北原白秋の歌を英訳してみました Translating Kitahara Hakushu

～ 北原白秋は「近代日本のシェイクスピア」ともいわれるほど文才に富み、繊細な心と鋭敏な観察力によって、数多くの珠玉を紡ぎ出しました。Shakespeare の作品が世界各地の言葉で楽しまれている中、日本語ならではの表現がたくさんありながら、白秋のうたを簡単な英語に訳してみました ～
～ Translation of some of the best poetry-songs of Kitahara Hakushu.
Kitahara's works are enjoyed in Japan since early childhood.
All of the songs are available on YouTube. ～

【赤い鳥小鳥】Red little bird - Akai tori kotori
赤い鳥小鳥　なぜなぜ赤い　赤い実を食べた
Red bird, little bird, why are you red? Because I ate red berries.
白い鳥小鳥　なぜなぜ白い　白い実を食べた
White bird, little bird, why are you white? Because I ate white berries.
青い鳥小鳥　なぜなぜ青い　青い実を食べた
Blue bird, little bird, why are you blue? Because I ate blue berries.

【秋の野】Autumn field - Aki no no
あの子がゆくよ　見たよなあの子　I saw the kid, going over there
おんなじ道を　おんなじ方へ　taking the same road, the same way.
誰れだろあの子　ちいさなあの子　Who's that little kid,
わたしの前を　わたしのように　saying my name like myself?

あの子がゆくよ　髪の毛がひかる　The kid still goes, hair shining in light.
野の道小径　もう日は暮れる　Narrow road in the field, sun is setting.
はぐれたあの子　見たよなあの子　The kid I once saw, has lost the way.
お月様出たに　ほういと呼ぼよ　Moon arises, let's call out.

【雨】Rain - Ame
雨がふります雨がふる　遊びにゆきたし傘はなし Rain is falling, I want to play outside, but no umbrella
紅緒（べにお）の木履（かっこ）も緒が切れた。 Even the red strings of wooden geta shoes have fallen apart.

雨がふります雨がふる　いやでもお家で遊びましょう Rain is falling, let's play at home.
千代紙おりましょ　たたみましょ。Let's fold chiyogami papers.

雨がふります雨がふる　けんけん小雉子が今啼（な）いた Rain is falling, kiji bird crying cook cook.
小雉子も寒かろ　寂しかろ。Little kiji must be feeling cold and lonely.

雨がふります雨がふる　お人形寝かせどまだ止まぬ Rain is falling, even after putting the doll into sleep
お線香花火も　みな焚（た）いた。I have burned all the senko hanabi (stick incense fireworks).

雨がふります雨がふる　昼もふるふる夜もふる Rain is falling, during daytime and also night.
雨がふります　雨がふる。Rain is falling, rain falls.

【この道】This path - Kono michi
この道はいつか來た道　This path I remember travelling some time
　ああ、そうだよ。アカシアの花が咲いてる。Oh yes, the acacia flowers.
あの丘はいつか見た丘　That hill I remember seeing some time
　ああ、そうだよ。ほら白い時計臺だよ。Oh yes, the white clock tower.
この道はいつか來た道　This path I remember travelling some time
　ああ、そうだよ。お母様と馬車で行ったよ。Oh yes, on chariot with mom.
あの雲もいつか見た雲、That cloud, I also remember seeing some time
　ああ、そうだよ。山査子の枝も垂れてる。Oh yes, hawthorn branches   hanging down.

【砂山】Sand dunes - Suna yama
海は荒海　向こうは佐渡よ　The sea rages, over there is Sado
すずめ啼け啼け　もう日は暮れた　Sparrows cry, sun sets
みんな呼べ呼べ　お星さま出たぞ。Call everyone out, the stars are here.
　
暮れりゃ砂山　汐鳴りばかり　Sand dunes after dusk, tide roaring all over.
すずめちりぢり　また風荒れる　Sparrows chirp, the wind raging again
皆ちりぢり　もう誰も見えぬ。　All chirping chiri-jiri, can be seen no more.
　
かえろかえろよ　茱萸原（ぐみわら）わけて  Let's return, by silverberry path
すずめさよなら　さよなら、あした　Good bye sparrows, bye for tomorrow
海よさよなら　さよなら、あした。 So long ocean, untill tomorrow.

【ち－ん ち－ん 千鳥】Chiin-chiin chidori bird
ち－ん ち－ん千鳥の　啼く夜さは　When chidori bird cries, the night
　硝子戸しめても　まだ寒い。　even after closing the window, still cold.
ち－ん ち－ん千鳥の　啼く聲は　When chidori bird cries, the sound
　燈を消しても　まだ消えぬ。　even after shutting the light, still there.
ち－ん ち－ん千鳥は　親無いか　Is the chidori bird alone, without parents
　夜風に吹かれて　川の上。　blown by the night breeze, above river.
ち－ん ち－ん千鳥よ　お寢らぬか　The crying chidori bird, won't you sleep?
　夜明の明星が　早や白む。　the morning star shines, sky is white.

【曼珠沙華】（ひがんばな）Red spider lily
ゴンシャン、ゴンシャン、何處へゆく　Gonshan, where are you going?
赤い御墓の曼珠沙華、ひがんばな　Red spider lilies at the graveyard,
けふも手折りに來たわいな。　I've come again to pick them today.
ゴンシャン、ゴンシャン、 何本か　Gonshan, how many are you picking?
地には七本　血のやうに、血のやうに　Seven on the ground, bloody red,
ちやうど　あの兒の年の數。　exactly as the age of that child.
ゴンシャン、ゴンシャン、氣をつけな　Gonshan, please be careful,
ひとつ摘んでも　日は眞晝、日は眞晝　The day is midday, after picking one
ひとつあとからまたひらく。　Another one blooms afterwards.
ゴンシャン、ゴンシャン、何故泣くろ　Gonshan, why are you crying?
何時まで取っても曼珠沙華、ひがんばな　picking the lilies till no when,
恐や　赤しや　まだ七つ。　awfully red, still only seven.

【ペチカ】Pechka
雪のふる夜は　たのしいペチカ　Snowy night, delighting pechka
ペチカ燃えろよ　お話しましょ　Pechka burning bright, let's enjoy talking
昔むかしよ　燃えろよペチカ　about tales of the past. More fire, pechka.

雪のふる夜は　たのしいペチカ　Snowy night, joyful pechka
ペチカ燃えろよ　じき春来ます　Pechka burning bright, spring is here soon
いまに柳も　萌えましょペチカ　The willows are probably sprouting now.

雪のふる夜は　たのしいペチカ　Snowy night, happy pechka
ペチカ燃えろよ　誰だか来ます　Pechka burning bright, someone comes
お客さまでしょ　うれしいペチカ　A visitor perhaps, happy pechka.

【ゆりかごの歌】Cradle song - Yurikago no uta
揺籃のうたを　カナリヤが歌うよ　Cradle song, sings the canary,
　ねんねこ　ねんねこ　ねんねこよ。　Sleep, hush (nen-neko).
揺籃のうえに　枇杷の実が揺れるよ　Above the cradle, loquat fruit shakes,
　ねんねこ　ねんねこ　ねんねこよ。　Sleep, hush.
揺籃のつなを　木ねずみが揺するよ　The rope of cradle, woodrat jolting
　ねんねこ　ねんねこ　ねんねこよ。　Sleep, hush.
揺籃のゆめに　黄色い月がかかるよ　The cradle's dream, yellow moon visits
　ねんねこ　ねんねこ　ねんねこよ。　Sleep, hush.

【りすりす小栗鼠】 Squirrel squirrel little squirrel
りす　りす　こりす、ちょろちょろ　こりす 
Squirrel squirrel little squirrel, squeak (choro-choro) little squirrel
あんずの実が赤いぞ、食べ食べ　こりす。
The apricots are red, eat eat, little squirrel.

りす　りす　こりす、ちょろちょろ　こりす
Squirrel squirrel little squirrel, squeak squeak little squirrel
ぶどうの花が白いぞ、ゆれゆれ　こりす。
The grape flowers are white, shake shake little squirrel.

りす　りす　こりす、ちょろちょろ　こりす
Squirrel squirrel little squirrel, squeak squeak little squirrel
山椒の露が青いぞ、飲め飲め　こりす。
The dew of Japanese pepper is blue, drink drink little squirrel.