The leaves are swept away,
Yet they never fail.
True it is
That these fir-trees
Shed not all their leaves;
Their verdure remains fresh
For ages long,
As the Masaka trailing vine;
Even amongst evergreen trees—
The emblem of unchangeableness—
Exalted is their fame
As a symbol to the end of time—
The fame of the fir-trees that have grown old together.
Tomonari. And ye who have made known the bygone story of these ancient firs whose branches have indeed earned fame—tell me, I pray you, by what names are ye called.
Old Man and Old Woman. Why conceal it longer? We are the spirits of the fir-trees of Takasago and Suminoye that have grown old together, manifested under the form of a married pair.
Chorus. Wonderful! A miracle wrought by the fir-trees of this famous place!
Old Man and Old Woman. Plants and trees are without souls
Chorus. Yet in this august reign
Old Man and Old Woman. Even for plants and trees
Chorus.
Good is it to live
For ever and ever
In this land
Of our great sovereign,
Under his rule.
To Sumiyoshi,[1] therefore,
He would now take his way
And there wait upon [the god].
He embarks in a fisher's boat
- ↑ Sumiyoshi means "dwell-good."
