Natsume Soseki
Japanese · 1867–1916
Japanese novelist and scholar widely considered the greatest writer of modern Japanese literature, known for his psychological depth and wit.
Wikipedia ↗“自由と独立と己れとに充ちた現代に生まれた我々は、その犠牲としてみんなこの淋しみを味わわなくてはならないでしょう。”
日本語
“You see, loneliness is the price we have to pay for being born in this modern age, so full of freedom, independence, and our own egotistical selves.”
Kokoro ↗ (1914)
“月が綺麗ですね。”
日本語
“The moon is beautiful, isn't it?”
Soseki reportedly suggested this as the proper Japanese translation for "I love you" — too direct a confession would be un-Japanese.