Universal Copyright 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.

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