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- Kokin Wakashu
As years pass, my age indeed has grown old— such change there is; yet when I look on blossoms, there are no troubled thoughts.
As the years have passed, I have grown old; yet when I look upon the blossoms, there are no troubled thoughts at all.
Kokin Wakashu - Fujiwara no Yoshifusa
If in this world there were no cherry blossoms at all, how utterly so— the heart of spring would then be so calm and untroubled.
If there were no cherry blossoms at all in this world, then spring’s heart would be calm and untroubled, without the restless pain of their scattering.
Kokin Wakashu - Ariwara no Narihira
Would that there were no rushing, stone-splashing stream— O cherry blossoms, I would pluck you and come back for the one who has not seen.
If only there were no rushing, stone-splashing stream; I would pluck the cherry blossoms and come back with them for the one who has not seen them.
Kokin Wakashu - Unknown Poet
Can I only look and speak of it to others, O cherry blossoms? I will pluck you in my hand and take you home as gift.
Can I only look at them and speak of them to others? I will pluck these cherry blossoms and take them home as a gift.
Kokin Wakashu - Sosei Hoshi
When I look afar, willow and cherry intermix— the capital, behold, becomes in this spring brocade of the season.
When I look far across the capital, where the green of willows and the crimson of cherry blossoms are intermingled, I see that the capital itself is the brocade of spring.
Kokin Wakashu - Sosei Hoshi
In color and scent, just as in the days of old, bloom the cherry flowers; yet the one who lives through years has changed and grown anew.
The cherry blossoms bloom in color and scent just as in the days of old, yet the person who lives through the years has changed.
Kokin Wakashu - Ki no Tomonori
Who was it sought and plucked, I wonder, spring haze— rising to hide the mountain’s cherry blossoms?
Who was it, I wonder, who sought them out and plucked them? The spring haze rose thickly, hiding the mountain cherry blossoms.
Kokin Wakashu - Ki no Tsurayuki
The cherry blossoms have bloomed, it seems— from the mountain’s ravines appear white clouds.
It seems that the cherry blossoms have bloomed; the white clouds that appear from the mountain ravines must surely be the blossoms themselves.
Kokin Wakashu - Ki no Tsurayuki
On Mount Yoshino’s slopes the cherry blossoms bloom— so white that I mistook them only for snow.
The cherry blossoms blooming along the slopes of Mount Yoshino—I mistook them for nothing but snow.
Kokin Wakashu - Ki no Tomonori
O cherry blossoms, in a year when spring days abound, will you not let the human heart be sated?
O cherry blossoms—when spring days abound in a year, will you not at last let the human heart be satisfied?
Kokin Wakashu - Ise
Why call it fickle, the cherry blossoms? They, too, waited for one who comes but rarely in a year.
Though cherry blossoms are called fickle for falling so swiftly, even they were waiting for you, who come but rarely in a year.
Kokin Wakashu - Unknown Poet
Had you not come today, tomorrow it would have fallen as snow; Even if it did not vanish, could it be seen as a flower?
Had you not come today, it would have fallen as snow tomorrow. Even if it had not vanished, could it still be seen as a flower?
Kokin Wakashu - Ariwara no Narihira
Once they have fallen, though one yearns, there is no avail; So today, if I am to pluck the cherry blossoms, let me pluck them.
Once they have fallen, however much one may yearn for them, there is no avail; so today, if I am to pluck the cherry blossoms, I will pluck them.
Kokin Wakashu - Unknown Poet
If I were to pluck them, would it not be too painful, these cherry blossoms? Come, let me lodge here and watch them until they fall.
It would be painful to pluck the cherry blossoms. Let me take lodging here and watch them until they fall.
Kokin Wakashu - Unknown Poet
In cherry color I will deeply dye my robes and wear them; for when the blossoms fall, as a keepsake for what comes after.
I will dye my robes a deep cherry color and wear them, so that when the blossoms fall, they may serve as a keepsake afterward.
Kokin Wakashu - Ki no Arimasa
Those who come to my dwelling to view the blossoms in passing— when the blossoms fall, will they then be missed?
Those who come to my dwelling merely in passing to view the blossoms—when the blossoms have fallen, will they then be missed?
Kokin Wakashu - Oshikochi no Mitsune