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- Manyoshu
Imo ga e ni yuki kamo furu to miru made ni kokoda mo magau ume no hana kamo
So thickly do the plum blossoms swirl that one would think snow was falling on my beloved's house.
Manyoshu - Ono no Kunikata
Uguisu no machikate ni seshi ume ga hana chirazu arikoso omou ko ga tame
Plum blossoms, for which the warbler could hardly bear to wait, do not scatter, I pray, for the sake of the girl I love.
Manyoshu - Kadobe no Iwatari
Kasumi tatsu nagaki haruhi o kazasere do iya natsukashiki ume no hana kamo
Though I have worn them in my hair all through the long, misty spring day, these plum blossoms only grow dearer to me.
Manyoshu - Ono no Tamori
Wa ga sakari itaku kutachinu kumo ni tobu kusuri hamu tomo mata ochime ya mo
The prime of my life has sorely declined. Even if I took the elixir that lets one fly to the clouds, could I ever grow young again?
Manyoshu - Ōtomo no Tabito (attributed)
Kumo ni tobu kusuri hamu yo wa miyako miba iyashiki a ga mi mata ochinu beshi
Better than taking the elixir that flies to the clouds: if only I could see the capital, even this humble self of mine would surely grow young again.
Manyoshu - Ōtomo no Tabito (attributed)
Nokoritaru yuki ni majireru ume no hana hayaku na chiri so yuki wa kenu tomo
Plum blossoms mingled with the lingering snow, do not be quick to scatter, even if the snow should melt away.
Manyoshu - Ōtomo no Tabito (attributed)
Yuki no iro o ubaite sakeru ume no hana ima sakari nari mimu hito mo ga mo
The plum blossoms, having stolen the color of the snow, are now at their peak. If only there were someone to see them.
Manyoshu - Ōtomo no Tabito (attributed)
Wa ga yado ni sakari ni sakeru ume no hana chirubeku narinu mimu hito mo ga mo
The plum blossoms in my garden, which bloomed at their peak, are now about to fall. If only there were someone to see them.
Manyoshu - Ōtomo no Tabito (attributed)
Ume no hana ime ni kataraku miyabitaru hana to are omou sake ni ukabekoso
The plum blossom spoke to me in a dream: "I believe I am a flower of true refinement, so please float me in your wine."
Manyoshu - Ōtomo no Tabito (attributed)
Asari suru ama no kodomo to hito wa iedo miru ni shiraenu umahito no ko to
People say you are fishermen's children who gather what the sea provides, yet one look told me you are daughters of a noble house.
Manyoshu - Ōtomo no Tabito (attributed)
Tamashima no kono kawakami ni ie wa aredo kimi o yasashimi arawasazu ariki
Our home lies upstream on this river at Tamashima, but we were too shy before you to tell you so.
Manyoshu - Ōtomo no Tabito (attributed)
Matsuragawa kawa no se hikari ayu tsuru to tataseru imo ga mo no suso nurenu
The shallows of the Matsura River glitter, and the hem of the skirt of my darling, who stands there fishing for sweetfish, is wet.
Manyoshu - Ōtomo no Tabito (attributed)
Matsura naru tamashimagawa ni ayu tsuru to tataseru kora ga ieji shirazu mo
The girls stand fishing for sweetfish in the Tamashima River in Matsura, but I do not know the road to their home.
Manyoshu - Ōtomo no Tabito (attributed)
Tōtsuhito matsura no kawa ni wakayu tsuru imo ga tamoto o ware koso makame
It is I, and no other, who would pillow my head on the arms of my darling fishing for young sweetfish in the Matsura River.
Manyoshu - Ōtomo no Tabito (attributed)
Wakayu tsuru matsura no kawa no kawanami no nami ni shi omowaba ware koime ya mo
Like the waves of the Matsura River where we fish for young sweetfish—if my feelings were only ordinary, would I long for you so?
Manyoshu - Ōtomo no Tabito (attributed)
Haru sareba wagie no sato no kawato ni wa ayuko sabashiru kimi machigate ni
When spring comes, at the river crossing by the village where I live, the young sweetfish dart about, unable to wait for you.
Manyoshu - Ōtomo no Tabito (attributed)