Thursday, November 22, 2007

hiragana, hiragana every where

Japanese poem Iroha-uta ("Song/poem of colours"), dates back to the 10th century and uses almost every hiragana once (except n ん).

いろはにほへと(いろ は におえど)
ちりぬるを(ちりぬる を)
わかよたれそ(わが よ たれ ぞ)
つねならむ(つね ならん)
うゐのおくやま(うい の おくやま)
けふこえて(きょう こえて)
あさきゆめみし(あさき ゆめ みじ)
ゑひもせす(よい も せず)

And here is what it means in English, as mentioned on Wikipedia:

Even colours and sweet perfume
Will eventually fade
Even our world
Is not eternal
The deep mountains of vanity
Cross them today
And superficial dreams
Shall no longer delude you.

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