Tag Archives: Tsukushi

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

Horikawa Hyakushu

Horikawa hyakushu 1452

18th July 2016 temca Leave a comment

追風にいたてに走れ筑紫舟頻浪の関堰きとどむとも

oFikaze ni
itate ni Fasire
tukusibune
sikinami no seki
sekitodomu tomo

Carried on the wind
Swiftly race
The boats to Tsukushi
Though the barriers of the oncoming waves
Stand in their way!

Yōen (1048-1125)
永縁

Man'yōshū

MYS XX: 4372

5th July 2016 temca Leave a comment

On the fourteeth day of the Second Month, when Senior Assistant Lieutenant Okinagara no Mahito of the Senior Seventh Rank, Upper Grade, was sent to Kunishima as a gubernatorial messenger concerning the changing of the border guard in Hitachi province.

足柄の　み坂給はり　返り見ず　我れは越え行く　荒し夫も　立しやはばかる　不破の関　越えて我は行く　馬の爪　筑紫の崎に　留まり居て　我れは斎はむ　諸々は　幸くと申す　帰り来までに

asigara no
misaka tamapari
kaperimizu
are pa kueyuku
arasi wo mo
tasi ya habakaru
puwa no seki
kuete wa pa yuku
muma no tume
tukusi no saki ni
timariwite
ware pa ipapamu
moromoro pa
sakeku to mawosu
kaperiku made

In Ashigara,
Misaka will I pass through
Never looking back
Will I go on;
A rough man
Cannot pass
The barrier of Fuwa
But I will go on;
My horse’s hooves
At the point of Tsukushi
Will I halt, and
There take my ease;
To all of you:
I wish you well
Until I return again!