Translation by Kylie Hsu

Note: the complete Manyōshū poems are available from Japanese Text Initiative / Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia Library

Another Tanabata poem by Otomo no Yakamochi 大伴家持 written, while gazing at the Milky Way, on the 7th night of the 7th month of the 10th year of Tampyô (AD 738):

Hisakata no Ama no kawasé ni, Funé ukété, Koyoï ka kimi ga Agari kimasan?	Over the Rapids of the Everlasting Heaven, floating in his boat, my lord will doubtless deign to come to me this very night
Kazé kumo wa Futatsu no kishi ni Kayoëdomo, Waga toho-tsuma no Koto zo kayowanu !	Though winds and clouds to either bank may freely come or go, between myself and my far-away spouse no message whatever may pass.
Tsubuté ni mo Nagé koshitsu-béki, Amanogawa Hédatéréba ka mo, Amata subé-naki!	To the opposite bank one might easily fling a pebble; yet, being separated from him by the River of Heaven, alas! to hope for a meeting (except in autumn) is utterly useless
Aki-kazé no Fukinishi hi yori "Itsushika" to --- ; Waga machi koïshi Kimi zo kimaséru.	From the day that the autumn wind began to blow (I kept saying to myself), "Ah! when shall we meet?" --- but now my beloved, for whom I waited and longed, has come indeed!
Amanogawa Ito kawa-nami wa Tatanédomo, Samorai gatashi --- Chikaki kono sé wo.	Though the waters of the River of Heaven have not greatly risen, (yet to cross) this near stream and to wait upon (my lord and lover) remains impossible.
Sodé furaba Mi mo kawashitsu-béku Chika-kerédo, Wataru subé nashi, Aki nishi aranéba.	Though she is so near that the waving of her (long) sleeves can be distinctly seen, yet there is no way to cross the stream before the season of autumn.
Kagéroï no Honoka ni miété Wakarénaba; --- Motonaya koïn Aü-toki madé wa!	When we were separated, I had seen her for a moment only, --- and dimly as one sees a flying midge; now I must vainly long for her as before, until time of our next meeting!
Hikoboshi no Tsuma mukaë-buné Kogizurashi, --- Ama-no-Kawara ni Kiri no tatéru wa.	Me thinks that Hikoboshi must be rowing his boat to meet his wife, --- for a mist (as of oar-spray) is rising over the course of the Heavenly Stream.
Kasumi tatsu Ama-no-Kawara ni, Kimi matsu to, --- IkayÙ hodo ni Mono-suso nurenu.	While awaiting my lord on the misty shore of the River of Heaven, the skirts of my robe have somehow bacome wet.
Amanogwa, Mi-tsu no nami oto Sawagu-nari: Waga matsu-kimi no Funadé-surashi mo.	On the River Of Heaven, at the place of the august ferry, the sound of the water has become loud: perhaps my long-awaitad lord will soon be coming in his boat.
Tanabata no Sodé maku yoï no Akatoki wa, Kawasé no tazu wa Nakazu to mo yoshi.	As Tanabata (slumbers) with her long sleeves rolled up, until the reddening of the dawn, do not, O storks of the river-shallows, awaken her by your cries.
Amanogwa Kiri-tachi-wataru: Kyô, kyô, to --- Waga matsu-koïshi Funadé-surashi!	(She sees that) a mist is spreading across the River of Heaven. . . . " To-day, to-day," she thinks, "my long-awaited lord will probably came over in his boat."
Amanogawa, Yasu no watari ni, Funé ukété ; --- Waga tachi-matsu to Imo ni tsugé koso.	By the ferry of Yasu, on the River of Heaven, the boat is floating: I pray you tell my younger sister that I stand here and wait.
Ô-sora yo Kayô waré sura, Na ga yué ni, Amanokawa-ji no Nazumité zo koshi.	Though I (being a Star-god) can pass freely to and fro, through the great sky, --- yet to cross over the River of Heaven, for your sake, was weary work indeed!
Yachihoko no Kami no mi-yo yori Tomoshi-zuma; --- Hito-shiri ni keri Tsugitéshi omoëba.	From the august Age of the God-of-Eight-Thousand-Spears, she had been my spouse in secret only; yet now, because of my constant longing for her, our relation has become known to men.
Wakaréshi toki yo Onoga tsuma; Shika zo té ni aru Aki matsu aré wa.	From the time when heaven and earth were parted, she has been my own wife; --- yet, to be with her, I must always wait till autumn.
Waga kôru Niho no omo wa Koyoï mo ka Ama-no-kawara ni Ishi-makura makan.	With my beloved, of the ruddy-tinted cheeks, this night indeed will I descend into the bed of the River of Heaven, to sleep on a pillow of stone.
Amanogawa. Mikomori-gusa no Aki-kazé ni Nabikafu miréba, Toki kitarurashi.	When I see the water-grasses of the River of Heaven bend in the autumn wind (I think to myself): "The time (for our meeting) seems to have come."
Waga séko ni Ura-koi oréba, Amanogawa Yo-funé kogi-toyomu Kaji no 'to kikoyu.	When I feel in my heart a sudden longing for my husband, then on the River of Heaven the sound of the rowing of the night-boat is heard, and the plash of the oar resounds.
Tô-zuma to Tamakura kawashi Nétaru yo wa, Tori-gané na naki Akéba aku to mo!	In the night when I am reposing with my (now) far-away spouse, having exchangad jewel-pillows with her, let not the cock crow, even though the day should dawn.
Yorozu-yo ni Tazusawari ité Ai mi-domo, Omoi-sugu-béki Koi naranaku ni.	Though for a myriad ages we should remain hand-in-hand and face to face, our exceeding love could never come to an end. (Why then should Heaven deem it necessary to part us?)
Waga tamé to, Tanabata-tsumé no, Sono yado ni, Oréru shirotai Nuït ken kamo?	The white cloth which Tanabata has woven for my sake, in that dwelling of hers, is now, I think, being made into a robe for me.
Shirakumo no I-ho é kakurité Tô-kédomo, Yoï-sarazu min Imo ga atari wa.	Though she be far-away, and hidden from me by five hundred layers of white cloud, still shall I turn my gaze each night toward the dwelling-place of my younger sister (wife).
Aki saréba Kawagiri tatéru Amanogawa, Kawa ni muki-ité Kru yo zo ôki!	When autumn comes, and the river-mists spread over the Heavenly Stream, I turn toward the river, (and long); and the nights of my longing are many!
Hito-tosé ni Nanuka no yo nomi Aü-hito no --- Koï mo tsuki-néba Sayo zo aké ni keru!	But once in the whole year, and only upon the seventh night (of the seventh month), to meet the beloved person --- and lo! The day has dawned before our mutual love could express itself!
Toshi no koï Koyoï tsukushité, Asu yori wa, Tsuné no gotoku ya Waga koï oran.	The love-longing of one whole year having ended to-night, every day from to-morrow I must again pine for him as before!
Hikoboshi to Tanabata-tsumé to Koyoï aü, --- Ama-no-Kawa to ni Nami tatsu-na yumé!	Hikoboshi and Tanabata-tsumé are to meet each other to-night; --- ye waves of the River of Heaven, take heed that ye do not rise!
Aki-kazé no Fuki tadayowasu Shirakumo wa, Tanabata-tsumé no Amatsu hiré kamo?	Oh! that white cloud driven by the autumn-wind --- can it be the heavenly hiré of Tanabata-tsumé?
Shiba-shiba mo Ai minu kimi wo, Amanogawa Funa-dé haya séyo Yo no fukénu ma ni.	Because he is my not-often-to-be-met beloved, hasten to row the boat across the River of Heaven ere the night be advanced.
Amanogawa Kiritachi-watari Hikoboshi no Kaji no 'to kikoyu Yo no fuké-yukéba	Late in the night, a mist spreads over the River of Heaven; and the sound of the oar of Hikoboshi is heard.
Amanogawa Kawa 'to sayakéshi: Hikoboshi no Haya kogu funé no Nami no sawagi ka?	On the River of Heaven a sound of plashing can be distinctly heard: is it the sound of the rippling made by Hikoboshi quickly rowing his boat?
Kono yûbé, Furikuru amé wa, Hikoboshi no Haya kogu funé no Kaï no chiri ka mo.	Perhaps this evening shower is but the spray (flung down) from the oar of Hikoboshi, rowing his boat in haste.
Waga tama-doko wo Asu yori wa Uchi haraï, Kimi to inézuté Hitori ka mo nen!	From to-morrow, alas! after having put my jewel-bed in order, no longer reposing with my lord, I must sleep alone!
Kawa-nami tachinu ; --- Hiki-funé ni Watari mo kimasé Yo no fukénu ma ni	The wind having risen, the waves of the river have become high; --- this night cross over in a towboat, I pray thee, before the hour be late!
Amanogawa Nami wa tatsutomo, Waga funé wa Iza kogi iden Yo no fukénu ma ni.	Even though the waves of the River of Heaven run high, I must row over quickly, before it becomes late in the night.
Inishié ni Oritéshi hata wo, Kono yubé Koromo ni nuïté --- Kimi matsu aré wo!	Long ago I finished weaving the material; and, this evening, having, finished sewing the garment for him --- (why must) I still wait for my lord?
Amanogawa Sé wo hayami ka mo? Nubatama no Yo wa fuké ni tsutsu, Awanu Hikoboshi!	Is it that the current of the River of Heaven (has become too) rapid? The jet-black night advances --- and Hikoboshi has not come!
Watashi-mori, Funé haya watasé; --- Hito-tosé ni Futatabi kayô Kimi naranaku ni!	Oh, ferryman, make speed across the stream! --- my lord is not one who can come and go twice in a year!
Aki kazé no Fukinishi hi yori, Amanogawa Kawasé ni dédachi; --- Matsu to tsugé koso!	On the very day that the autumn-wind began to flow, I set out for the shallows of the River of Heaven; --- I pray you, tell my lord that I am waiting here still!
Tanabata no Funanori surashi, --- Maso-kagami, Kiyoki tsuki-yo ni Kumo tachi-wataru.	Me thinks Tanabata must be coming in her boat; for a cloud is even now passing across the clear face of the moon.
Romanized and translated by Lafcadio Hearn in: The Romance of the Milky Way and other Studies and Stories. 1905 (ISBN: 1903331315) online source: http://www.amitaj.or.jp/~kenji/home11.htm

ZHINÜ - Project 2005

首页  index

© 2004 s.holzbauer