Murasaki Shikibu's thought poem that came into her mind when watching some ducks in the pond, written mid-November 1008

Sources:

The Diary of Murasaki Shikibu (Murasaki Shikibu Nikki), written from circa 1008 to 1010

Original version, edited by Hokiichi Hanawa:

https://ja.wikisource.org/wiki/%E7%B4%AB%E5%BC%8F%E9%83%A8%E6%97%A5%E8%A8%98_(%E7%BE%A4%E6%9B%B8%E9%A1%9E%E5%BE%9E)

Modernised edition, edited by Eiichi Shibuya:

https://ja.wikisource.org/wiki/%E7%B4%AB%E5%BC%8F%E9%83%A8%E6%97%A5%E8%A8%98_(%E6%B8%8B%E8%B0%B7%E6%A0%84%E4%B8%80%E6%A0%A1%E8%A8%82)

English translation in Diaries of Court Ladies of Old Japan (1920), compiled and translated by Annie Shepley Omori and Kochi Doi

https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Diaries_of_Court_Ladies_of_Old_Japan/2

Above: Murasaki Shikibu in a 15th century portrait by Kanō Takanobu.

The poem:

水鳥を水の上とやよそにみん我も浮たる世を過しつゝ

Romaji transliteration (in reconstructed Early Middle Japanese):

Midzutori wo midzunokami to ya yoso ni min ga mo ukitaru yo wo sugositutu

With modernised language:

水鳥を水の上とやよそに見む 　　われも浮きたる世を過ぐしつつ

Romaji transliteration:

Mizutori o mizunokami to ya yoso ni mi mu ga mo ukitaru yo o sugu gushitsutsu

Rough English gloss:

Waterfowl on top of water and elsewhere looking seemingly but even floating this life along pass excessively

English translation (from source 3):

Waterfowl floating on the water —

They seem so gay,

But in truth

It is not gay to live anxiously seeking means of existence.

Enable GingerCannot connect to Ginger Check your internet connection
or reload the browserDisable in this text fieldEditEdit in GingerEdit in Ginger×Enable GingerCannot connect to Ginger Check your internet connection
or reload the browserDisable in this text fieldEditEdit in GingerEdit in Ginger×