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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My Boat Rows Out

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 …

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Where 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 …

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I 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 …

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Fujiwara 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 …

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