挽歌｜アザラシ幼稚園・短歌

天駆ける仔馬は早く去りにけり 地に這う日こそ見まくほりしか

Pegasus, flying in the sky, has gone too soon. I had hoped to see the day he would crawl to the ground.

名にし負う天馬なれども海ならで空に去れとは誰か願いし

Who would have wished him to leave for the sky and not the sea just because he was named Pegasus?

昇る日は見しやそれとも分かぬ間に雲隠れてぞ沈みたりつる

Risen Apollo had been hidden by clouds and set before I could discern it.

宇宙船 月にも海はさぶらえど魚はおるまじ 空にな行きそ

Apollo, there are maria on the moon, but no fish. Please don't go to the sky.

大神は天にいますに如くはなし とは誰か決めし 焼き滅ぼさん

Who decided that Jupiter was better off in heaven? I will strike him with lightning.

「雷で打ってやる」は直訳ではないけれど、「焼き滅ぼさん」の心は「天の火もがも」にあるので

木星は大きなる星しるき星 小さきままに失せぬるやなぞ

Jupiter is a big star, a conspicuous star. Why did he disappear, small as he was?

来ては往ぬるいのちの軌道とはいえどかくも小さき径とは知らじ

Even though life's Orbit is where everyone comes and goes, I had no idea his had such a small diameter.

巡り巡り輪廻の軌道繰り返しまた来よ されどここにはな来そ

Round and round, repeat your Orbit of reincarnation, and come back ― but don't come here (the Rehabilitation Centre).

尾を引きて流るると見えて落ちはせぬ彗星のなぞ燃えや尽きぬる

Why did Comet, that seemed to shoot with a tail but was never to fall, burn up?

箒星 憂いを払え玉箒 いわけなき仔がまたひとり往ぬ

Comet, broom-star, brush away my sorrows. One more little pup has gone.

滅ぶことゆめあらじとはえ言わじとかねて知れどもあな地球はや

I've known that we couldn't say destruction would never come, but, oh Earth, oh.

地球にはいのち数多にあるものをいかに漏れぬる小さかりし仔

Though there are many lives on the Earth, why did a small pup slip away?

鮭粥を恵む人らもあるものを乳の道こそ恋しかりけめ

Even though they gave salmon porridge, the pup would miss Milkyway.

天の川涙集めて速からん 海に流るる川ならなくに

Milkyway (called "Heaven's river" in Japanese) will collect tears and flow fast. But it is no river flowing into the sea.

赤星はしるき星よと聞くものを いずくにありや など見えざるや

I was told that Antares is a conspicuous star, but where is he?　Why can't I see him?

赤星に並ぶ星あり ここに来よ 空しかりけり われらが祈り

Here is a star that rivals Antares. Come here! ― Our prayers were in vain.

悪しきもの虫も病も討ち果たし敗走せしむ日をこそ願え

I had hoped for the day when Phobos would strike down the bad things ― worms and diseases ― and make them flee.

片割れを見れば思おゆ 惑星を 見れば偲わゆ 去りにける仔を

When I see his partner, I think of him. When I see his planet, I remember him. Phobos, who has gone.

源氏星 名だにさやかに見えねども心にかけし小さき仔はや

Rigel, I didn't know your name clearly, but I have thought of you, oh, little pup.

源氏星 雲に隠れて見えねどもいずれ晴れんと思いしものを

Rigel was hidden by clouds and couldn't be seen, but I thought it would be fine someday.

竪琴の絃をば断つと聞きし夜はせんすべ知らで音のみし泣かゆ

The night I heard Lyra's string would be cut, I only cried loudly, not knowing what I could do.

わが腹を吸いし竪琴愛しけれど物をえ食まぬ仔にぞありける

Lyra, sucking her own belly, was cute ― and now we know, she couldn't eat.

月よ月 一期は夢よ ただ狂え 憂きことわりにやよ従うな

Luna, life is but a dream, so go wild. Please don't follow a sorrowful providence.

空の月は欠くれば満つることわりよ また満つる日を地にて待ちなん

It is a providence that Luna in the sky wanes and waxes. I will wait on earth for the day when you wax full again.

射手の矢は光陰のごと疾きゆえにわれらが目にし留まらざりけり

Because Archer's arrow flies like time, it didn't catch our eyes.

いとおしき射手は去りぬと知ることは射手ありけりと知ることならん

To know that poor Archer is gone is to know he has been there.

誰も誰も等しく重きいのちなれど目守りし月ぞ恋しかりける

Every life matters equally, but I miss Selene, whom we have watched over.

かりそめの時を戻して安らけく眠ると見えし黒ごまと会う

I rewind the fleeting time to see Wessel, like sesami, who looked as if he were peacefully asleep.