CLASSICS — BEYOND THE HYAKUNIN ISSHU
Gion Shōja no Kane
“The Bell of Gion”Source: The Tale of the Heike, opening lines (Kamakura period)
祇園精舎の鐘の声 諸行無常の響きあり
沙羅双樹の花の色 盛者必衰の理をあらはす
奢れる人も久しからず ただ春の夜の夢のごとし
猛き者も遂には滅びぬ ひとへに風の前の塵に同じ
沙羅双樹の花の色 盛者必衰の理をあらはす
奢れる人も久しからず ただ春の夜の夢のごとし
猛き者も遂には滅びぬ ひとへに風の前の塵に同じ
Gion shōja no kane no koe, shogyō mujō no hibiki ari
shara sōju no hana no iro, jōsha hissui no kotowari o arawasu
ogoreru hito mo hisashikarazu, tada haru no yo no yume no gotoshi
takeki mono mo tsui ni wa horobinu, hitoe ni kaze no mae no chiri ni onaji
shara sōju no hana no iro, jōsha hissui no kotowari o arawasu
ogoreru hito mo hisashikarazu, tada haru no yo no yume no gotoshi
takeki mono mo tsui ni wa horobinu, hitoe ni kaze no mae no chiri ni onaji
The bell of the Gion monastery tolls the impermanence of all things;
the color of the sāla flowers reveals that the prosperous must decline.
The proud do not endure — they are like a dream on a spring night;
the mighty fall at last, as dust before the wind.
the color of the sāla flowers reveals that the prosperous must decline.
The proud do not endure — they are like a dream on a spring night;
the mighty fall at last, as dust before the wind.
▶