Basho Haiku Translations

古池や 蛙飛びこむ 水の音

An old pond and there / a frog is jumping into / the sound of water

夏草や 兵どもが 夢の跡

Summer grasses and / batallions of soldiers are / but the scars of dreams

草の戸も 住み替る代ぞ 雛の家

I left my thatched hut / and moved back into the world! / It's now home to dolls

降る音や 耳も酢うなる 梅の雨

The sound of rainfall / It falls upon my ears and / the pickled ume

蜘何と 音をなにと鳴く 秋の風

Spider, how do you / sound and what is it you cry / into the fall wind?

寂しさや 岩にしみ込む 蝉の聲

Loneliness and the / rocks even are soaked through by / the cicadas' chirps

朝茶飲む 僧静かなり 菊の花

Drinking morning tea / the monks grow silent among / the chrysanthemums

富士の山 蚤が茶臼の 覆ひかな

At Mt. Fuji and / fleas are on the tea grinder / completely covered

旅に病んで 夢は枯野を かけ迴る

Sick on my travels / over dead meadows, my dreams / gallop, circling

曙や 霧にうづまく 鐘の声

At daybreak and the / fog sends things whirling about / a bell is sounding