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Asari su to iso ni sumu tazu akesareba hamakaze samumi onozuma yobu mo
The cranes that live on the rocky shore, foraging—when dawn comes and the beach wind blows cold, they call out for their mates.
Mokaribune oki kogikurashi imogashima katami no ura ni tazu kakeru miyu
The seaweed-cutting boats must be rowing in from the open sea—at Katami Bay on Imo's Island I see the cranes rising into flight.
Waga fune wa oki yu na sakari mukaebune katamachigateri ura yu kogiawamu
My boat, do not drift away out to sea—while I wait for the boat coming to meet me, I will row along the bay to meet it.
Ōumi no minasoko toyomi tatsu nami no yoramu to omoeru iso no sayakesa
The waves that rise from the great ocean, shaking its very depths—how pure is the rocky shore they long to reach!
Ariso yu mo mashite omoe ya tama no ura hanarekojima no ime ni shi miyuru
Is it because I cherish it more than any other rugged shore? The lonely islet off Tama Bay appears to me in my dreams.
Iso no ue ni tsumagi ori taki na ga tame to waga kazukikoshi okitsu shiratama
Breaking twigs for a fire on the rocky shore, I dived deep for your sake alone—here is the white pearl I brought up from the sea.
Hama kiyomi iso ni waga oreba mimu hito wa ama to ka miramu tsuri mo senaku ni
The beach is so pure that I linger on the rocks—would those who see me take me for a fisherman, though I am not even fishing?
Okitsukaji yakuyaku shibu o mimaku hori waga suru sato no kakuraku oshi mo
The oars pull slowly, reluctantly, as we row offshore—and the village I long to keep in sight is slipping from view. How I regret it!
Okitsu nami hetsumo makimochi yosekutomo kimi ni masareru tama yoseme ya mo
Though the waves from the open sea come rolling in, wrapping the shore-weed in their arms, could they ever bring a jewel more precious than you?
Awashima ni kogiwataramu to omoedomo akashi no tonami imada sawakeri
I mean to row across to Awa Island, but the waves in the Akashi Strait are still churning.
Imo ni koi waga koeyukeba se no yama no imo ni koizute aru ga tomoshisa
As I cross the hills longing for my wife, how I envy Mount Se, who never has to long for his Imo—she stands right beside him.
Hito naraba haha ga manago zo asamoyoshi ki no kawa no he no imo to se no yama
If they were people, they would surely be their mother's dearest children—Mount Imo and Mount Se beside the Ki River.
Wagimoko ni aga koiyukeba tomoshiku mo narabi oru kamo imo to se no yama
As I travel on, longing for my dear wife, how enviable it is—Mount Imo and Mount Se, standing side by side.
Imo ga atari ima zo waga yuku me nomi dani ware ni mie koso koto towazu tomo
Now I am passing near where my beloved lives—let me see you, if only with my eyes, even if we cannot speak a word.
Ate sugite itoka no yama no sakurabana chirazu mo aranamu kaerikuru made
Cherry blossoms of Mount Itoka beyond Ate—do not scatter, stay in bloom until I come back again.
Nagusayama koto ni shi arikeri aga kouru chie no hitoe mo nagusamenaku ni
Mount Nagusa, "the mountain of solace"—it was only a name, for it does not ease even one fold in a thousand of my longing.