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Nitan batake no[1]
Sono nakagoro ni
Sh’totsu komakana
Koume ga gozaru
Sono ya komme ga
Wakamatsu tsurete
Sokode komme ga
Kudoki ga gozaru
Washi ga kommai totte
Anadorya suru na
Kosho ya sanshō wa
Komai hodo karai
Seki no kogatana
Mi wa hosokeredo
Aya mo tachimasu
Nishikimo orosu
Seta no karahashya
Miriage no kobashi
Soko de watashi mo
Choito kiri agete
Ato o wakanoshu ni
Otanomimasu
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In the center
Of the two tan[2] field
One very little
Plum tree stands.
This plum tree
Brought the young pine tree.
The small plum tree
Has this to say:
“Because I’m small
Do not look down on me;
Pepper and sansho[3]
The smaller they are, the sharper they are.
The pocket knife of Seki,
Although the blade is thin,
It can cut silk
And cut brocade.
Although the bridge of Seta[4]
Is a small short bridge
Here I too
Will cut short
To the young people[5]
The rest I’ll leave.”
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