Iroha

色は匂へど
散りぬるを
我が世誰ぞ
常ならむ
有為の奥山
今日越えて
浅き夢見じ
酔ひもせず


(An English translation):

As flowers are brilliant but inevitably fall,
who could remain constant in our world?

Today let us transcend the high mountain of transience,
and there will be no more shallow dreaming, no more drunkenness.



(An alternative English translation by Professor Ryuichi Abe):

Although its scent still lingers on
the form of a flower has scattered away

For whom will the glory
of this world remain unchanged?

Arriving today at the yonder side
of the deep mountains of evanescent existence

We shall never allow ourselves to drift away
intoxicated, in the world of shallow dreams.

Iroha from Wiki

Picture: aml2008 ® All Rights Reserved