Original
ちりまがふかすがのやまのさくらばなひかりにきえぬゆきと見えつつ
chirimagau
kasuga no yama no
sakurabana
hikari ni kienu
yuki to mietsutsu | Tangledly scattering on
The mount of Kasuga are
The cherry blossoms—as
Not fading with the sunlight
Does this snow, it ever seems… |
37
Left
さくらばななにかはきえむしろたへのいろばかりこそゆきににるらめ
sakurabana
nanika wa kienu
shirotae no
iro bakari koso
yuki ni niruramu | Cherry blossoms—
Why should they fade away?
White as mulberry cloth,
In their hue alone
Do they resemble snow, I’d say! |
38
Right (Win)
やまざくらゆきにまがひてちりくれどきえぬばかりぞしるしなりける
yamazakura
yuki ni magaite
chirikuredo
kienu bakari zo
shirushi narikeru | Mountain cherry blossoms
Tangle with the snowflakes, and
Come a’scattering, yet
‘Tis only that they fade not that’s
The sign of what they are! |
39
Original
やへたてるみかさのやまのしらくもはみゆきさぶらふさくらなりけり
yae tateru
mikasa no yama no
shirakumo wa
miyuki saburau
sakura narikeri | Standing eightfold high above
Mikasa Mountain,
The clouds of white,
In service to the excursion
Are cherries. |
7
Left (Win)
よそにてもきみしみつれば山ざくらこころやすくやいまはちるらむ
yoso nite mo
kimi shi mitsureba
yamazakura
kokoro yasuku ya
ima wa chiruramu | Seen from afar, and
Even by my Lady, do
The mountain cherries
Contentedly
Seem to scatter now? |
8
Right
やへたてるくもゐに見えしさくらばなかへるたむけにけふやちるらん
yae tateru
kumoi ni mieshi
sakurabana
kaeru tamuke ni
kyō ya chiruran | Standing eightfold high
Among the clouds, I seemed to see
Cherry blossoms,
As a memento of our return
Seeming to scatter today. |
9
山ざくらいまはのころの花の枝にゆふべの雨の露ぞこぼるる
yamazakura
ima wa no koro no
hana no e ni
yūbe no ame no
tsuyu zo koboruru | The mountain cherries’
End draws near now;
Upon the blossomed branches
The evening rain
Drips as heavy dew. |
Created with Soan.
Blossom amid the evening rain.
やま桜あだに散りにし花の枝に夕べの雨の露ぞ残れる
yamazakura
ada ni chirinishi
hana no e ni
yūbe no ame no
tsuyu zo nokoreru | The mountain cherry
Has scattered so swiftly
Upon the branch where blossom lay
The evening rain’s
Dewfall remains! |
Created with Soan.
Fallen blossom at the water’s edge.
やま桜木木のこずゑに見しものを岩間の水にあわとなりぬる
yamazakura
kigi no kozue ni
mishi mono o
iwama no mizu ni
awa to narinuru | The mountain cherry blossom
Upon the trees’ tops
Did I see, but
As water through the craggy rocks’
Foam, it was… |
Created with Soan.
Composed for a folding screen with a picture of cherry trees blooming in the middle of the mountains.
山ざくらちらばをらなんをしげなみよしや人みず花のなたてに
yamazakura
chiraba oranan
oshigenami
yoshi ya hito mizu
hana no na tate ni | O, mountain cherry!
If you scatter, then do it
Without regret, for,
Well, even should folk not see
Your blossoms’ fame will spread still! |
I sent this to a lady after composing it.
春くれど人もすさめぬ山桜風のたよりにわれのみぞとふ
haru kuredo
hito mo susamenu
yamazakura
kaze no tayori ni
ware nomi zo tou | The spring has come, yet
There is no one to sing the praises of
The mountain cherry blossom;
A breeze-borne note
Comes calling on my solitude. |
Composed on seeing cherry blossom unexpectedly at Ōmine.
もろともにあはれとおもへ山ざくらはなよりほかにしる人もなし
morotomo ni
aFare to omoFe
yamazakura
Fana yori Foka ni
siru Fito mo nasi | Won’t you as well
Feel kind,
O, mountain cherry?
For other than your blossom,
I have no acquaintances here at all… |
Archbishop Gyōson
Created with Soan.
Composed at the Poetry Match held at the Residence of the Uji Former Grand Minister.
山ざくらさきそめしより久かたの雲井にみゆるたきのしらいと
yamazakura
sakisomeshi yori
hisakata no
kumoi ni miyuru
taki no shira’ito | Since the mountain cherries
Have begun to bloom,
The eternal
Clouds seem
Threaded with a waterfall of white. |
Lord Minamoto no Toshiyori
Created with Soan.
Evening blossom on a mountain path.
道とほみけふこえくれば山ざくら花のやどりを我にかさなん
michi tōmi
kyō koekureba
yamazakura
hana no yadori o
ware ni kasanan | Along distant roads
Today I come travelling, so
O, mountain cherries,
Among your blossom shelter
Won’t you lend me? |
'Simply moving and elegant'
