海行かば /

水漬く屍 /

山行かば /

草生す屍 /

大君の / 辺にこそ死なめ /

かえりみは / せじ

Umi yukaba /

Mizuku kabane /

Yama yukaba /

Kusa musu kabane /

Okimi no / he ni koso shiname /

Kaerimi wa / seji

If I go away to the sea,

I shall be a corpse washed up.

If I go away to the mountain,

I shall be a corpse in the grass

But if I die for the Emperor,

It will not be a regret.