Not its Pearls

Nake no Ohe As desired, I saw Nojima And its deep port Of Agone— But not its pearls, alas. Original Text Modern Text Pronunciation 中皇命 中皇命 Naka no Ohe 吾欲之 我が欲りし Waga horishi 野嶋波見世追 野島は見せつ Noshima ha misetsu 底深伎 底深き Soko fukaki 阿胡根能浦乃 阿胡根の浦の Agone …

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Nakatsu Sumera Mikoto’s “Beneath the Young Pine”

My dear, This grass Will not do— Let us sleep beneath The young pine Original Text Modern Text Pronunciation 中皇命 中皇命 Nakatsu Sumera Mikoto 吾勢子波 我が背子は Waga Seko ha 借廬作良須 仮廬作らす Kariho tsukurasu 草無者 草なくは Kaya naku ha 小松下乃 小松が下の Komatsu ga shita no 草乎苅核 …

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Nakatsu Sumera Mikoto’s “Tying the Roots”

Let’s tie the roots Together At Iwashiro Hill— Your life And my life too Original Text Modern Text Pronunciation 中皇命 中皇命 Nakatsu Sumera Mikoto 君之齒母 君が代も Kimi ga yo mo 吾代毛所知哉 我が代も知るや Waga yo mo shiru-ya 磐代乃 岩代の Iwashiro no 岡之草根乎 岡の草根を Oka no kusane …

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You stood beneath a holy oak [Manyoshu Vol 1, No 9]

Emperor Nukata no Okimi Broken silence Beneath the Big Dipper— My dear, You stood at the roots Of holy oaks. Original Text Modern Text Pronunciation 額田王 額田王 Nukata no Okimi 莫囂圓隣之 莫囂円隣之 [unknown] 大相七兄爪謁氣 大相七兄爪謁気 [unknown] 吾瀬子之 我が背子が Waga seko ga 射立為兼 い立たせりけむ Itata serikemu …

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