SYUNSHOIKKOKU

日暮れ行き交う人波時雨
げにも美し魅惑の大路
淀み歪んだ情欲の坩渦
籠の中には揚葉が並び
蜘蛛の糸の傀櫑と成れども
目に宿したる一筋の光
花も舞い散り歌人曰くに
『春宵一刻、値千金』

故も知らず問いし声には
答えもなく灯を落とす

艶やかなる君の姿
愚かな恋赦したまえ
褥に咲く夜半の花に
雫落とし余は果てぬ

御簾の向こうは深き闇にて
霞隠した朧な半月
形を成さぬ人の情けゆえ
愛も口先にて語られぬ
地獄の沙汰のくだりを知れども
あの世までは持ち込めぬ財と
浮名を晒し改め思うは
『春宵一刻、値千金』

この夜限り解りながらも
紫煙の中 灯を落とす

影を重ね揺れる裸身
抱く罪を赦したまえ
朝を怨む一夜の夢
せめて腕の中に眠れ

艶やかなる君の姿
愚かな恋赦したまえ
褥に咲く夜半の花に
雫落とし余は果てぬ

影を重ね揺れる裸身
抱く罪を赦したまえ
朝を怨む人世の夢
せめて腕の中に眠れ

Higure yukikau hitonamishigure.
Genimo utsukushi miwaku no oji.
Yodomi hizunda zyoyoku no rutsubo.
Kago no nakaniha ageha ga narabi.
Kumo no ito no kairai to naredomo.
Me ni yadoshitaru hitosuzi no hikari.
Hana mo maichiri utabito iwaku ni "Syunshoikkoku,ataisenkin".

Yue mo shirazu toishi koeniha.
Kotae mo naku hi wo otosu.

Adeyakanaru kimi no sugata.
Oroka na koi yurushitamae.
Shitone ni saku yowa no hana ni.
Shizuku otoshi yo ha hatenu.

Misu no mukou ha hukaki yaminite.
Kasumi kakushita oboro na hangetsu.
Katachi wo nasanu hito no nasakeyue.
Ai mo kuchisakinite katararenu.
Zigoku no sata no kudari wo shiredomo.
Anoyo made ha mochikomenu zai to.
Ukina wo sarashi aratame omou ha "Syunshoikkoku,ataisenkin".

Konoyokagiri wakarinagara mo.
Shien no naka hi wo otosu.

Kage wo kasane yureru karada.
Idaku tsumi wo yurushitamae.
Asa wo uramu hitoyo no yume.
Semete ude no naka ni nemure.

Adeyakanaru kimi no sugata.
Oroka na koi yurushitamae.
Shitone ni saku yowa no hana ni.
Shizuku otoshi yo ha hatenu.
Kage wo kasane yureru karada.
Idaku tsumi wo yurushitamae.
Asa wo uramu hitoyo no yume.
Semete ude no naka ni nemure.

Footsteps echo from a crowd in sunset.
An avenue of glamour and temptation
Wreathed in distorted lust.
An array of butterflies in a cage
Being manipulated by a spider's web.
Yet a ray of light shines in their eyes.
While blossoming flowers scatter, I hear a poet say,
"Shunshou ikkoku, atai senkin."

Ignoring the voices of meaningless questions,
Without any answer, I turn down the lights.

You in your charming, luscious looks.
Forgive me for falling in such foolish love.
On a blooming midnight flower on the mattress,
Droplets pour and I fall.

Complete darkness lies behind the blinds.
Hidden by the mist, the half moon is obscure.
Not anyone's emotions is in definite form.
So shallow love in shallow words is all there is.
Money makes the mare go
Yet money cannot be brought to the beyond.
Fooling around, I realize even more:
"Shunshou ikkoku, atai senkin."

Knowing that it is only for one night,
In purple haze, I turn down the lights.

Shadows layer as the bodies rock.
Forgive me for the sins I hold.
The one night's dream resents the coming morning.
Just at least fall asleep in my arms.

You in your charming, luscious looks.
Forgive me for falling in such foolish love.
On a blooming midnight flower on the mattress,
Droplets pour and I fall.

Shadows layer as the bodies rock.
Forgive me for the sins I hold.
The human dream resents the coming morning.
Just at least fall asleep in my arms.

* "Shunshou ikkoku, atai senkin" is a Japanese proverb literally meaning "One single moment of the Spring night is worth a thousand coins". As Spring is the shortest yet the most elaborate season of the year, it suggests fragility and change. Therefore every moment in Spring is considered valuable that it is "worth a thousand coins".

(English translation by Nozomi WATANABE)