Basho’s Haiku offers the most comprehensive translation yet of the poetry of Japanese writer Matsuo Basho (1644–1694), who is credited with perfecting and popularizing the haiku form of poetry.
Matsuo Basho Poems
When the winter chrysanthemums go
MATSUO BASHŌ
JAPAN (1644–1694)
LANGUAGE: JAPANESE
Furu ike ya
kawazu tobikomu
mizu no oto
(A rōmaji version has been included below
the Japanese characters.)
Matsuo Bashō was born in Japan in 1644.
Introduced to poetry at a young age, he
became a well-known poet and teacher. He
later renounced the social, urban life of the
literary circles—choosing instead to wander
throughout the country to gain inspiration for
his writing. Traveling alone off the beaten
path in medieval Japan was regarded as
immensely dangerous, and at first Bashō
expected to simply die in the middle of
nowhere or be killed by bandits. As his
travels continued, however, he met many
friends and grew to enjoy the changing
scenery and the seasons. Bashō was one of
the earliest (some say the first) to write
haiku—a type of poem comprised of just
seventeen syllables. He is internationally
appreciated as one of the greatest poets of
all time.
Source:
http:/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matsuo_Bashō
Following are several translations
of the 'Old Pond' poem, which may be
the most famous of all haiku:
Furuike ya
kawazu tobikomu
mizu no oto
-- Basho
Literal Translation
Fu-ru (old) i-ke (pond) ya,
ka-wa-zu (frog) to-bi-ko-mu (jumping into)
mi-zu (water) no o-to (sound)
Translated by Fumiko Saisho
The old pond--
a frog jumps in,
sound of water.
Translated by Robert Hass
Old pond...
a frog jumps in
water's sound.
Translated by William J. Higginson
An old silent pond...
A frog jumps into the pond,
splash! Silence again.
Translated by Harry Behn
There is the old pond!
Lo, into it jumps a frog:
hark, water's music!
Translated by John Bryan
The silent old pond
a mirror of ancient calm,
a frog-leaps-in splash.
Translated by Dion O'Donnol
old pond
frog leaping
splash
Translated by Cid Corman
Antic pond--
frantic frog jumps in--
gigantic sound.
Translated by Bernard Lionel Einbond
'Dere wasa dis frogg
Gone jumpa offa da logg
Now he inna bogg.'
-- Anonymous
Old pond
leap -- splash
a frog.
Translated by Lucien Stryck
The old pond,
A frog jumps in:.
Plop!
Translated by Allan Watts
The old pond, yes, and
A frog is jumping into
The water, and splash.
Translated by G.S. Fraser
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