Translation Inside the Mountain Temple A full bloom But outside, they do not know Japanese うち山や外様しらずの花盛り Pronunciation Uchiyama ya Tozama shira-zu no Hana-zakari Literal Notes [Inside Mountain = Uchiyama (temple in Nara)] Outsider/visitor-from-outside/non-Tokugawa-feudal-lord know not ’s Blossoms-in-full-bloom/blossom-viewing-party/a-woman’s-peak-beauty-age The Uchiyama Temple was an esoteric Buddhist sect …
Read MoreBasho’s “The icy sound of the monks’ clogs”
Water-Drawing Ceremony And the icy sound Of the monks’ clogs 水取りや氷の僧の沓の音 Mizu-tori ya Kouri no sou no Kutsu no oto Literal Water take/draw Ice ’s monk ’s Clog/shoe ’s sound Water draw = Water Drawing Ceremony, around March. The character for water (水) is reinforced …
Read MoreBasho’s “Spring has come!”
Spring has come! The faint mist Of a nameless mountain. 春なれや名もなき山の薄霞 Haru nare ya Na mo naki yama no Usu-gasumi Literal Spring has come ! Name even without mountain ’s Thin/faint mist
Read MoreBasho “The year has come to an end”
The year has come to an end— And I’m wearing my hat And straw sandals 年暮れぬ笠着て草鞋はきながら Toshi kure-nu Kasa kite waraji Haki-nagara Literal Year [darkens/comes to end] has Hat wear and [straw sandals] Where [at same time]
Read MoreBasho’s “The ocean darkens”
The ocean’s dark— Faint, white A duck’s voice 海暮れて鴨の声ほのかに白し Umi kure-te Kamo no koe Honoka-ni shiroshi Literal Ocean/sea dark and/-ing Duck ’s voice Faint/indistinct it is white
Read MoreBasho “Market folk, market folk!”
Market folk, market folk! I will sell you my hat— An umbrella for the snow. 市人よこの笠売らう雪の傘 Ichi-bito yo Kono kasa uro Yuki no kasa Literal Market people/folk This hat sell will Snow ’s umbrella
Read MoreBasho’s “The man under the tree”
My Translation The man under the tree No longer lives on the moon! (Rain blocks our view) Original Japanese 桂男すまずなりけり雨の月 Pronunciation Katsura-otoko Suma-zu nari-keri Ame no tsuki Literal [Katsura tree] man Live not become has Rain ’s/of moon Katsura trees are native to China and …
Read MoreBasho’s “The water’s early bloom”
My Translation The flowers of the waves And perhaps the snow too— Are the water’s early bloom Original Japanese 波の花と雪もや水の返り花 Pronunciation Nami no hana to Yuki mo ya mizu no Kaeri-bana Literal Wave/surge/surf ’s/of flower(s) Snow also water ’s/of [Return/come back] flower(s) This poem plays …
Read MoreBasho’s “The wild mountain cherries”
Translation At Hatuse People become merry— The wild mountain cherries Original Japanese うかれける人や初瀬の山桜 Pronunciation Ukare-keru Hito ya Hatsuse no Yama zakura Literal [To float/Make merry/high spirits] People, Hatsuse’s Mountain cherry blossoms Puns “ukari” (coldhearted) by using “ukare” (making merry) and puns and contrasts with the …
Read MoreBasho’s “The tail tapers off”
My Translation As the wind blows The tail tapers off— Of the dog cherry blossoms Original Japanese 風吹けば尾細うなるや犬桜 Pronunciation Kaze fuke-ba Obosou-naru ya Inu-zakura Literal Wind blows as/when [Dog’s] tail/end tapers/dainty becomes Dog cherry blossom [type of cherry blossom] The dog cherry blossom is …
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