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1999, Richard Rivard
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=== translation begins
===
Poems of the Meiji
Emperor
(Meiji Tenno
Gyosei)
Page 44
01.Tsuki
Aki
no yono
Tsuki
wa mukashi ni
Kawaranedo
Yoni
naki hito no
Ooku
narinuru |
The
Moon
The moon of the autumn
night still remains as same as long time ago but so many people passed
away from this world.
==========
Aki (Autumn) no Yo (night) no Tsuki (moon)
wa Mukashi (long ago) ni Kawaranedo (no change). Yo (this world) ni Naki
hito (deceased) no Ooku narinuru (increasing) |
02.
Ten
Asamidori
Sumiwatari
keru
Oozora
no
Hiroki
wo onoga
Kokoro
tomogana |
The
Heaven (Sky)
I wish my heart could
be as clear and broad as the great sky and the spring green field.
==========
Asamidori (early green) Sumiwatari (clear
away) keru Oozora (great sky) no Hiroki (large, broad) Onoga (my, own)
Kokoro (heart) Tomogana (along with) |
03.
Ori ni furete
Atsushi
tomo
Iwarezari
keri
Niekaeru
Mizuta
ni tateru
Shizu
wo omoeba |
On
Occasion (Occassional Thought)
You shouldn’t be complaining
about hot humid weather. Think about farmers who have to work in rice field
in such a severe condition.
==========
Atsushi (hot, humid) tomo Iwarezarikeri
(shouldn’t say) Niekaeru (boiling hot) Mizuta (rice paddy) ni Tateru (stand,
work) Shizu (lower class people, farmers) wo Omoeba (think about) |
04.
Ochibakaze
Amatatabi
Shigurete
someshi
Momijiba
Wo
Tada
hitokaze no
Chirashinuru
kana |
Wind
on Falling Leaves
It took many days and
nights to perfect the color of maple leaves but only a single gust of wind
would blow them away.
Beauty could be fragile.
==========
Amatatabi (many times) Shigurete (day
turn to night) Someshi (colored) Momijiba (maple leaves) wo Tada (only)
Hitokaze (a gust of wind) no Chirashinuru (blow away) kana |
05.
Ori ni furete
Amadari
ni
Kubomeri
ishi wo
Mitemo
shire
Kataki
waza tote
Omoi
sutemeya |
Occassional
Thought
Watch and learn from
the stone that has been hollowed by raindrops. Discard the idea that achieving
a task is too difficult. Nothing is impossible
==========
Amadare (raindrops) ni Kubomeru (hollowed)
Ishi (stone) wo Mite (see, watch) mo. Shire (learn) Kataki (difficult)
Waza (task) tote Omoi (idea, thought) stemeya (discard) |
Page 45
06.
Ori ni furete
Ten
wo urami
hito
wo togamuru
koto
mo araji
waga
ayamachi wo
omoikaeseba |
Occasional
thought
How could you resent
heaven (God) and blame others if you’d only
recall and admit your
own false and mistake.
==========
Ten (Heaven, God) wo Urami (resent) Hito
(people) wo Togamuru (blame) Koto (act) mo Araji (none) Waga (own) Ayamachi
(false) wo Omoikaeseba (recall) |
07.Ori
ni furete
Ayamatamu
Koto
mo koso are
Yononaka
wa
Amari
ni mono wo
Omoi
sugoseba. |
Occasional
thought
People in this society
worry too much and overly cautious about everything. We all make mistakes
sometimes in our life.
==========
Ayamatan (made mistake) Koto (thing) mo
Kotoare (happen) Yononaka (society) wa Amari (too many) ni Mono (things)
wo Omisugoseba (think too much) |
08.Tomo
Ayamachi
wo
Isame
kawashite
Shitashimu
ga
Makoto
no tomo no
Kokoro
naruramu |
Friend
It’s the true sprit of
friendship if each of you point out other’s mistake and remonstrate no
matter how close you are.
==========
Ayamachi (mistake) wo Isame(remonstrate)
kawashite (exchange) Shitashimu (become initmate) ga Makoto (true) no Tomo
(friend) no Kokoro (heart, spirit) naruramu |
09.
Ganjyo matsu/ iwawo no ue no matsu
Arashi
fuku
Yo
nimo ugokuna
Hito
gokoro
Iwao
ni nezasu
Matsu
no gotokuni |
A
Pine Tree on a Rock
No matter how harsh and
stormy this world become, I wish people’s heart remain as solid and undisturbed
as a pine tree rooted on the rock.
==========
Arashi (storm) Fuku (blow) Yo (world)
nimo Ugokuna (don’t be moved) Hitogokoro (human heart) Iwao (rock) ni Nezasu
(rooted) Matsu (pine tree) no Gotokuni (as, like) |
10.Nami
Areruka
to
Mireba
nagiyuku
Unabara
no
Nami
koso hito no
Yo
ni nitarikere |
The
Wave
It seems to be stormy
one moment but next moment it is calm. The wave in the ocean and the human
society is so much alike.
==========
Areru (become rough) ka to Mireba (seem)
Nagiyuku (calm down) Unabara (ocean) no. Nami (wave) koso Hito (people)
no Yo (society) ni Nitari (alike) kere |
Pages 46
11.
Won no furete
Ie
tomite
Akanukoto
naki
Minari
tomo
Hito
no tsutome ni
Okotaruna
yume |
Occasional
Thought
Even though you have
obtained wealth and problem free life, Please never forget the moral and
obligations of the true human kind.
==========
Ie (family, manhood) Akanukoto (problems)
Naki (none) Mi (self) tomo Hito (human) no Tsutome (obligations) ni Okotaru
(ignore) na Yume (never) |
12.
Kyodal
Ie
no kaze
Fukisohamu
yo mo
Miyurukana
Tsuranaru
eda no
Shigeriai
tsutsu |
Brothers
(Siblings)
Although many siblings
exist in a family, sometime the traditional family values seem to be lost
and people live in disharmony in this society.
==========
Ie (family) no Kaze (wind) – family tradition
in this case. Fukisowan (not in harmony). Yo (society) mo miyuru (seem
to be )kana. Turanaru (connected) Eda (branch) no. Shigeriai (grow over)
tsutsu (continuously) |
13.
Kokoro
Ikanaramu
Kotoaru
toki mo
Utsusemi
no
Hito
no kokoro yo
Yutaka
naranamu |
Heart
(Spirit)
No matter what happens
(hardship and misfortune) in their lifetime, I wish people’s heart and
soul remain open and abundant.
==========
Ikanaran (what sort of) Kotoaru (happening)
Toki (time) mo Utsusemi (life) no Hito (people) no Kokoro (heart) yo Yutaka
(rich, abundance) naruramu |
14.
Kusuri
Iku
kusuri
Motomemu
yorimo
Tsuneni
mi no
Yashinaigusa
wo
Tsumeyo
tozo omou. |
Medicine
Instead of seeking many
other medicines to cure their illness, I wish people would always honor
their own body's healing ability and take good care of themselves.
==========
Kusuri means medicines (doctors). Motomemu
means seek, want, desire. etc.
Mi (body) yashinaigusa (nurishing herbs
- healing ability in this case). |
15.
Ori ni furete
Ikusa-bito
Ikanaru
nobe ni
Akasuramu
Ka
no koe shigeku
Nareru
yo gorowo |
Occasional
Thought
As I hear increased sound
of mosquitoes, I feel deeply for my solders. How would they sleep through
the night since battlefield must be filled with mosquitoes, too.
==========
Ikusabito (soldiers) Ikanaru (what sort
of) Nobe (field) ni Akasuran (spend night) Ka (mosquitoes) no Koe (sound)
Shigeku (increase) Nareru (become) Yogoro (night) wo |
Pages 47
16.
Kyouiku/Oshie
Isao
aru
Hito
wo oshie no
Oya
to shite
Oboshi
tatenamu
Yamato
nadeshiko |
Education
For gracious Japanese
ladies, please choose meritorious people for role model and learn your
lifelong lesson from them.
==========
Isao (merit) Aru (posses) Hito (people)
wo Oshie (lesson) no Oya (master) to shite Oboshitatenamu (grow up) Yamato
(Japan) Nadeshiko (pink flowers/women) |
17.
Mizu no ue no Ochibana
Ike
no omo
Ni
nozomeru hana
No
ureshiki
Wa
chiretemo mizu
Ni
ukabu narikeri |
A
Flower on the Water
It’s wonderful to see
flowers that grow over the pond. It’ll float on the water and still beautiful
even after fell off from the stem.
==========
Ike (pond) no Omo (surface) ni Nozomeru
(be sighted) Hana (flower) no Ureshiki (pleasurable) wa Chirite (fell off)
mo Mizu (water) ni Ukabu (float) narikeri |
18.
Tsukimae Hotaru
Ike
no omo
Wa
tsuki ni yuzurite
Ashi
no ha no
Shigemi
gakure ni
Yuku
hotoro kana |
The
Moon and the Firefly
The moon reflects so
beautifully over the pond, a humble firefly compromises its existence by
flying behind the bushes of reed leaves.
==========
Ike (pond) no Omo (surface) wa Tsuki (moon)
ni Yuzurite (surrender) Ashi no ha (Reed leaves) no Shigemi (bush) Gakure
(hide) ni Yuku (going) Hotaru (firefly) kana |
19.
Tama
Isasaka
no
Kizu
naki tama mo
Tomosureba
Chiri
ni hikari wo
Usinai
ni keri |
Jewell
Even a perfect scratch-less
jewel could lose its beauty and brightness by a little dust. Human heart
and soul needs constant polishing in order to be kept clear.
==========
Isasaka (a little) no Kizu (scratch) Naki
(none) Tama (Jewel) mo Tomosureba (tendency of) Chiri (dust) ni Hikari
(shine, brightness) wo Ushinai (lose) ni keri |
20.
Ori ni Furete
Ichihayaku
Susuman
yorimo
Okotaruna
Manabi
no michi ni
Tateru
warawabe |
Occasional
thought
For youthful students,
do not hurry to get ahead. Do not neglect your work. True leaning take
a long and constant studying.
==========
Ichihayaku (faster, ahead of others) Susuman
(progress) yorimo (rather) Okotaruna (do not neglect) Manabi (learning)
no Michi (path) ni Tateru (standing) Warawabe (children) |
Pages 48-67 (to come)
26.
Mizu
Utsuwa
niha
shitagai
nagara
iwagane
mo
tosu
ha mizu no
chikara
narikere |
Water
Water does not oppose
any vessels and it is stayed as the vessel form. Water seems to be obedient,
flexible, and not self-assertive. However, water can break rocks with its
consecutive concentrated drops. So people should also have flexibility
for any situation such as thought and human relationship, and have consecutive
concentration to do something important. |
75.
Yuube
Kurenubeku
narite
iyoiyo
oshimu
kana
nasukoto
nakute
sugishi
hitohiwo |
Evening
Today I had nothing to
do and I find that now is evening. I felt sorry for that at first, but
I changed my mind that this is not so bad, is it? Yes, it is BAD because
any moment is very precious for people and I waste my precious time today.
Well, however, I should not regret my passed day for so long. Now I try
to live my new day without regret. |
88.
Hito
Nanigoto
mo
omouga
mamani
narazaru
ga
kaerite
hito no
mi
no tameni koso |
People
No one can always live
at his/her own will. People get disappointed and feel discontent when things
do not go as they expected. The expectation and desire, however, cannot
be satisfied completely but grow more if a desire is satisfied, and at
last, it will result in ruin. So I think that reality with much unintentional
??? |
106.
Kami
Me
ni mie nu ka-
mi
ni mukaite haji-
zaru
wa hito
no
kokoro no mako-
to
nari keri |
God
You have a right pure
soul if you have nothing to be ashamed of in front of God, whom you cannot
see, who knows you all. I wish everyone had such soul. |
111.
Matsu
Yuki
ni tae
arashi
ni taeshi
nochi
ni koso
matsu
no kurai mo
takaku
miekere |
Pine
Tree
People have been liked
pine tree because it is said that pine tree bring good luck. And people
evaluate the shape and balance of pine tree, but the real worth is different.
When the coldest winter came after the lapse of many years, pine trees
could survive deep snow and storm though other trees died all. Pine trees
showed their toughness and people evaluated the great pine trees. |
Page 68
121.
?
Hito
no koko-
ro
o kagami ni
hashite |
?
A person's feeling is
flowing out through a looking glass or mirror. |
122
?
Yo
watari no
michi
no toutome
ni
okotaru
na
kokoro ni kana
fu-asobi
aritemo |
?
The path that we follow
in the world and the task we try not to do, do we have to turn pur back,
though in our heart they don't give us pleasure. |
123?
Waga
kokoro
ware
to o ri o ri-
ka
e ri miyo,
shirazu-shirazu
mo
mayofu
koto mo ari
O
ri ni furete
Ware
mo mata sara ni migakamu |
?
The self-centered and
we have reasons, and these reasons we think about yet you don't know, yet
you don't know, you'll still get lost. Yet you'll feel the reasons and
truth. We will still improve |
124?
Yo
mono umi
mina
hara hara to
omo
fu yo ni
nado
nami kaze no
tachi
sawagu ramu |
?
In this world all, from
the sea to the plain, and the rest, the waves and nature have their own
noise, sound. |
125.
Kagami
Ware
mo mata
sarani
migakamu
kumorinaki
hitono
kokorowo
kagami
ni ha site |
Mirror
I wish my mind clear
like great people unknown but have great mind and soul. Though I am the
Emperor, I am not a great as a human. |
( End of Reiki
Ryoho Hikkei)
|
