Otagaki Rengetsu (1791～1875)

Last | Poems 331～360 (of 951) | Next

331 Notes	This is a variant of Poem 78.	みしめなはなびくをみれば末長き御代のはじめの春の初風	Mishimenawa nabiku wo mire ba sue nagaki miyo no hajime no haru no hatsukaze.
みしめなはなひくをみれはすゑなかきみよのはしめのはるのはつかせみしめなわなびくをみればすえながきみよのはじめのはるのはつかぜ
332 Notes	Everyone... their spring hearts kindled— even the plum flowers in their hair are blooming this morning.	人みなの春のこころやさそふらんかざしの梅も匂ふ明ぼの	Hitomina no haru no kokoro ya sasou ran kazashi no ume mo niou akebono.
ひとみなのはるのこころやさそふらんかさしのうめもにほふあけほのひとみなのはるのこころやさそうらんかざしのうめもにおうあけぼの
333 Notes	Watching the falling snow alight, binding delicately to a string willow then unbinding, melting away here and all about.	ふる雪もあはにむすべるいと柳かつみるままにとけわたりつつ	Furu yuki mo awa ni musube ru itoyanagi katsu miru mama ni toke watari tsutsu.
ふるゆきもあはにむすへるいとやなきかつみるままにとけわたりつつふるゆきもあわにむすべるいとやなぎかつみるままにとけわたりつつ
334 NotesIn old poems warbler's tears are said to freeze and fall as snow, personifying the warbler as a person (or, more personally, as a poet) missing their lover. Rengetsu innovates here by implying that the warbler's voice freezes and falls as snow.	Is what falls the color of a warbler's voice? held upon my outstretched sleeves— delicate snow disappearing.	鶯のこゑの匂のちるかとてつつめば袖にきゆるあわゆき	Uguisu no koe no nioi no chiru ka to te tsutsume ba sode ni kiyuru awayuki.
うくひすのこゑのにほひのちるかとてつつめはそてにきゆるあわゆきうぐいすのこえのにおいのちるかとてつつめばそでにきゆるあわゆき
335 Notes	Thick ice— one part shifts... from the water here at this mountain pool I can also scoop up the spring.	あつ氷かたへうごきてやまの井のみづにも春はくみしられけり	Atsugoori katae ugoki te yamanoi no mizu ni mo haru wa kumi shira re keri.
あつこほりかたへうこきてやまのいのみつにもはるはくみしられけりあつごおりかたえうごきてやまのいのみずにもはるはくみしられけり
336 Notes	Over the valley river the spring ice mirrors a bush warbler hurrying to the capital.	たに川のはるの氷やうぐひすの都いそぎの鏡なるらん	Tanigawa no haru no koori ya uguisu no miyako isogi no kagami naru ran.
たにかはのはるのこほりやうくひすのみやこいそきのかかみなるらんたにがわのはるのこおりやうぐいすのみやこいそぎのかがみなるらん
337 Notes	On the day of the rat country meadows entice me with pinelings ready for plucking.	子日とて野邊にこころのひかるるはひくべき松のあればなりけり	Nenohi to te nobe ni kokoro no hika ruru ha hiku beki matsu no are ba nari keri.
ねのひとてのへにこころのひかるるはひくへきまつのあれはなりけりねのひとてのべにこころのひかるるはひくべきまつのあればなりけり
338 Notes	The hearts of friends relaxing together... this day of the rat is the beginning of the frolics of spring.	おもふどち心をのべの子日こそ春のあそびのはじめなりけれ	Omou dochi kokoro wo nobe no nenohi koso haru no asobi no hajime nari kere.
おもふとちこころをのへのねのひこそはるのあそひのはしめなりけれおもうどちこころをのべのねのひこそはるのあそびのはじめなりけれ
339 Notes	Unacquainted with spring and autumn must not the pine, always green know while being plucked that today is the day of rat?	春秋をしらぬときはの松も今日ひかれてさらに子日をやしる	Haruaki wo shira nu tokiwa no matsu mo kyou hika re te sarani nenohi wo ya shiru.
はるあきをしらぬときはのまつもけふひかれてさらにねのひをやしるはるあきをしらぬときわのまつもきょうひかれてさらにねのひをやしる
340 NotesThe name of the mountain is a double entendre (kakekotoba), with the first part “Mimi” meaning “ear” and the second “nashi” meaning “no” indicating that the mountain cannot hear. This raises the question of who could have told it (or how could it have learned) that spring has come, and therefore know that it was time to don the same misty robe as the rest of the world.	Spring has come... from whom did Mount Miminashi hear that it should also wear a robe of mist?	春たつとたれにききてか耳なしのやまも霞のころもきつらん	Haru tatsu to tare ni kiki te ka Miminashi no yama mo kasumi no koromo ki tsu ran.
はるたつとたれにききてかみみなしのやまのかすみのころもきつらんはるたつとたれにききてかみみなしのやまもかすみのころもきつらん
341 Notes	From the pines in hills of the fields spring rises and soon the mist floats up to my eaves.	野づかさの松よりはるのたちそめてやがて軒ばにかすみたなびく	Nozukasa no matsu yori haru no tachi some te yagate nokiba ni kasumi tanabiku.
のつかさのまつよりはるのたちそめてやかてのきはにかすみたなひくのづかさのまつよりはるのたちそめてやがてのきばにかすみたなびく
342 Notes	What I took as smoke from sprouting grasses... is actually mist at the edge of a spring field.	もえわたる草のけぶりとみえつるは春の末野の霞なりけり	Moe wataru kusa no keburi to mie tsuru wa haru no sueno no kasumi nari keri.
もえわたるくさのけふりとみえつるははるのすゑののかすみなりけりもえわたるくさのけぶりとみえつるははるのすえののかすみなりけり
343 Notes	Perhaps upstream deep in the mountains snow has melted— water roaring in the early dawn.	かはかみのみ山の雪やとけぬらん水音たかしけさの明ぼの	Kawakami no miyama no yuki ya toke nu ran mizuoto takashi kesa no akebono.
かはかみのみやまのゆきやとけぬらんみつおとたかしけさのあけほのかわかみのみやまのゆきやとけぬらんみずおとたかしけさのあけぼの
344 Notes	Yet unready how flowery it sounds— a baby warbler's first song of spring.	だみたれどいまめかしくぞ聞ゆなるひな鶯のはるの初聲	Dami tare do imamekashiku zo kikoyu naru hinauguisu no haru no hatsukoe.
たみたれといまめかしくそきこゆなるひなうくひすのはるのはつこゑだみたれどいまめかしくぞきこゆなるひなうぐいすのはるのはつこえ
345 Notes	A bow of catalpa wood... Spring sunlight falls on waxing bamboo and the world is peaceful... so the warbler sings.	あづさ弓春の日かげもさす竹の世はのどけしとうたふうぐひす	Azusayumi haru no hikage mo sasu take no yo wa nodokeshi to utau uguisu.
あつさゆみはるのひかけもさすたけのよはのとけしとうたふうくひすあずさゆみはるのひかげもさすたけのよはのどけしとうたううぐいす
346 Notes	Beneath green willows in the waters flowing downstream— the shadow and voice of a spring warbler.	青柳の下ゆく水にかげみえて聲もながるる春のうぐひす	Aoyagi no shita yuku mizu ni kage mie te koe mo nagaruru haru no uguisu.
あをやきのしたゆくみつにかけみえてこゑもながるるはるのうくひすあおやぎのしたゆくみずにかげみえてこえもながるるはるのうぐいす
347 Notes	At handplay while awaiting the warbler's song― how many times shall I bind these willow fronds?	鶯の聲まつほどの手ずさびに柳の糸をいくむすびせん	Uguisu no koe matsu hodo no tezusabi ni yanagi no ito wo iku musubi se n.
うくひすのこゑまつほとのてすさひにやなきのいとをいくむすひせんうぐいすのこえまつほどのてずさびにやなぎのいとをいくむすびせん
348 Notes	In the mist at dusk I imagine hearing a lingering voice... one dear to my willow— a warbler from the fields.	ゆふ霞きえのこりても聞ゆなりやなぎになれし野べのうぐひす	Yuugasumi kie nokori te mo kikoyu nari yanagi ni nare shi nobe no uguisu.
ゆふかすみきえのこりてもきこゆなりやなきになれしのへのうくひすゆうがすみきえのこりてもきこゆなりやなぎになれしのべのうぐいす
349 Notes	Hearing the voice of a warbler on his roost... I too am resting on my pillow in a thicket-covered hut.	鶯のねぐらながらの聲すなりおなじまくらのやぶのしたいほ	Uguisu no negura nagara no koe su nari onaji makura no yabu no shitaio.
うくひすのねくらなからのこゑすなりおなしまくらのやふのしたいほうぐいすのねぐらながらのこえすなりおなじまくらのやぶのしたいお
350 NotesThe term “young greens” refers to the “seven grasses of spring” (haru no nanakusa) also known as the “seven flowers of spring.” These herbs are traditionally eaten in a rice porridge at the beginning of the year to ensure health. In modern times they are eaten on January 7th, but in ancient times they were taken on the seventh day of the first lunar month, later in January or early February by the current solar calendar.	How many days before I shall pick the young greens? the planning brightens in my mind— ah, a vista of fields...	いく日ありて若菜つまんのあらましも心にしるき野のけしき哉	Iku ka ari te wakana tsuma n no aramashi mo kokoro ni shiruki no no keshiki kana.
いくかありてわかなつまんのあらましもこころにしるきののけしきかないくかありてわかなつまんのあらましもこころにしるきののけしきかな
351 NotesThis poem contains two double entendres (kakekotoba), “kiku” meaning to (be able to) hear / chrysanthemum and “miminashi” meaning “no ear” or “not to hear” / the mouse ear flower. Though light-hearted wordplay, this poem does refer to a story by Sei Shonagon, an 11th century lady of the emperor's court.	Among the young greens... how fine to hear happy things like a chrysanthemum does and not to hear unhappy things like the mouse ear!	若菜にはうれしきことをきくもよしうきこときかで耳なしもよし	Wakana ni wa ureshiki koto wo kiku mo yoshi uki koto kika de miminashi mo yoshi.
わかなにはうれしきことをきくもよしうきこときかてみみなしもよしわかなにはうれしきことをきくもよしうきこときかでみみなしもよし
352 Notes	Seeing it fall unceasingly... only the snow may enter this forbidden place to pile upon and pluck the young greens.	ひまもなくふりくる見れば雪ひとりつみてしめ野の若菜なりけり	Hima mo naku furi kuru mire ba yuki hitori tsumi te shimeno no wakana nari keri.
ひまもなくふりくるみればゆきひとりつみてしめののわかななりけりひまもなくふりくるみればゆきひとりつみてしめののわかななりけり
353 NotesSada-no-Oka is a hill in the area of Takatori village, Nara prefecture. This poem combes the characters for “time” and “hill” to indicate Rengetsu's advanced age. This place name has been used in used in waka since the Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves (Manyou'shu), the first anthology of poems in Japanese literary history, compiled in the late 8th or early 9th century by the noble Ootomo-no-Yakamochi.	I shall never touch them... fearing the young greens shall also despise me like the name of the hill suggests as one whose time has passed.	てもふれじ若菜もわれを岡の名のさだすぎ人とあざみもぞする	Te mo fure ji wakana mo ware wo oka no na no sadasugibito to azami mo zo suru.
てもふれしわかなもわれををかのなのさたすきひととあさみもそするてもふれじわかなもわれをおかのなのさだすぎびととあざみもぞする
354 Notes	Little girls with ponytails picking young grasses as they sprout in celebration reminding me that spring has arrived!	うなゐらが垣ねにちかくつめばこそ草のめでたき春もしらるれ	Unai ra ga kakine ni chikaku tsume ba koso kusa no medetaki haru mo shira rure.
うなゐらかかきねにちかくつめはこそくさのめてたきはるもしらるれうないらがかきねにちかくつめばこそくさのめでたきはるもしらるれ
355 Notes	For picking and gathering shepherd's purse is a joyful thing while rather unhappy are years of age.	摘ためて嬉しきもののからなづなからきは老がよはひなりけり	Tsumi tame te ureshiki mono no karanazuna karaki wa oi ga yowai nari keri.
つみためてうれしきもののからなつなからきはおいかよはひなりけりつみためてうれしきもののからなずなからきはおいがよわいなりけり
356 Notes	From this year some of the 1000 ages to come will surely be piled up flowering in the many layers of the first plum blossoms of spring.	ことしより千代をいくらかかさぬらん八重に匂へる梅のはつはな	Kotoshi yori chiyo wo ikura ka kasanu ran yae ni nioe ru ume no hatsuhana.
ことしよりちよをいくらかかさぬらんやへににほへるうめのはつはなことしよりちよをいくらかかさぬらんやえににおえるうめのはつはな
357 Notes	A fresh fragrance draws passersby to the village gate of Kasuga to delight in the plum's first blossoms.	香にめづる人にやどりをかすがのや野守がかどの梅のはつはな	Ka ni mezuru hito ni yadori wo Kasugano ya nomori ga kado no ume no hatsuhana.
かにめつるひとにやとりをかすかのやのもりかかとのうめのはつはなかにめずるひとにやどりをかすがのやのもりがかどのうめのはつはな
358 Notes	Shadows cast by the pure moon bear the deep fragrance of the plum branch blooming at my window.	さやかなる月にかげさへうつりきてかをるばかりの窓の梅がえ	Sayakanaru tsuki ni kage sae utsuri ki te kaoru bakari no mado no ume ga e.
さやかなるつきにかけさへうつりきてかをるはかりのまとのうめかえさやかなるつきにかげさえうつりきてかおるばかりのまどのうめがえ
359 Notes	The bush warblers have gone to Miyako— in this mountain village a single plum tree blooming fragrantly.	鶯はみやこにいでし山ざとに梅ひとりこそ咲匂ひけれ	Uguisu wa miyako ni ide shi yamazato ni ume hitori koso saki nioi kere.
うくひすはみやこにいてしやまさとにうめひとりこそさきにほひけれうぐいすはみやこにいでしやまざとにうめひとりこそさきにおいけれ
360 Notes	Bush warblers hidden by blossoms in Plum Valley... whose flowers I feel, have voices.	鶯も咲かくまれてうめだにの花に聲あるここちこそすれ	Uguisu mo saki kakuma re te Umedani no hana ni koe aru kokochi koso sure.
うくひすもさきかくまれてうめたにのはなにこゑあるここちこそすれうぐいすもさきかくまれてうめだにのはなにこえあるここちこそすれ

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