Applause Poetry Contest
拍手喝采歌合
Hakushu kassai utaawase
十二 今日超えて
Tō amari futatsu, kyō koete
Twelve; when today ends
果ては夢か幻か
Hate wa yume ka maboroshi ka
Will it be in dreams or illusions?
さあさ 今宵お聞かせ給うのは
Saa sa, koyoi okikase tamau no wa
Come, and let me tell you tonight
修羅と散る物語
Shura to chiru monogatari
A story that ends in war
浅き夢見し
Asaki yume mishi
Like daydreams
うたた寝の中で
Utata ne no naka de
In light sleep
人の定めはかくも果敢無きもの
Hito no sadame wa kakumo hakanaki mono
Humanity’s essence is transience
己が刀 七つ花
Onoga katana, nanatsubana
My sword of seven flowers
相容れぬは赦すまじ
Aiirenu wa yurusu maji
Offers no forgiveness to its adversaries
この世はうたかた
Kono yo wa utakata
Just as this world
流るるままに
Nagaruru mama ni
Is itself short-lived
十二 酔いもせず
Tō amari futatsu, yoi mo sezu
Twelve; I am not intoxicated
見るは夢か幻か
Miru wa yume ka maboroshi ka
But is what I see a dream or an illusion?
さあさ 誰も彼もが手を叩く
Saa sa, daremo karemo ga te o tataku
Come, everyone claps their hands
あなうつくし 仇桜
夜明けに散るとも知れず
Ana utsukushi, adazakura
Yoake ni chiru to mo shirezu
Though they scarce know such beauty
Will scatter like cherry blossoms at dawn
勝つも負けるも時の運ならば
Katsu mo makeru mo toki no un naraba
If victory and defeat are mere strokes of fate
覚悟を決めて
Kakugo o kimete
Then prepare yourself
いざ推して参れ
Iza oshite maire
And surrender to them now
人は流れて何処へ行く
Hito wa nagarete doko e yuku
The flow of people — where do they go?
涙流れて何処へ行く
Namida nagarete doko e yuku
The flow of tears — where do they go?
君よ哀しと想うても
Kimi yo kanashi to omou te mo
Even if you find it tragic
今日を限りと決めた命よ
Kyō o kagiri to kimeta inochi yo
It’s been decided this life ends today
知らぬが花 恋心
Shiranu ga hana, koigokoro
I know nothing of flowers; if my loving heart
叶わぬなら嗚呼いっそ
Kanawanu nara aa isso
Must remain unfulfilled, then it’s all the more
この世はうたかた
Kono yo wa utakata
Like this world
流るるままに
Nagaruru mama ni
That is itself short-lived
十二 今日超えて
Tō amari futatsu, kyō koete
Twelve; when today ends
見るは鬼か人の子か
Miru wa oni ka hito no ko ka
Will I see demons or children?
さあさ 得手も不得手も手を叩け
Saa sa, ete mo fuete mo te o tatake
Come, both weak and strong, and clap your hands
あら楽しや 花の宴
Ara tanoshi ya, hana no en
Look, the joy of the flower-viewing party
湖面の月さえ捉う
Komen no tsuki sae torau
Envelops even the moon’s reflection on the lake
浅き夢見し
Asaki yume mishi
Like daydreams
うたた寝の中で
Utata ne no naka de
In light sleep
人の定めはかくも果敢無きもの
Hito no sadame wa kakumo hakanaki mono
Humanity’s essence is transience