Bashō's haiku in Japanese and English by L.P. Lovee

芭蕉300句 (81)~(90)

If you understand the Japanese language, please read the Japanese version of this site so that you may appreciate Bashō’s haiku more deeply.

Satoshi Kinoshita

Index


Bashō’s haiku (81)~(90)

花の雲鐘は上野か浅草か

(hana-no-kumo kane-wa-ueno-ka asakusa-ka)

(81/300)

the clouds of cherry blossoms_
the sound of temple bell
from Ueno, or Asakusa?


世にさかる花にも念仏申しけり

(yo-ni-sakaru hana-nimo nembutsu mōshi-keri)

(82/300)

(Translation A)
even to the full-blown cherry blossoms
a man chanted
Nembutsu


(Translation B)
Nembutu_
so popular,
chanted even to cherry blossoms


(Note)
In Japanese haiku, the subject is generally omitted.
Thus, grammatically it is possible to translate this haiku as follows:
even to the full-blown cherry blossoms
I chanted
Nembutsu


しばらくは花の上なる月夜かな

(shibaraku-wa hana-no-ue-naru tsukiyo-kana)

(83/300)

for a while
the moon-lit night
over the cherry blossoms


木のもとに汁も膾も桜かな

(ki-no-moto-ni shiru-mo-namasu-mo sakura-kana)

(84/300)

onto the soup and the namasu
cherry blossom petals_
under the tree


(Note)
“namasu” is a dish of raw fish and vegetables seasoned in vinegar.


花にねぬ此もたぐいか鼠の巣

(hana-ni nenu koremo-tagui-ka nezumi-no-su)

(85/300)

(A) Lovee’s translation
awake by the cherry blossoms_
is this that kind?
the nest of rat


(B)575 Translation
looking at blossoms
my now kept awake
is a nest of mice



行はるや鳥啼うをの目は泪

(yuku-haru-ya tori-naku uo-no mewa-namida)

(86/300)

the departing spring _
birds cry,
tears in the eyes of fish


しばらくは瀧に籠るや夏の初め

(shibaraku-wa taki-ni komoru-ya ge-no-hajime)

(87/300)

for a while
confining myself behind the waterfall_
the beginning of summer


一つぬひで後ろに負ひぬ衣がへ

(hitotsu nuide ushiro-ni-oinu koromogae)

(88/300)

taking off one garment and
putting it on my back _
that’s my koromogae


(Note)
“koromogae”, which means “change of clothes”, is a season word of haiku for summer.


父母のしきりに恋し雉の聲

(chichi-haha-no shikirini-koishi kiji-no-koe)

(89/300)

frequent yearning
for farther and mother_
cries of a pheasant


霧雨の空を芙蓉の天気哉

(kirisame-no sora-o-fuyō-no tenki-kana)

(90/300)

the drizzling sky _
fine weather
for cotton roses


(Note)
This haiku is a legend for a picture of cotton rose drawn by Kyoroku, who was one of the best ten disciples of Bashō and taught him drawing.