon the plain of Heaven To lend them lodging Is there no one? For The geese coming in the autumn Seem to cry so plaintively. |
15
としごとにあきくることのうれしきはかりにつけてもきみやとふとぞ
| toshi goto ni aki kuru koto no ureshiki wa kari ni tsukete mo kimi ya tou to zo | Every year Autumn’s arrival brings Happiness; Is it the geese?— That I will ask you, I think! |
16
[1] This poem was included in Shokugosenshū (310/301), where it is attributed to Mibu no Tadamine.
時雨降る秋の山辺をゆくときは心にもあらぬ袖ぞひちける
| shigure furu aki no yamabe o yuku toki wa kokoro ni mo aranu sode zo hichikeru | Drizzle falls In autumn on the mountain meadows; And when I travel there Not my heart, but My sleeves are truly drenched. |
11
年ごとにいかなる露のおけばかも秋の山辺の色濃かるらむ
| toshi goto ni ikanaru tsuyu no okeba kamo aki no yamabe no iro kokaruramu | Every single year However many dewdrops May fall The autumn mountain meadows Turn to richer hues, it seems. |
12
New Year’s Eve.
よしの川ながれて過ぐる年浪の立ゐのかげもくれにけるかな
| yoshino gawa nagarete suguru toshinami no tachi’i no kage mo kurenikeru kana | The River Yoshino Flows on past while The year’s waves Rise and fall Fading into shadow! |
Ōe no Masafusa
Next Door 隣
色かへてふりぬる物は年たかきとなりの松とわれとなりけり
| iro kaete furinuru mono wa toshi takaki tonari no matsu to ware to narikeri | Hues do change as Age falls upon one: Towering with years have Both the pines next door and I become. |
Nakazane
Old Folk 老人
しくちひくあこのはまやに年ふりていやみにましばしめられにけり
| shikuchi hiku ako no hamaya ni toshi furite iyami ni mashiba shimerarenikeri | Fishing for mullet From a hut on Ako Beach Have I got on in years, and Detestation deeply Is graven on my heart. |
Toshiyori
Old Folk 老人
いやましにひたひのなみはかくれどもきえてもとしのゆきつもるかな
| iyamashi ni hitai no nami wa kakuredomo kiete mo toshi no yuki tsumoru kana | More and more The waves upon my forehead Do I seek to hide, yet Though they vanish, the years In drifts of snow appear! |
Akinaka