In spring, the Third Month: a poem composed on an imperial visit to the Naniwa Palace.
大夫は御狩に立たし娘子らは赤裳裾引く淸き濱びを
| masurawo pa mikari ni tatasi wotomera pa aka mo susobiku kiyoki pamabï wo |
The sturdy men Leave for the hunt; The maidens Trail the hems of scarlet skirts Across the clean swept beach. |
The above poem is by Akahito, Lord Yamabe.
若の浦に潮滿ち來れば潟をなみ葦邊をさして鶴鳴き渡る
| waka nö ura ni sipo mitikureba kata wo nami asibe wo sasite tadu nakiwataru |
Off the beach at Waka With the rising tide The sandbanks vanish and Plunging to the reedbeds The cranes fly over, calling. |
The above poems were undated. It is said, however, that Lord Yamabe accompanied the imperial party on a visit to Tamatsu Island. The date of this excursion has been given.
A poem by Akahito, Lord Yamabe, composed on an imperial visit to the province of Ki in 724, with tanka.
やすみしし 我ご大君の 常宮と 仕へ奉れる 雜賀野ゆ そがひに見ゆる 沖つ島 淸き渚に 風吹けば 白波騷き 潮干れば 玉藻刈りつつ 神代よりしかぞ貴き 玉津島山
| yasumisisi wago opokimi nö tökömiya tö tukapematureru sapigano yu sögapi ni miyuru oki tu sima kiyoki nagisa ni kaze fukeba siranami sawaki sipo pureba tamamo karitutu kamuyo yori sika zö taputoki tamatusimayama |
All-knowing, My great lord: From the eternal palace, Wherein we serve, On the field of Sahiga, Looking back At the isles far offshore: Where on the fresh, clean shoreline With the blowing of the wind, Breakers roar And with the ebbing of the tide, They go cutting jewelled seaweed: From the age of gods An awesome, Jewelled mountain isle. |
Envoy:
あしひきの山にも野にも御狩人さつ矢手挾み騷きてあり見ゆ
| asipiki nö yama ni mo no ni mo mikaribitö satuya tabasami sawakiteari miyu |
Among leg-straining Mountains and the fields, too, His Majesty’s huntsmen, Game-bows in hand, Noisily advance-what a sight! |
The ordering of the above poems is not known precisely. For the sake of convenience, they are presented in the order here.
やすみしし 我ご大君は み吉野の 秋津の小野の 野の上には 跡見据ゑ置きて み山には 射目立て渡し 朝狩に 獸踏み起し 夕狩に 鳥踏み立て 馬竝めて 御狩ぞ立たす 春の茂野に
| yasumisisi wago opokimi pa miyosino nö akidu nö wono no no nö pë ni pa tomi suweokite miyama ni pa ime tatewatasi asa kari ni sisi pumiokosi, yupu kari ni töri pumitate uma namete mikari zö tatasu paru nö sigeno ni |
All-knowing, My great lord, In Yoshino, On the field of Akizu, On the very plain, Has placed his trackers, And in the mountains, Has built his hides; On the morning hunt, The beasts are beaten out, And with the evening hunt, The birds are startled up; Lining up the horses, He departs on his hunt, Through the lush fields in springtime. |
ぬばたまの夜の更けゆけば久木生ふる淸き川原に千鳥しば鳴く
| nubatama nö yo nö pukeyukeba pisakï opuru kiyoki kapara ni tidöri siba naku |
When lily-seed dark Night has fallen, By the red-oak growing Along the clear river’s edge The plovers constantly call. |