Translated from Hyakunin Isshu #22: "Temper makes a tempest"
by Frank Watson
My Translation

By Fun'ya no Yasuhide

The blowing wind

Uproots and snaps

The autumn grass and trees—

It’s fitting then that “temper”

Makes a “tempest,” so they say.


Original Japanese


文屋康秀


吹くからに

秋の草木の

しをるれば

むべ山風を

あらしといふらむ


Japanese Pronunciation


Fun'ya no Yasuhide

Fuku kara ni

Aki no kusaki no

Shiorureba

Mube yama kaze o

Arashi to iuran


Literal


Blow from as

Autumn’s grass tree’s [=plants, vegetation]

[see as/ death/ branches] [break / snap off] when

Fitting mountain wind is

[storm/ destruction/ lay waste] so called  


Note: This poem puns on the fact that the character for “storm” (嵐) is composed of a mountain (山) on top of wind (風) and is also pronounced almost the same as destruction (arasu). Thus it is literally saying that it is fitting that “mountain” + “wind” = “storm” = “destruction.”

All writings and translations are Copyright © by Frank Watson, also writing as "Blue Flute" (2011-2014).
Year: 
2011