Nukita no Ookimi At Nigitatsu, Waiting to leave— The moon’s about, The tide improves, My boat rows out. Original Text Modern Text Pronunciation 額田王 額田王 Nukita no Ookimi 熟田津尓 熟田津に Nigitatsu ni 船乗世武登 船乗りせむと Funanori sen-to 月待者 月待てば Tsuki mate- ba 潮毛可奈比沼 潮もかなひぬ Shio …
Read MoreWhere Once I Stayed
Nukita no Ookimi I cut the grass of autumn’s meadow— remembering the thatched roof of Uji palace, where once I stayed. Original Text Modern Text Pronunciation 額田王 額田王 Nukata no ohkimi 金野乃 秋の野の Akino No no 美草苅葺 み草刈り Mikusa kari 屋杼礼里之 葺き宿れりし Fukiyado rerishi 兎道乃宮子能 …
Read MoreI cannot sleep
Ikusano Ookimi Wind blows down The mountain every night: Thinking of my darling at home, I cannot sleep. Original Text Modern Text Pronunciation 軍王 軍王 Ikusano Ookimi 山越乃 山越しの Yama-goshi no 風乎時自見 風を時じみ Kaze wo toki-jimi 寐<夜>不落 寝る夜おちず Nuru-yo ochi-zu 家在妹乎 家なる妹を Ie-naru imo …
Read MoreDeep, Grass Field
Nakatsu Sumera Mikoto Related to the poet’s earlier poem about the emperor leaving to hunt in the field. Morning in Uji’s Vast meadow: The horses walk a line To step into the Deep, grass field. Original Text Modern Text Pronunciation 中皇命 中皇命 Nakatsu Sumera Mikoto …
Read MoreThe Emperor’s Cherry Birch Bow
Nakatsu Sumera Mikoto (died ~665 AD) The emperor is kind in the morning; in the evening he gathers us close. He has a favorite cherry birch bow: we hear its sound even from here. He might leave soon for morning hunting, or he might leave …
Read More“Yamato” (Manyoshu Vol. 1, No. 2)
Emperor Jyomei (593-641 AD) In the land of Yamato there are many mountains, though none so sweet as Kagu, mountain of the gods. I climb up and see all the earth— the smoke that rises when people cook; the sea, and all the birds that …
Read More“Source of Life” (Manyoshu Vol. 1, No. 1)
Emperor Yuuryaku I saw a girl picking vegetables on a hill. She had a basket, a beautiful basket. She had harvester too, a lovely harvester. “Young maiden, who are you?” “I am a girl from Yamato. In nature I nurture all things and tend them …
Read MoreFujiwara no Kotonao, “Is it spring?”
Translation At the beginning of spring Is it spring? The plums bloom late And not even The warblers Will sing their tune. Japanese Pronunciation ふぢはらのことなほ Fujiwara no Kotonao はるやとき Haru ya toki 花やおそきと Hana ya osoki to ききわかむ Kikiwakan 鶯だにも Uguisu dani mo なかずもあるかな Nakazu …
Read MoreKi no Tsurayuki’s “The fallen flowers weep” (Kokinshu #9)
Translation On snow falling Spring mist sweeps Through budding leaves, But in the village Where the snow fell The fallen flowers weep. Japanese Pronunciation きのつらゆき Ki no Tsurayuki 霞たち Kasumi tachi このめもはるの Ko no me mo haru no 雪ふれば Yuki fureba 花なきさとも Hana naki sato …
Read MoreFunya no Yasuhide’s “Touched by the light of a spring day” (Kokinshu #8)
Translation On the third day of the New Year, Empress Nijou, then known as the Mother of the Crown Prince, summoned Yasuhide to receive her requests. As he bowed before her, she saw snow falling on his head while the sun was shining. She ordered …
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