1823
.彼岸迄とは申せども寒哉
higan made to wa môsedo mo samusa kana
"Fair weather by spring's equinox"
so they say...
liars!
Winter was long in Issa's snowy, mountainous province. Shinji Ogawa notes that there is a Japanese proverb which states, "Hot or cold only lasts till an equinox." In Issa痴 province of Shinano, present-day Nagano Prefecture, this saying doesn't at all hold true. Literally, Issa is saying, "Only until the spring equinox [will the cold weather last], they say...[and yet] it's cold!" My rather free translation attempts to evoke Issa's emotion and humor.
All translations © 1991-2010 by David G. Lanoue, rights reserved.