e spray (flung down)
from the oar of Hikoboshi, rowing his boat in haste._]

Waga tama-doko wo
Asu yori wa
Uchi hara[:i],
Kimi to in['e]zut['e]
Hitori ka mo nen!

[_From to-morrow, alas! after having put my jewel-bed in
order, no longer reposing with my lord, I must sleep alone!_]

Kaz['e] fukit['e],
Kawa-nami tachinu;--
Hiki-fun['e] ni
Watari mo kimas['e]
Yo no fuk['e]nu ma ni.

[_The wind having risen, the waves of the river have become
high;--this night cross over in a towboat,[23] I pray thee,
before the hour be late!_]

[Footnote 23: Lit. "pull-boat" (_hiki-fun['e]_),--a barge or boat
pulled by a rope.]

Amanogawa
Nami wa tatsutomo,
Waga fun['e] wa
Iza kogi iden
Yo no fuk['e]nu ma ni.

[_Even though the waves of the River of_ _Heaven run high, I
must row over quickly, before it becomes late in the night._]

Inishi['e] ni
Orit['e]shi hata wo;
Kono y[=u]b['e]
Koromo ni nu[:i]t['e]--
Kimi matsu ar['e] wo!

[_Long ago I finished weaving the material; and, this evening,
having finished sewing the garment for him--(why must) I still
wait for my lord?_]

Amanogawa
S['e] wo hayami ka mo?
Nubatama no
Yo wa fuk['e] ni tsutsu,
Awanu Hikoboshi!

[_Is it that the current of the River of_ _Heaven (has become too)
rapid? The jet-black night[24] advances--and Hikoboshi has not come!_]

[Footnote 24: _Nubatama no yo_ might better be rendered by some such
phrase as "the berry-black night,"--but the intended effect would be
thus lost in translation. _Nubatama-no_ (a "pillow-word") is written
with characters signifying "like the black fruits of _Karasu-[=O]gi_;"
and the ancient phrase "_nubatama no yo_" therefore may be said
to have the same meaning as our expressions "jet-black night," or
"pitch-dark night."]

Watashi-mori,
Fun['e] haya watas['e];--
Hito-tos['e] ni
Futatabi kay[=o]
Kimi naranaku ni!

[_Oh, ferryman, make speed across the stream!--my lord is not
one who can come and go twice in a year!_]

Aki kaz['e] no
Fukinishi hi yori,
Amanogawa
Kawas['e] ni d['e]dachi;--
Matsu to tsug['e] koso!

[_On the very day that the autumn-wind began to blow, I set
out for the shallows of the River of Heaven;--I pray you, tell
my lord that I am waiting here still!_]

Tanabata no
Funanori surashi,--
Maso-kagami,
Kiyoki tsuki-y