On the conception of the 15th night of the Eighth Month
久堅の月のひかりしきよければ秋のなかばを空にしるかな
hisakata no
tsuki no hikari shi
kiyokereba
aki no nakaba o
sora ni shiru kana | The eternal
Moon’s light is so
Clear that
The midst of autumn is
Revealed in the skies! |
やまさむみ衣手うすしさら科やをばすての月に秋ふけしかば
yama samumi
koromode usushi
sarashina ya
obasute no tsuki ni
aki fukeshikaba | How cold the mountain, and
How scanty my sleeves,
Though in Sarashina
The moon o’er Obasute tells that
Autumn’s depths draw near… |
月みれば衣手さむしさらしなやをばすて山の峰の秋かぜ
tsuki mireba
koromode samushi
sarashina ya
obasuteyama no
mine no akikaze | When I gaze upon the moon
How chill my sleeves
In Sarashina, as
O’er Mount Obasute’s
Peak passes the autumn wind. |
塩がまのうらふく風に秋たけてまがきの島に月かたぶきぬ
shiogama no
ura fuku kaze ni
aki takete
magaki no shima ni
tsuki katabukinu | At Shiogama,
The breeze gusting ‘cross the shore
Marks the end of autumn, as
Over Magaki Isle
The moon does set. |
すまのあまの袖ふきかへす塩風にうらみてふくる秋のよの月
suma no ama no
sode fukikaesu
shiokaze ni
uramite fukuru
aki no yo no tsuki | Fisherfolk at Suma
Have sleeves blown inside out
By the tidewind—
O, how I dislike the waning
Of the moon this autumn night… |
いせのうみや浪にたけたる秋のよの有明の月に松風ぞふく
ise no umi ya
nami ni taketaru
aki no yo no
ariake no tsuki ni
matsukaze zo fuku | At the sea at Ise
Sluggishly upon the waves
On an autumn night
Shines the dawntime moon while
The wind gusts through the pines! |
The moon by the sea
たまさかにみる物にもがいせのうみの清きなぎさの秋のよの月
tamasaka ni
miru mono ni mo ga
ise no umi no
kiyoki nagisa no
aki no yo no tsuki | Once in a while
‘Tis something I would glimpse:
Above the sea at Ise,
Calm and clear,
The moon on an autumn night… |
おほはらやおぼろのしみづ里とほみ人こそくまね月はすみけり
ōhara ya
oboro no shimizu
sato tōmi
hito koso kumane
tsuki wa sumikeri | In Ōhara
The misty spring waters
Lie far from the village, so
Folk do not scoop the up—
Clearly only the moon dwells there. |
The moon above an ancient estate
行きめぐり又もきてみんふる郷のやどもる月はわれをわするな
yukimeguri
mata mo kite min
furusato no
yado moru tsuki wa
ware o wasuru na | On your wanderings
Come visit once more
My ancient home, and
Ward my dwelling, o, Moon, and
Forget me not! |
The moon above a ruined hut
浅茅原ぬしなき宿の庭の面にあはれいくよの月かすみけん
asajiwara
nushi naki yado no
niwa no omo ni
aware iku yo no
tsuki kasumiken | On the cogon grass covered plain,
Ownerless, is a hut;
Upon its garden’s face
O, for how many ages has
The moon cast its light? |
'Simply moving and elegant'
