Two poems composed by a maiden of the Yosami, the wife of Hitomaro, Lord Kakinomoto, after his death.
今日今日と我が待つ君は石川の峽に交りてありといはずやも
| kepu kepu tö wa ga matu kimi pa isikapa nö kapi ni mazirite ari tö ipazu ya mo |
‘Will it be this day, or this day?’ The man I’m waiting for Ishikawa’s Pass has entered Can’t you say? |
A song the Kojiki attributes to Prince Kinashi no Karu, immediately before his joint suicide with his lover and sister, Princess Sotôshi. It seems more likely, however, that the song was originally a lament.
隱り國の 泊瀨の河の 上つ瀨に 齋杙を打ち 下つ瀨に 眞杙を打ち 齋杙には 鏡を懸け 眞杙には 眞玉を懸け 眞玉如す 吾が思ふ妹 鏡如す 吾が思ふ妻 ありと言はばこそに 家にも行かめ 國をも偲はめ
| kömöriku nö patuse nö kapa nö kami tu se ni ikupi wo uti simo tu se ni ma kupi wo uti i kupi ni pa kagami wo kakë makupi ni pa matama wo kakë matama nasu a ga möpu imo kagami nasu a ga möpu tuma ari tö ipaba kösö ni ipe ni mö yukamë kuni wo mö sinopamë |
In a hidden land Flows the River Hatsuse: In the upper shallows Was driven in a sacred stake; And in the lower shallows, Was driven in a true stake. On the sacred stake Hangs a mirror; And on the true stake Hangs a pure jewel. As a jewel Was my beloved; As a mirror Was my wife: Were she only there, I would return to my house, I would return to my home. |
This song, also attributed to Emperor Ōjin, is generally interpreted as referring to the missed opportunities of love, with the water shield being a metaphor for a maiden.
水溜る 依網の池の 堰杙打ちが 插しける知らに 蓴繰り 延へく知らに 我が心しぞ いや愚にして 今ぞ悔しき
| midu tamaru yosami no ike no wigupi uti ga sasikeru sira ni nunapa kuri papeku sira ni wa ga kokoro si zo iya wokonisite ima zo kuyasiki |
Water flows and rises At Yosami Pond: Driving in the dam piles, Slipping in the stakes, I saw it not. A water shield Spread out its leaves, I saw it not. My heart, indeed, Was foolish And now fills with regret. |
いさ子ども 野蒜摘みに 蒜摘みに 我が行く道の 香ぐはし 花橘は 上枝は 鳥居枯(が)らし 下枝は 人取り枯らし 三つ栗の 中つ枝の ほつもり 赤ら孃子を いざささば 良らしな
| iza kodomo no biru tumi ni piru tumi ni wa ga yuku miti no kagupasi pana tatibana potue pa tori wigarasi sidue pa pito torigarasi mitu guri no naka tu e no potumori akara wotome wo izasasaba yorasi na |
Hey, now, boys! I went picking onions in the fields: Going picking onions, Along the road I travelled Was sweet smelling Orange blossom: The upper branches, Plucked bare by birds; The bottom branches Stripped by men; But, as three chestnut trees, Among centre branches Fruit remained: A ruddy maiden! If I asked her along, Wonderful! |
A pair of light-hearted wooing songs: these are attributed to the Emperor Ōjin (r. 270-310), although it seems unlikely he composed them.
この蟹や 何處の蟹 百傳ふ 角鹿の蟹 橫去らふ 何處に到る 伊知遲嶋 美嶋に著き 鳰鳥の 潛き息づき しなだゆふ 佐佐那美路を すくすくと 我が行ませばや 木幡の道に 遇はしし孃子 後姿は 小だてろかも 齒竝みは 椎菱如す 櫟井の 丸邇坂の土を 初土は 膚赤らげみ 底土は 舟黑き故 三つ栗の その中つ土を かぶつく 眞火(ひ)には當てず 眉畫き 濃に畫き垂れ 遇はしし女人 かもがと 我が見し子ら かくもがと 我が見し子に うたたけだに 對(むか)ひ居るかも い添ひ居るかも
| kono kani ya iduku no kani momodutapu tunuga no kani yoko sarapu iduku ni itaru itidi sima mi sima ni toki mipodori no kaduki ikiduki sinadayupu sasanamidi wo sukusuku to wa ga imaseba ya kopata no miti ni apasisi wotome usirode pa wodateroka mo pa nami pa pipi pisi nasu itipiwi no wanisa no ni wo patuni pa pada aragemi sipani pa niguroki yuwe mitu kuri no sono naka tu ni wo kabutuku mapi ni pa atezu mayogaki ko ni kakitare apasisi womina kakumogato wa ga misi ko ra kaku mo ga to a ga misi ko ni utatake dani mukapi woru kamo isopi woru kamo |
Hey, this crab! Where’s it from? Crab from far distant Tsunuga. Walking sideways Whither is it bound? At Ichiji Isle And the Isle of Mi, I arrive: A grebe, Taking deep breaths On the rising, falling Road to Sasanami. Slipping Along On the road to Kohata I met a maiden. From behind, She was slender as a shield; Her rows of teeth, Like sweet acorns and water chestnuts; From Wanisa, In Ichihii, the clay: The first dug clay Is bright red; The bottom clay Is reddish black, so, As three chestnut trees, The middle clay- (But not with a fierce Fire baked)- Her eyebrows painted, Thickly painted. The maid I met I knew she would be that way, The girl I saw; I thought she would be this way, Of the girl I saw. What a turnaround! She’s facing me; She’s nestling next to me! |
宇陀の 高城に 鴫罠張る 我が待つや 鴫は障らず いすくはし くぢら障る 前妻が 肴乞はさば 立柧ばの 實の無けくを こきしひゑね 後妻が 肴乞はさば いちさかき 實の多けくを こきだひゑね ええ しやごしや 此はいのごふそ ああ しやごしや 此は嘲わらふぞ
| uda no takaki ni sigi wana paru wa ga matu ya sigi pa sayarazu isukupasi kudira sayaru konami ga na kopasaba tatisoba no mi no nakeku wo kokisi piwene upanari ga na kopasaba itisakaki mi no opokeku wo kokida piwene ee si ya gosi ya ko pa inogopu so aa si ya gosi ya ko pa azawarapu zo |
At Uda By the hilltop fort I set a net for snipe. Ah, though I waited I caught not a one. An awesome Whale, I caught! If my old wife Demands a dish, A thin slice With little meat I’ll cut for her. If my young wife Demands a dish, A thick slice With much meat I’ll cut for her. Ee Si ya gosi ya! This is lively! Aa Si ya gosi ya! This is a hoot! |
Whereupon Princess Suseri took a wine cup and sang to him:
八千矛の 神の命や 吾が大国主 汝こそは 男に坐せば 打ち廻る 嶋の埼埼 かき廻る 磯の埼落ちず 若草の 妻持たせらめ 吾はもよ 女にしあれば 汝を除て 男は無し 汝を除て 夫は無し 綾垣の ふはやが下に 苧衾 柔やが下に たく衾 さやぐが下に あわ雪の 若やる胸を たく綱の 白き腕 そだたき たたきまながり 眞玉手 玉手さし枕き 百長に 寢をし寢せ 豊御酒 奉らせ
| yatipökö nö kami nö miköto ya a ga opokuninusi na kösö pa wo ni imaseba utimiru sima nö sakizaki kakimïru iso nö saki otizu wakakusa nö tuma mötaseramë a pa mö yö me ni si areba na wo kite wo pa nasi na wo kite tuma pa nasi ayakaki nö pupaya ga sita ni musibusuma nikoya ga sita ni takubusuma sayagu ga sita ni awayuki nö wakayaru mune wo takuduno nö siroki tadamuki södataki tataki managari matamade tamade sasimaki momonaga ni i wo si nase töyö miki tatematurase |
Eight Thousand Spears, Mighty God, My great master of the land, Were I A man Circling The islands’ promontories, Progressing. On every beach As young grass I would have a wife. But I, As I am a woman, Save you, I have no man; Save you, No husband. Beneath twill curtains Fluttering; Beneath warm coverlets of silk grass Softly; Beneath mulberry cloth coverlets Rustling, The melting snow Of my youthful breast With mulberry-cloth White arms Enfold. Entwining, gazing: Pure jewelled hand Pillowed upon hand Forever Shall we sleep! This august wine I present to you. |
Following Yachihoko’s successful wooing of Princess Nunakawa, his principal wife, Princess Suseri, became exceedingly jealous. On one occasion, when he was about to take his leave of her, he sang thus:
ぬばたまの 黑き御衣を まつぶさに 取り裝ひ 沖つ鳥 胸見る時 はたたぎも これは適はず 邊つ波 そに脱き棄て そに鳥の 靑き御衣を まつぶさに 取り裝ひ 沖つ鳥 胸見る時 はたたぎも 此も適はず 邊つ波 そに脱ぎ棄て 山縣に 蒔きし あたね舂き 染木が汁に 染め衣を まつぶさに 取り裝ひ 沖つ鳥 胸見る時 はたたぎも 此し宜し いとこやの 妹の命 群鳥の 我が群れ往なば 引け鳥の 我が引け往なば 泣かじとは 汝(な)は言ふとも 山處の 一本薄 項傾し 汝が泣かさまく 朝雨の 霧に立たむぞ 若草の 妻の命 事の 語言も 是をば
| nubatama nö kuroki mikesi wo matubusa ni töriyösöpi oki tu töri muna miru toki patatagi mö köre pa pusapazu pe tu nami sö ni nukiute sonidöri nö awoki mikesi wo matubusani töriyösöpi oki tu töri muna miru töki patatagi mö kö mö pusapazu pe tu nami sö ni nukiute yamagata ni makisi atane tuki sömëki ga siru ni somekoromo wo matubusani töriyösöpi oki tu töri muna miru töki patatagi mo kö si yörösi itoko ya nö imo nö mikötö muradöri nö wa ga mureinaba pikëtori no wa ga pikëinaba nakazi tö pa na pa ipu tömö yamatö nö pitö mötö susuki unagabusi na ga nakasamaku asa amë nö kiri ni tatamu zo wakakusa nö tuma no mikoto kötö nö katarigötö mo kö wo ba |
Lily seed Black, my garb: Completely Decked out in finery. A bird upon the shore, Preens the down upon its breast, And flaps its wings: That won’t do. As a wave from the shore, I pull them off and drop them. Kingfisher Blue, my garb: Completely Decked out in finery. A bird upon the shore, Preens the down upon its breast, And flaps its wings: That won’t do. As a wave from the shore, I pull them off and drop them. In the mountain fields, Scattered. Grinding madder: Liquid from the roots Dyed red my garb: Completely Decked out in finery. A bird upon the shore Preens the down upon its breast And flaps its wings. This is fabulous! My men, My lady, Are a flock of birds, We go all together; As a single bird I am dragged along. ‘I’ll not cry!’ Though you say so, In the mountains A single stalk of pampas grass Droops down. Your tears now, As morning rain Rise through the mists. Fresh as grass, My wife. The words, The spoken words, Are like this. |