This tree grows
through all the rocks
that cover the spring field
rising through the mist
until it’s far into the sky
reaching beyond the heavens
providing strength
for generation after generation
a gift from God
Inspired by Manyoshu #29
Original Text |
Modern Text |
Pronunciation |
| 柿本人麻呂 | 柿本人麻呂 | Kakinomoto no Hitomaro |
| 玉手次 | 玉たすき | Tama-Tassuki |
| 畝火之山乃 | 畝傍の山の | Unebi no Yama o |
| 橿原乃 | 橿原の | Kashihara no |
| 日知之御世従 | ひじりの御代ゆ | Hijiri no Miyoyu |
| 阿礼座師 | 生れましし | Arema shishi |
| 神之<盡> | 神のことごと | Kami no Koto-goto |
| 樛木乃 | 栂の木の | Tsuga no Ki no |
| 弥継嗣尓 | いや継ぎ継ぎに | Iya tsugi-tsugi ni |
| 天下 | 天の下 | Ame no Shita |
| 所知食之乎 | 知らしめししを | Shirashi-meshishi wo |
| 天尓満 | そらにみつ | Sora ni mitsu |
| 倭乎置而 | 大和を置きて | Yamato wo okite |
| 青丹吉 | あをによし | Ao ni yoshi |
| 平山乎超 | 奈良山を越え | Nara-yama wo koe |
| 何方 | いかさまに | Ikasama ni |
| 御念食可 | 思ほしめせか | Omoushi meseka |
| 天離 | 天離る | Ama zakaru |
| 夷者雖有 | 鄙にはあれど | Hina niha aredo |
| 石走 | 石走る | Iwa bashiru |
| 淡海國乃 | 近江の国の | Oomi no Kuni |
| 樂浪乃 | 楽浪の | Sasa-nami no |
| 大津宮尓 | 大津の宮に | Ootsu no Miyani |
| 天下 | 天の下 | Ame no Shita |
| 所知食兼 | 知らしめしけむ | Shirashi-meshi kenu |
| 天皇之 | 天皇の | Sumeroki no |
| 神之御言能 | 神の命の | Kami no Mikoto no |
| 大宮者 | 大宮は | Oomiya ha |
| 此間等雖聞 | ここと聞けども | Kokoto kikedomo |
| 大殿者 | 大殿は | Ootono ha |
| 此間等雖云 | ここと言へども | Kokoto iedomo |
| 春草之 | 春草の | Harukusa no |
| 茂生有 | 茂く生ひたる | Shigeku oitaru |
| 霞立 | 霞立つ | Kasumi tatsu |
| 春日之霧流 | 春日の霧れる | Haruhi no kireru |
| 百礒城之 | ももしきの | Momoshiki no |
| 大宮處 | 大宮ところ | Oomiya tokoro |
| 見者悲<毛> | 見れば悲しも | Mireba kanashimo |
Notes
A poem by Kakimonoto no Hitomaro—he saw a ruined palace and became nostalgic.
| 玉たすき | This word follows Umeri |
| 畝傍の山の | around Umeri mountains |
| 橿原の | At Kaziwara (place) |
| ひじりの御代ゆ | (There were) emperors who knew the moment for the things |
| 生れましし | (they) Were born (there) |
| 神のことごと | All gifted from the gods |
| 栂の木の | As a strong tree |
| いや継ぎ継ぎに | (family was solid for) Generation and generation |
| 天の下 | Under the god |
| 知らしめししを | (this family) knows everything |
| そらにみつ | As if growing to the sky(yamato) |
| 大和を置きて | (They ) left Yamato |
| あをによし | Beautiful land (nara-yama) |
| 奈良山を越え | (They) went beyond |
| いかさまに | How did they |
| 思ほしめせか | Felt ( I wonder) |
| 天離る | Away from the heaven |
| 鄙にはあれど | In a countryside ,yet ( あれど-yet) |
| 石走る | The rocks are lining |
| 近江の国の | In Ohmi county |
| 楽浪の | At Sasanami (area) |
| 大津の宮に | At Ohtsu palace |
| 天の下 | Their power (emperor) |
| 知らしめしけむ | Governed |
| 天皇の | Emperors’ |
| 神の命の | Holy spirits’ |
| 大宮は | palace |
| ここと聞けども | was here ( I had heard) |
| 大殿は | Residence |
| ここと言へども | Were here ,though |
| 春草の | Spring weed |
| 茂く生ひたる | Is growing thick |
| 霞立つ | There is a mist |
| 春日の霧れる | The view is not clear on a spring day |
| ももしきの | This word leads 大宮 |
| 大宮ところ | The place |
| 見れば悲しも | ( feel) nostalgic, to see ( the palace) |