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三文も五文も

English translation: no one will be diligent enough...

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06:45 Apr 12, 2010

Japanese to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature

Japanese term or phrase: 三文も五文も

In the context of "三文も五文もいらぬ春眠し". Thanks very much!

Lara Silbert KudoZ activity Questions: 127 (4 open) (1 closed without grading) Answers: 16
Local time: 16:25

English translation:no one will be diligent enough...

Explanation:
I hope the following interpretation reflects the composer's intention.

"Sleeping in spring morning is so comfortable (as described in a Chinese poem) that no one will be diligent enough to get up early then (Even though a Japanese proverb says "Waking up in the early morning brings you small benefit (three mons)"). Even bigger benefit (five mons) would not be enough to wake him/her up."

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Note added at 19時間 (2010-04-13 02:08:11 GMT)
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It might be better to add that 春眠し（はるねむし） is a kigo, or a seasonal word in Haiku.

Selected response from:

takanori
Local time: 13:25

Grading comment

thanks for this explanation, it was very educational!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

3 +1

Everything seems trivial/unimportant (when compared with...)

Joyce A

no one will be diligent enough...

takanori

small coins

Yumico Tanaka

Summary of reference entries provided

FYI

cinefil

Discussion entries: 4

Answers

4 hrs confidence:

small coins

Explanation:
As shown by Mr. Cinefil, this is an expression from a phrase "The early bird catches the worm.（to put literally, "Getting up early you will find some benefit, like finding a few coins"）"
so this poem means somthing like
"I don't need to find small coins, I just want to sleep in, on such a nice and warm spring morning."

Yumico Tanaka
Australia
Local time: 14:25
Works in field
Native speaker of:

Japanese
PRO pts in category: 16

7 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

Everything seems trivial/unimportant (when compared with...)

Explanation:
三文の値打ちもない書類だ = the document is not worth a penny (Shougakukan J-E Dictionary)

So, 三文 means things that are insignificant, trivial, cheap...(as in 三文小説 = a cheap novel)

This may be a little abstract but, by extension, I am interpreting 三文も五文ももいらぬ春眠し as "everything seems unimportant when compared with having a morning sleep in the springtime. (or: I don't need anything except for a morning sleep in springtime.)

春眠 = morning sleep in spring (Nelson's Japanese Character Dictionary)

Joyce A
Thailand
Local time: 11:25
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 37

19 hrs confidence:

no one will be diligent enough...

takanori
Local time: 13:25
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

Japanese
PRO pts in category: 8

Grading comment

thanks for this explanation, it was very educational!

Reference comments

44 mins

Reference: FYI

Reference information:
早起きは三文の徳
早起きをすると良いことがあるということ。

もん【文】
*銭(ｾﾞﾆ)を数えるのに用いる語。江戸時代には、寛永通宝一枚を一文とした。

広辞苑

cinefil
Japan
Native speaker of:

Japanese
PRO pts in category: 15

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三文も五文も

English translation: no one will be diligent enough...

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三文も五文も

English translation: no one will be diligent enough...

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