早春賦
Sadao sent this song with the note: "I believe this is a kind of love song for teenagers... about one's first love (初恋 = hatsu-koi). This song is expressing the scenery of early spring in Japan and one's first love in a rather roundabout way in the Japanese lyrics."
早春賦
Early Spring (Soshunhu)
Traditional Song
Traditional Song
(Japanese)
(English)
春は名のみの風の寒さや
谷の鶯 歌は思えど
時にあらずと 声も立てず
時にあらずと 声も立てず
氷解け去り葦は角ぐむ
さては時ぞと 思うあやにく
今日もきのうも 雪の空
今日もきのうも 雪の空
春ときかねば 知らでありしを
聞けば急かるる 胸の思いを
いかにせよとの この頃か
いかにせよとの この頃か
People say that spring has come, but the wind is rather cold
The bush warblers in the valley are ready to sing their songs
But they cannot sing their songs in such cold weather
But they cannot sing their songs in such cold weather.
The ice in the ponds melted and up sprouted the reeds
Then bush warblers in the valley decided to sing their songs
But they could not sing their songs 'cause it snowed day after day
But they could not sing their songs 'cause it snowed day after day.
I wouldn't have known spring had come if someone hadn't told me
So I decided to hurry to tell my true feelings to my love
But would she receive my love with her warm heart?
But would she receive my love with her warm heart?
Notes
Transliteration
Sōshunhu
Haru wa na nomi no kaze no samusa ya
Tani no uguisu uta wa omoedo
Toki ni arazu to koe mo tatezu
Toki ni arazu to koe mo tatezu
Koori toke sari ashi wa tsuno gumu
Sate wa tokizo to omou ayaniku
Kyo mo kinoh mo yuki no sora
Kyo mo kinoh mo yuki no sora
Haru to kikaneba shirade arishi wo
Kikeba sekaruru mune no omoi wo
Ikani seyo tono konogoro ka
Ikani seyo tono konogoro ka
Comments
Sadao noted:
Authorized text book of Ministry of Education in 1912
Copyright on this song is 'Lapsed'.
[大正２年(1912) 検定教科書「新作唱歌（３）」
吉丸一昌 作詞／中田 章 作曲]
Thanks!
Thanks!
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Sadao Mazuka for contributing and translating this song, for the midi tune and the transliteration. Sadao wrote:
"About five years ago, an Australian lady helped me with the translation, and I already posted it on a web-site of my friend.
The administrator of this site is Mr. Kudoh an assistant principal of a high school in Gunma-Prefecture located about 100 kilo-meters from Tokyo. He is helping me translate my English lyrics too."
Image: Kinjirō Kida: Niseko Range in Early Spring, circa 1960, wikimedia.
