Years Are Travelers

 Years Are Travelers

After Basho Matsuo, a Japanese bard, the father of Haiku, had died, a follower Kikaku Takarai published his master’s journey essay Oku-no-hosomichi, 1702. On the route from Edo to Ogaki, there was Matsushima, the destination, one of the most beautiful view spots in Japan, where Basho was excited the most. Traveling with Sora, Basho’s companion, he began to write the essay with the following paragraph, familiar to the Japanese readers:

Every Day & every Month are like a journey guest visiting you one after another eternally, & every Year, coming & going, is your guest, too. Those who drive a ship for their entire life & those who draw the bit of a horse until they turn old, are like that they are traveling every day & living on a journey. 

日本の詩人、俳句の父である松尾芭蕉が亡くなったあと、弟子の宝井其角が1704年に芭蕉の旅の紀行文である『おくののほそ道』を刊行した。江戸から大垣までの道のりの中に、芭蕉が一番見てみたかった風光明媚な目的地の松島があった。同行者の曽良と旅をしながら、日本人の読者には馴染みのある次の文章で、紀行文を書き始めた。

月日は百代の過客にして、行きかふ年も又旅人也。船の上に生涯をうかべ、馬の口とらへて 老をむかふるものは。日ゝ 旅にして旅を栖とす。

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DATA

原典

『おくのほそ道』

原文

月日は百代の過客にして、行きかふ年も又旅人也。船の上に生涯をうかべ、馬の口とらへて 老をむかふるものは。日ゝ 旅にして旅を栖とす。

著者

松尾芭蕉

寛永二十一年生、元禄七年没。

THE NAME OF THE ESSAY

Oku-no-hosomichi

Literally: “the Strange Narrow Road”

AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION

Every Day & every Month are like a journey guest visiting you one after another eternally, & every year, coming & going, is your guest, too. Those who drive a ship for their entire life & those who draw the bit of a horse until they turn old, are like that they are traveling every day & living in a journey. 

AUTHOR

Basho Matsuo

1644 - 94

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