Comparison of selected Translations of Basho's Haiku by (1) Oseko; (2) Reichhold; (3) Barnhill


Matsuo Bashō
* Oseko's annotated translations.
* Comparison of Oseko and Reichhold translations.
* Examples of Oseko and Reichhold and Barnhill translations.
* Comparison of other translations from Bashō's haibun.

Other info on Matsuo Bashō: * Haiku. * Haibun. * Renga. * Time Line.

Examples of Oseko and Reichhold and Barnhill translations

The 'frog pond' poem:


furu ike ya / kawazu tobikomu / mizu no oto

Oseko 43 (1686)
An old pond
A frog jumps in,
The sound of water.
Reichhold 152 (1681-82)
old pond
a frog jumps into
the sound of water

Her literal:
old pond ! /frog jumps into/water's sound
Barnhill 180 (1686)
old pond —
a frog jumps in, 
water's sound.

The 'faintly white' poem:


umi kurete / kamo no koe / honoka ni shiroshi

Oseko 26 (1684)
The sea has darkened
And the voice of a wild duck
Is faintly white.
Reichhold 232 (1685)
the sea darkens
and the duck's voice
is faintly white

Her literal:
sea darkens and/duck's voice
               /faintly in white
Barnhill 148 (Winter 1684)
the sea darkening,
a wild duck's call
faintly white 

The 'azaleas and cod' poem:


tsutsuji ikete / sono kage ni hidara / saku onna

Oseko 32 (1685)
Behind the pail of azaleas
A woman is tearing up 
A dried cod. 
Reichhold 244 (1685)
arranged azaleas
in the shadow a woman 
splits a dried cod

Her literal:
azalea arrange/this shadow in
              /dried codfish tear woman
Barnhill 160 (1686)
azaleas all arranged: 
in their shade, a woman 
tearing dried cod 

The 'butterflies and field' poem:


chō no tobu / bakari nonaka no / hikage kana

Oseko 26 (1684)
Only butterflies 
Are flying about in a field
In the bright sunshine.
Reichhold 247 (1685)
a butterfly flies
only in the field
of sunshine 

Her literal:
butterfly of flying 
/ only in a field / sunshine 
Barnhill 163 (Winter 1685)
butterflies only
fluttering in this field
of sunlight 

The 'snowball' poem:


kimi hi o take / yoki mono misen / yuki maruge 

Oseko 50 (1686)
Make a fire, my friend!
I'll show you something good:
A large snowball.
Reichhold 280 (1686)
if you start a fire,
I'll show you something good
a huge snowball

Her literal:
you fire (object) burn 
/ good thing show (speaker's will)
/ huge snowball
Barnhill 192 (1686)
you start a fire,
I'll show you something fun:
a great ball of snow

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