Reference Link- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akiko_Yosano
She was a poet who composed tanka poems. For those of you who don't know what tanka is, a genre of classical Japanese poetry and one of the major genres of Japanese literature. It is quite similar to Haiku, comprised with 5-7-5 syllables.
Translation of tanka poems (短歌) has been a big challenge for me. It is a serious fun at the same time, just like looking for cat toys in a pet shop.... English speakers, regardless of whether they are living in Japan or not, may have no clue as to why this type of poetry is that important. Poems composed and recited in the emperor’s house in the new-year season have traditionally taken this form.
Haiku, with 5-7-5 syllables, is a shorter version of tanka, and it is well-known even in non-Japanese speaking communities. But tanka, comprised of 5-7-5-7-7 syllables, doesn't seem to be that popular, mostly because it is difficult to translate it into English.
Here is one of the most famous tanka poems of all time, introduced in high school Japanese textbooks.
[ORIGINAL]
その子二十 櫛（くし）になるがるる黒髪の おごりの春のうつくしきかな
I don’t think I can translate it so well. At this moment, I need to give up with the rimes and rhythms that share the huge part of how this type of poetry can be appreciated.
[ENGLISH]
this girl has just tuned twenty... her black hair coming through the comb smoothly... as if showing off she is in her prime... i love seeing that...
I feel writing it in a single line without periods would be closer to how I understand it in Japanese.
Here is another poem I would like to introduce today. This poems was addressed to her younger brother and was published in Myōjō, a literary magazine, during the height of the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905). This poem became extremely controversial since it appeared to be against “patriotism”.
[ORIGINAL]
あゝをとうとよ君を泣く
君死にたまふことなかれ
末に生れし君なれば
親のなさけはまさりしも
親は刃(やいば)をにぎらせて
人を殺せとをしへしや
人を殺して死ねよとて
二十四までをそだてしや
[ENGLISH]
Oh, my little brother, I weep for you
“Thou shalt not die”
Ever since you were born as the youngest kid
Our parents have loved you so much
Did they teach you to end up getting hold of a blade in your hand
To kill others?
Did they raise you until the age twenty-four
Just to kill others and get killed yourself?
The poem goes on to be closed with this stanza.
[ORIGINAL]
暖簾(のれん)のかげに伏して泣く
あえかにわかき新妻を
君わするるや思へるや
十月(とつき)も添はでわかれたる
少女(おとめ)ごころを思ひみよ
この世ひとりの君ならで
あゝまた誰をたのむべき
君死にたまふことなかれ
[ENGLISH]
Have you forgotten you got a wife of your own? Did you stop caring about her?
She weeps in the shade of the shop-curtain at your home
Think of how this young lady must always feel
Within ten months after the marriage, she had to have you away
Remember you are no longer living only on your own
Ah, I have no one else to ask of this
“Thou shalt not die”
================================
今回は、1878に生まれて1942年に亡くなった与謝野晶子を2か国語の視点で書いてみたいと思います。
参考リンク http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akiko_Yosano
私にとって短歌を英訳することは大きな挑戦であり、また真剣な楽しみでもあります。真剣な楽しみとは、すなわち、ペットショップで猫のおもちゃを買い求めようとしているときのような楽しい心持ちというわけなのですが・・・。日本に在住していようがいまいが、英語圏の人間からすると、このような詩が何故にありがたがられるのか皆目分からない、という部分があるかと思います。新年の時期に天皇陛下の御前で詩を作成し、唱える場面がありますが、その詩こそが短歌形式を伝統的にとってきているのです。（和歌、というべきものですが。）
俳句は５－７－５の音節でできるものであり、これは短歌の短い版であり、英語でも好まれたりしますが、５－７－５－７－７の短歌になりますと、英語に訳すのがやや難しくなるようです。
高校の国語の教科書に載っているような、最も有名な短歌の一つを紹介します。
[ORIGINAL]
その子二十 櫛（くし）になるがるる黒髪の おごりの春のうつくしきかな
自分自身、うまくこれを翻訳できる感じがしません。というのも、この種の詩を理解するのに大きな比重を占めるはずのリズムというものを放棄しないといけないからです。
[ENGLISH]
this girl has just tuned twenty... her black hair coming through the comb smoothly... as if showing off she is in her prime... i love seeing that...
この短歌はピリオドなしで1行で書いてしまったほうが、日本語で感じる感覚に近いのではないかと、個人的に感じます。
もう一つ、紹介したいものがあります。それは日露戦争の時期に晶子が弟に向けて詠んだ短歌で、雑誌「明星」に発表されるや、「愛国的」でないという理由から、大論争を引き起こしたものです。
[ORIGINAL]
あゝをとうとよ君を泣く
君死にたまふことなかれ
末に生れし君なれば
親のなさけはまさりしも
親は刃(やいば)をにぎらせて
人を殺せとをしへしや
人を殺して死ねよとて
二十四までをそだてしや
[ENGLISH]
Oh, my little brother, I weep for you
“Thou shalt not die”
Ever since you were born as the youngest kid
Our parents have loved you so much
Did they teach you to end up getting hold of a blade in your hand
To kill others?
Did they raise you until the age twenty-four
Just to kill others and get killed yourself?
この詩は、以下の連を持って締めくくられます。
[ORIGINAL]
暖簾(のれん)のかげに伏して泣く
あえかにわかき新妻を
君わするるや思へるや
十月(とつき)も添はでわかれたる
少女(おとめ)ごころを思ひみよ
この世ひとりの君ならで
あゝまた誰をたのむべき
君死にたまふことなかれ
[ENGLISH]
Have you forgotten you got a wife of your own? Did you stop caring about her?
She weeps in the shade of the shop-curtain at your home
Think of how this young lady must always feel
Within ten months after the marriage, she had to have you away
Remember you are no longer living only on your own
Ah, I have no one else to ask of this
“Thou shalt not die”
