10 famous Matsuo Basho haiku poems in English and Japanese
Basho: The Complete Haiku of Matsuo Basho (World Literature in Translation)
Matsuo Basho (1644-1694) made about 1000 haiku poems throughout his lifetime. The haiku poems are shown in original Japanese 5-7-7 syllables, and translated to English three lines style to realize the meaning.
1)
草の戸も 住替る代ぞ ひなの家
Kusa no to mo/ Sumikawaru yo zo/ Hina no ie
A owner of the old thatched hut
Is also changed to another
It’s the Doll’s Festival.
2)
行春や 鳥啼き魚の 目は泪
Yuku haru ya/ Tori naki uwo no/ Me wa namida
Spring is passing.
The birds cry, and the fishes’ eyes are
With tears.
3)
夏草や 兵どもが 夢の跡
Natsu kusa ya/ Tsuwamono domo ga/ Yume no ato
The summer grasses.
All that remains
Of warriors’ dreams.
4)
五月雨の 降のこしてや 光堂
Samidare no/ Furinokosite ya/ Hikari-do
The early summer rain
Fall and fall yet
Leave untouched Hikari-do Hall.
5)
閑けさや 岩にしみいる 蝉の声
Shizukesa ya/ Iwa ni shimiiru/ Semi no koe
Oh, tranquility!
Penetrating the very rock,
A cicada’s voice.
6) 五月雨を あつめてはやし 最上川 Samidare wo/ Atsumete Hayashi/ Mogamigawa The rains of summer join together. How swift it is Mogami River.
7) 古池や 蛙飛び込む 水の音 Furuike ya/ Kawazu tobikomu/ Mizu no oto The old pond A frog leaps in. Sound of the water.
8)
物いへば 唇寒し 秋の風
Mono ie ba/ Kuchibiru samushi/ Aki no kaze
When you say something,
The lip feel cold.
The Autumn wind.
9)
粽結ふ 片手にはさむ 額髪
Chimaki yu/ Katate ni hasamu/ Hitai gami
While rolling the Chimaki dumpling,
The other hand hold,
Her bangs.
10)
旅に病んで 夢は枯野を かけ廻るTabi ni yande/ Yume wa kareno wo/ Kake meguru
Sicking on journey,
My dream run about
A desolate field.
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