All posts by Thomas

KKS XVIII: 962

During the reign of the Tamura Emperor, when he was confined to Suma in the province of Tsu for certain reasons, he sent this to someone in the capital.

わくらばにとふ人あらばすまの浦にもしほたれつつわぶとこたへよ

wakuraba ni
toFu Fito araba
suma no ura ni
mosiFo taretutu
wabu to kotaFeyo
If of me
Folk should come enquiring, then as
On the beach at Suma
The seaweed ever drips,
I suffer—answer that!

Ariwara no Yukihira

MYS II: 107

A poem presented by Prince Ōtsu to the Elder Maiden of Ishikawa.

足日木乃 山之四付二 妹待跡 吾立所沾 山之四附二

あしひきの山のしづくに妹待つとわれ立ち濡れぬ山のしづくに

asipiki no
yama no siduku ni
imo matu to
ware tatinurenu
yama no siduku ni
On the leg-wearying
Mountain, among the droplets
I await my darling, so
Standing there, I’ll be drenched
By the mountain droplets!
A kuzushiji version of the poem's text.
Created with Soan.

GSS II: 56

When he participated in an archery display, during the reign of the Jōgan emperor [Seiwa].

けふ桜しづくにわが身いざぬれむかごめにさそふ風のこぬまに

keFu sakura
siduku ni wa ga mi
iza nuremu
kagome ni sasoFu
kaze no konu ma ni
Today let cherry blossom
Droplets my body
Drench!
For the scented
Breeze has yet to blow…

The Kawara Minister of the Left
[Minamoto no Tōru 源融 (822-895)]

Akazome Emon-shū 570

When I heard nothing more from a person who had vowed to go to see the scarlet leaves at Tonase with me.

うしろめたとくといそがで紅葉ばはとなせのたきのおちもこそすれ

ushirometa
tokuto isogade
momijiba wa
tonase no taki no
ochi mo koso sure
How untrustworthy!
You take care to make no haste, and
The scarlet leaves
At Tonase cataract, without a word
Will surely fall!
A kuzushiji version of the poem's text.
Created with Soan.

Egyō hōshi-shū 112

When various people went to view the scarlet leaves by the Ōi River in the Tenth Month.

大井河かはべのもみぢちらぬまはとなせのきしにながゐしぬべし

ōigawa
kawabe no momiji
chiranu ma wa
tonase no kishi ni
nagainubeshi
On the Ōi River’s
Riverside the scarlet leaves
Have yet to scatter, so
At Tonase’s bank
I would linger long.
A kuzushiji version of the poem's text.
Created with Soan.

Yōzei-in uta’awase (Engi jūsan-nen kugatsu kokonoka) 23

Left

あきといへばいまいくたびものこらぬををしむ心もともにつきつつ

aki to ieba
ima ikutabi mo
nokoranu o
oshimu kokoro mo
tomo ni tsukitsutsu
Speaking of the autumn,
Now, how many times is it that
Nothing remains, and
With a regretful heart
It is ever exhausted?

45

Right

をしむにもとまらぬあきの立ちゐてはうらみをのみやおもひでにせん

oshimu ni mo
tomaranu aki no
tachi’ite wa
urami o nomi ya
omoidenisen
Regrets that
Autumn lingers not
Arise, so
With despite alone
Will it be remembered?

46

Yōzei-in uta’awase (Engi jūsan-nen kugatsu kokonoka) 22

Left

をしめどもとまらぬ秋は常盤山もみぢはてぬとみてもゆるさじ

oshimedomo
tomaranu aki wa
tokiwayama
momiji hatenu to
mite mo yurusaji
I regret it, yet
Autumn lingers not
Upon the evergreen mountains
The scarlet leaves have yet to end,
I see and would not let them go.

43

Right

としごとにとまらぬ秋とおもひなばてもろき人もをしまざらまし

toshigoto ni
tomaranu aki to
omoinaba
temoroki hito mo
oshimazaramashi
If, that every single year
Autumn lingers not,
I did not think, then
Tear-filled folk
I would not have regret it.

44

Yōzei-in uta’awase (Engi jūsan-nen kugatsu kokonoka) 21

Left

いまはとてすぎゆく秋のかたみにはかぜのおくれにもみぢをやみん

ima wa tote
sugiyuku aki no
katami ni wa
kaze no okure ni
momiji o ya min
Might now be when
Departing autumn’s
Keepsake is
Presented on the breeze:
A glimpse of scarlet leaves?

41

Right

あきながらとしはくれなん紅葉ばをぬさとちらせる山のみねより

aki nagara
toshi wa kurenan
momijiba o
nusa to chiraseru
yama no mine yori
It’s autumn, so
The year has reached its dusk;
Scarlet leaves for
A garland are made to scatter
From the mountain peaks…

42

Yōzei-in uta’awase (Engi jūsan-nen kugatsu kokonoka) 20

Left

みにそへてもたらぬ秋ををしむとてくれん事こそわびしかりけれ

mi ni soete
motaranu aki o
oshimu tote
kuren koto koso
wabishikarikere
It mounts up,
Unreliable, autumn
Fills me with regret, and
That it fades into dusk, indeed,
Is truly sad.

39

Right

もみぢつつしぐれふりいでてゆく秋をみねの朝霧たちもとめなん

momijitsutsu
shigure furi’idete
yuku aki o
mine no asagiri
tachi mo tomenan
Ever marked with autumn hues
The showers fall on
Autumn as it goes;
The morning mist around the peak
Arises, then lingers on.

40