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I like these poems.

Hi, KevinS-san.

by KevinS » Sat Jan 09, 2021 11:24 pm
I like these poems.

Thank you very much.

These poems are from Manyoushuu (まんようしゅう, 萬葉集, or 万葉集). It is the oldest anthology in Japan. Scholars have translated it into English and the translations must be correct as a study. But, are they enough as a current poem for usual foreign readers? (I don't know that. Because I have never read the translations.) In fact, it was a current anthology at that time, to say the least.

A Japanese famous poet said, "Anyone can become a poet if he read Manyoushuu 1,000 times." So, I translate it by myself to become a poet. (But my translation must be not correct...)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man'y%C5%8Dsh%C5%AB
https://ja.wikisource.org/wiki/%E4%B8%87%E8%91%89%E9%9B%86

[45]

The young prince I serve,
The sun's son,
Wanted to be a god,
Even though he is a god.
So, he went on a hunt.
Even though the Capital loves him,
He left to Mt. Hatuse.
He went on wild mountain path.
He went under pretty big trees.
He subdued big rocks and bushes in the way.
He came in the early twitter.
When the sun was going under,
In the snow falling big Aki Field,
He subdued pampas grasses and a bamboo grove.
And he camped out,
Filling his heart with memories of his passed father.

[46 (45')]

The young prince in Aki Field
At last heard us and got into bed.
But he couldn't have a sleepy head
In his father's hunting field.

[47 (45')]

Here is only a weedy land.
With maple leaves the one left.
Only because a keepsake he left,
My prince came to the land.

[48 (45')]

The engrossing had run away.
The east field and sky were beginning to burn gradually.
I returned the way.
The moon had travelled greatly.

[49 (45')]

The Sun's brother went around.
A horse and his man was side by side.
It's the early hunting time he cried.
It's the time his son's go is about to sound.

[50]

The mikado I serve,
The sun's daughter shining in a high place,
In the Fujiwara Field,
Which has the lowly in a rough clothes,
To watch her realm,
She wants a high palace;
The goddess thought of the idea as a goddess;
The heaven and the earth support her,
So that,
Woods from Mt. Tanakami in Oumi Province,
That are hinoki cypresses,
They float them down the Uji-gawa River,
They float them down as if they are a noble alga;
Her poor nations buzzling are to collect them,
Forgetting his family menbers and forgetting himself,
Floating up and sinking down like a drake;
To the palace that we started building,
From an unknown country,
From somewhere in China,
YAMATO IS FOREVER,
A magic turtle lettered that on its shell came to bless her,
That appeared somewhere along the Izumi-gawa River;
They float them down to the Izumi-gawa River to make a raft,
And nearly 100 rafts up the river to here;
I see the buzzling lowly,
I see this is surely a goddess' will.

[51]

A wind at Aska is to do a mischief.
With clothes of Mikado's ladies, it likes to play.
The capital has moved away.
The wind wastes itself without grief.

[52]

The mikado I serve,
The sun's daughter shining in a high place,
In the Fujiwara Field,
Started building a palace;
She is standing on the bank of Haniyasu Pond,
And she is watching the construction workers;
Green Mt. Kagu is green in the spring,
Standing near the East Gate;
Fresh Mt. Unebi is fresh with a mountain appearance,
Standing near the West Gate;
Refreshing Mt. Miminashi is godly,
Standing near the North Gate;
Mt. Yoshino with clouds has the beautiful name,
Standing off at a great distance from the South Gate.
This is the heavenly god's palace;
This is the sun god's palace;
May the pure spring flow forever,
The Mii Spring.

[53 (52')]

To serve in Fujiwara Palace yet to come,
A virgin springs from in succession.
My confession:
I jealous of them.

[54]

Mt. Kose has camellia trees.
Each of which is among the trees.
I want to look at them,
Imagining spring Kose and them.

[55]

I am jealous of Ki people.
Mt. Matsuchi is splendid out
When the people go in and out.
I am jealous of Ki people.

[56]

We have passed a continuous line of a camellia tree
Along the river at last, haven't we?
We never get lose interest
When Kose Fields is in spring, I suggest.

[57]

Hikumanu has shimmering Haibara, a field of alder.
Enter there, go over a line, dirty your clothes.
No problem, I suppose.
It's a souvenir and reminder.