枕草子、The Pillow Book、を英語にしてみました。今回は、昔の日本語の意味が分からないという壁があり、そこに苦労しましたが、楽しかったです。古文の解釈が間違っているかもしれないというところが難点。
第1段
春は、あけぼの。やうやう白くなりゆく山ぎは少し明りて紫だちたる雲の細くたなびきたる。
夏は、夜。月の頃はさらなり。闇もなほ。螢の多く飛び違ひたる。また、ただ一つ二つなど、ほのかにうち光りて行くもをかし。雨など降るもをかし。
秋は、夕暮。夕日のさして、山の端いと近うなりたるに、烏の寝どころへ行くとて、三つ四つ、二つ三つなど、飛び急ぐさへあはれなり。まいて雁などの列ねたるがいと小さく見ゆるは、いとをかし。日入り果てて、風の音、虫の音など、はたいふべきにあらず。
冬は、つとめて。雪の降りたるはいふべきにもあらず。霜のいと白きも、またさらでも、いと寒きに、火など急ぎ熾して、炭もて渡るも、いとつきづきし。昼になりて、ぬるくゆるびもていけば、火桶の火も、白き灰がちになりて、わろし。
In spring, the best time is the dawn, when the mountain edges are getting less and less dark, a little bright with purplish streams of clouds floating over.
In summer, it is the night. Moon-lit nights are perfect, while even dark ones are good. It is attractive when a lot of fireflies are flying in the air. It is also attractive only with one or two fireflies shining subtly.
In autumn, it is the sunset. The mountain edges look closer when the evening light shines on them. It is very moving to see crows, by threes or fours, by twos or threes, flying in haste to their nests. It is also fascinating to see tiny-looking geese flying in line. After the sunset, the sound of breeze or bugs is, of course, fascinating.
In winter, it is the early morning. As a matter of fact, snowy mornings are extremely good. Also, frosty mornings are good. If not so, while it is very dark and people busily set fire and carry coal buckets, this is just a winter scene. In the afternoon, the severe coldness is lost, and the coal in the fire buckets changes into white ashes. This is bad.
第22段
すさまじきもの。
昼吠ゆる犬。春の網代。三、四月の紅梅の衣。
牛死にたる牛飼ひ。稚児亡くなりたる産屋。火おこさぬ火桶、炭櫃(すびつ)。
博士のうち続きに女子うませたる。方違にゆきたるにあるじせぬ所。まして節分などはいとすさまじ。
Things Improper and Disappointing
Dogs barking during the daytime. Ajiro (wicker device for catching winter river fish) left in spring. The red plum blossom patterns on the clothing in March and April. Cow Caretakers with their cow dead. The birth room where a baby is born dead. Coal baskets or hearths not set on fire.
Girls born to scholar families. The house which we visit by the custom of Katatagae (not taking the straight route to avoid bad luck) and doesn’t serve good meals. Especially disappointing, if on Setsubun days (seasonal special days).
第26段
心ときめきするもの。
雀の子飼ひ。稚児遊ばする所の前渡る。
よき薫き物たきて、一人臥(ふ)したる。唐鏡の少し暗き見たる。
よき男の車とどめて、案内問はせたる。
頭洗ひ、化粧じて、香ばしう染みたる衣など着たる。
ことに見る人なき所にても、心のうちはなほいとをかし。
待つ人などのある夜、雨の音、風の吹きゆるがすも、ふと驚かる。
When my heart begins pounding
When taking care of little sparrows. When passing by small children being amused.
When lying down alone in the good smell of incense. When looking at a bit smokey Chinese mirror.
When washing my hair, making up and wearing the clothes fragrant with the incense. Even when nobody sees me, my heart is filled with excitement.
When seeing a man in high class stop his ox cart and order his attendant to ask something.
第27段
過ぎにし方恋しきもの。
枯れたる葵。雛あそびの調度。
二藍、葡萄染などのさいでの、押しへされて、草紙の中にありける、見つけたる。
また、折からあはれなりし人の文、雨など降り徒然なる日、探し出でたる。
去年のかはぼり。
The things which make me remember the past with affection
Withered hollyhock. The toy furniture of Hina dolls.
A piece of rag, purplish bule or light lavender, pressed in a book.
When the letter with which I felt moved when I received it is found on a lazy rainy day.
The fan I used last summer.
第39段
あてなるもの
薄色に白襲(しらがさね)の汗袗(かざみ)。
雁の子。削り氷(けずりひ)のあまづらに入れて、新しき鋺(かなまり)に入りたる。
水晶の数珠。藤の花。梅の花に雪の降りかかりたる。
いみじう美しき児の、いちごなど食ひたる
Decent things
White kazami (girl’s thin overwear) over the light-color innerwear.
Goose babies. Shaved ice with syrup in a new metal cup.
Crystal prayer beads. Wisteria flowers. Snow on plum blossoms.
Cute babies eating strawberries.
第41段
七月ばかりに、風のいたう吹きて、雨などさわがしき日、おほかたいと涼しければ、扇もうち忘れたるに、汗の香少しかかへたる綿衣の薄きをいとよく引き着て、昼寝したるこそ、をかしけれ。
Around July, on a noisy day of wind and rain, when it is a lot cooler, it feels so good to take a nap wrapped by thin cotton clothes smelling a bit of perspiration, forgetting about summer fans.
第72段
ありがたきもの。
舅に褒めらるる壻。また姑に思はるる嫁の君。
毛のよく抜くる銀の毛抜き。主そしらぬ人従者。
つゆの癖なき。かたち・心・ありさますぐれ、世にふるほど、いささかのきずなき人。
同じ所に住む人の、かたみに恥ぢかはし、いささかの暇なく用意したりと思ふが、遂に見えぬこそかたけれ。
物語・集など書き写すに、本に墨つけぬ。
よき草紙などは、いみじう心して書けど、必ずこそ汚げになるめれ。男・女をば言はじ、女どちも、契り深くて語らふ人の、末まで仲よき事、かたし。
Rare things.
The husband who is praised by his father-in-law. The wife who is loved by his mother-in-law.
Silver tweezers to pull hairs efficiently. The servant who doesn’t speak ill of the master.
The person without any drawbacks. The person who is good in figures, heart, and manners, being never criticized as time goes by. The person who is polite and considerate, but who never shows the true self to the last at the working place
In copying a story book or waka compiled book, never smearing the original book with ink. When copying a precious book, we are very careful but always smear it.
The long-lasting good relationship between man and woman, of course. Even the one between women. They are rare.
第146段
うつくしきもの。
瓜に書きたる児の顏。雀の子の、鼠なきするに、をどりくる。
二つ三つばかりなる児の、急ぎて這ひくる道に、いと小さき塵のありけるを目ざとに見つけて、いとをかしげなる指にとらへて、大人などに見せたる、いとうつくし。
頭は尼そぎなる児の、目に髮のおほへるを、かきはやらで、うち傾きて、物など見たるも、うつくし。
大きにはあらぬ殿上童の、装束きたてられて歩くも、うつくし。
をかしげなる児の、あからさまに抱きて遊ばしうつくしむ程に、かいつきて寝たる、いとらうたし。
雛の調度。
蓮のうき葉のいと小さきを、池よりとりあげたる。
葵のいと小さき。何も何も、小さき物は、皆うつくし。
いみじう白く肥えたる児の二つばかりなるが、二藍の薄物など、衣長にて、襷結ひたるが這ひ出でたるも、また、短きが袖がちなる着て歩くも、皆うつくし。
八つ九つ、十ばかりなどの男子の、声は幼げにて書読みたる、いとうつくし。
鶏の雛の、足高に白うをかしげに、衣みじかなるさまして、ひよひよとかしかましう鳴きて、人の後・前に立ちて歩くも、をかし。
また、親の、ともに連れて立ちて走るも、皆うつくし。
雁の子。瑠璃の壺。
Cute things
A child face drawn on a gourd. A sparrow which comes to us chirping and jumping.
When a two- or three-year-old child is crawling fast, he/she finds a small dust, picks it up with tiny round fingers and shows it to adults. How adorable this gesture is!
When a child in Okappa hairstyle is slanting the head to have a look at something instead of combing up the front hairs.
When a boy of a court noble, not so matured, walks in the beautiful clothes that he is forced to wear.
When a cute baby falls asleep in my arms while I am cradling and adoring him/her.
When a child in Okappa hairstyle is slanting the head to have a look at something instead of combing up the front hairs.
When a boy of a court noble, not so matured, walks in the beautiful clothes that he is forced to wear.
When a cute baby falls asleep in my arms while I am cradling and adoring him/her.
Tools for doll plays.
A very small floating lotus leaf picked up from the pond.
A very small hollyhock. Every little thing is cute.
A fair-colored fat baby, just two-years old, in long thin bluish-purple clothes with sleeves tied diagonally, comes crawling up. It is adorable. A boy, eight, nine or ten years old, reads aloud in a childlike high tone.
Chicks, long legged, white and cute, like wearing lower clothes rolled up, chirping and walking behind men.
Chicks led by the parent chicken walks before and behind. All are cute.
Spot-billed duck’s eggs. Azure pots