11 2A dialogue on poverty 32 4 53 6 On the night when the rain beats, 74 8 Driven by the wind, 95 10 On the night when the snowflakes mingle 116 12 With a sleety rain, 137 14 I feel so helplessly cold. 158 16 I nibble at a lump of salt, 179 18 Sip the hot, oft-diluted dregs of _sake_; 1910 20 And coughing, snuffling, 2111 22 And stroking my scanty beard, 2312 24 I say in my pride, 2513 26 "There's none worthy, save I!" 2714 28 But I shiver still with cold. 2915 30 I pull up my hempen bedclothes, 3116 32 Wear what few sleeveless clothes I have, 3317 34 But cold and bitter is the night! 3518 36 As for those poorer than myself, 3719 38 Their parents must be cold and hungry, 3920 40 Their wives and children beg and cry. 4121 42 Then, how do you struggle through life? 4322 44 4523 46 Wide as they call the heaven and earth, 4724 48 For me they have shrunk quite small; 4925 50 Bright though they call the sun and moon, 5126 52 They never shine for me. 5327 54 Is it the same with all men, 5528 56 Or for me alone? 5729 58 By rare chance I was born a man 5930 60 And no meaner than my fellows, 6131 62 But, wearing unwadded sleeveless clothes 6332 64 In tatters, like weeds waving in the sea, 6533 66 Hanging from my shoulders, 6734 68 And under the sunken roof, 6935 70 Within the leaning walls, 7136 72 Here I lie on straw 7337 74 Spread on bare earth, 7538 76 With my parents at my pillow, 7739 78 And my wife and children at my feet, 7940 80 All huddled in grief and tears. 8141 82 No fire sends up smoke 8342 84 At the cooking-place, 8543 86 And in the cauldron 8744 88 A spider spins its web. 8945 90 With not a grain to cook, 9146 92 We moan like the night thrush. 9347 94 Then, "to cut," as the saying is, 9548 96 "The ends of what is already too short," 9749 98 The village headman comes, 9950 100 With rod in hand, to our sleeping place, 10151 102 Growling for his dues. 10352 104 Must it be so hopeless -- 10553 106 The way of this world? 10754 108 10955 110 -- Yamanoue Okura 111