- Top
- -
- Ise Monogatari
Chihayaburu kami no igaki mo koenubeshi
ōmiyabito no mimaku hoshisa ni
I would even cross the sacred hedge that surrounds the gods, so strong is my longing to see the one who has come from the imperial court.
Koishiku wa kite mo mi yo kashi chihayaburu
kami no isamuru michi naranaku ni
If you truly long for me, then come and see me yourself. Love is not something that even the mighty gods forbid.
Ōyodo no matsu wa tsuraku mo aranaku ni
uramite nomi mo kaeru nami kana
The pines growing on the shore of Ōyodo are not heartless, yet you are like the waves that come to the shore only to complain in resentment and then turn back again.
Me ni wa mite te ni wa torarenu tsuki no uchi no
katsura no gotoki kimi ni zo arikeru
Though I can see you with my own eyes, I cannot take you into my hands. You are like the laurel tree said to stand within the moon.
Iwane fumi kasanaru yama ni aranedomo
awanu hi ōku koiwataru kana
It is not a mountain range where one must climb over great rocks and through overlapping peaks, and yet there are so many days when we do not meet, and I continue to long for you.
Ōyodo no hama ni ou chō miru kara ni
kokoro wa naginu katarawanedomo
Hearing that you would go to see the miru seaweed said to grow on the shore of Ōyodo, merely seeing you has already brought calm to my heart, even without exchanging words of affection.
Sode nurete ama no karihosu watatsuumi no
miru o au nite yamamu to suru
Like the miru seaweed that fishermen cut and dry with sleeves wet from the sea, will you let this end merely by seeing me—while my sleeves are wet with tears as I plead with you?
Iwama yori ouru mirume shi tsurenaku wa
shiohi shiomichi kai mo arinamu
If the mirume seaweed growing from between the rocks still shows no change, perhaps with the ebbing and rising of the tide shells may yet come to cling to it.
Namida ni zo nuretsutsu shiboru yo no hito no
tsuraki kokoro wa sode no shizuku ka
As I wring my sleeves soaked with tears, are the drops that fall the very cruel heart of the one in this world?
Ōhara ya Oshio no yama mo kyō koso wa
kamiyo no koto mo omoiizurame
Here at Ōharano, even Mount Oshio today will surely recall the age of the gods on this very day.
Yama no mina utsurite kyō ni au koto wa
haru no wakare o tou to narubeshi
All the mountains seem to have moved here to gather today; surely it must be to mourn the parting of spring and the farewell to the lady.
Akanedomo iwa ni zo kauru iro mienu
kokoro o misemu yoshi no nakereba
Though it is not enough, I offer this rock in place of my heart, for there is no way to show the feelings within me that cannot be seen outwardly.
Waga kado ni chihiro aru kage o uetsureba
natsu fuyu tare ka kakurezarubeki
Since a great tree casting a vast shadow has been planted at my gate, in the heat of summer or in the strong winds and heavy snows of winter, who among the family would not take shelter in its shade?
Nuretsutsu zo shiite oritsuru toshi no uchi ni
haru wa ikuka mo araji to omoeba
Though I was wet with rain, I forced myself to break a branch of blooming wisteria, thinking that there would not be many days of spring left within this year.
Shiogama ni itsu ka wa kinikemu asanagi ni
tsuri suru fune wa koko ni yoranamu
Have I somehow come to Shiogama without noticing? In the calm sea of the morning, may the fishing boats come and draw near to this place.
Yo no naka ni taete sakura no nakariseba
haru no kokoro wa nodokekaramashi
If there were no cherry blossoms at all in this world, then in spring the hearts of people would surely be more peaceful and at ease.