For a folding screen, where people were relaxing at a house with a pond, on the night of the 15th of the Eighth Month.
水のおもにてる月なみをかぞふればこよひぞ秋のも中なりける
| midu no omo ni teru tukinami wo kazoFureba koyoFi zo aki no monaka narikeru | Upon the water’s face Shine waves of moonlight; Counting reveals that Tonight is autumn’s Centrepoint! |
Minamoto no Shitagō
When he was passing the barrier at Shirakawa on the way to Michinoku.
たよりあらばいかでみやこへつげやらむけふしらかはの関はこえぬと
| tayori araba ikade miyako Fe tuge yaramu keFu sirakaFa no seki Fa koenu to | Had I but a messenger Somehow, to the capital I would send word— That today the Shirakawa Barrier I have passed through… |
Taira no Kanemori
In a reply to a letter sent by Shigeyuki at the end of autumn.
くれて行くあきのかたみに置く物はわがもとゆひの霜にぞ有りける
| kureteyuku aki no katami ni woku mono Fa wa ga motoyuFi no simo ni zo arikeru | Heading into twilight Autumn for a keepsake Falling upon My hair-tie is Frost! |
Taira no Kanemori
Putting the syllables of ‘maidenflower’ (ominaFesi) at the beginning of each line.
をぐら山みね立ちならしなくしかのへにける秋をしる人ぞなき
| wogurayama mine tatinarasi naku sika no Fenikeru aki wo siru Fito zo naki | Ogura Mountain’s Peak seems trampled down by The belling stags: Many autumns’ passing— No one knows it as they do! |
Tsurayuki
When a woman he had been conversing with turned cold, after he was unable to meet her.
あはれともいふべき人はおもほえで身のいたづらになりぬべきかな
| aFare to mo iFubeki Fito Fa omoFoede mi no itadura ni narinubeki kana | ‘That’s sad…’— Someone to say it: There’s none I can recall, so My death, That’s how it will be![i] |
The Ichijō Regent
[i] Also Ogura hyakunin isshu 45.
When her grandchild passed away.
うきながらきえせぬ物は身なりけりうらやましきは水のあわかな
| ukinagara kiesenu mono Fa mi narikeri urayamasiki Fa midu no awa kana | How cruel it is that What remains here yet Is me— How I envy The foam upon the waters! |
Nakatsukasa
When he was a gentleman-in-waiting[1] and had just started speaking to Masatada’s daughter.[2]
身にしみておもふ心のふかければつひに色にもいでぬべきかな
| mi ni simite omoFu kokoro no Fukakereba tuFi ni iro ni mo idenubeki kana | Within my flesh The feelings of my heart Are buried deep, but At long last my passions Can be revealed! |
Supernumerary Middle Counsellor Atsutada
[1] Atsutada was made a gentleman-in-waiting (jijū 侍従) on the 12th day of the First Month, Engi 延喜23 [31.1.923], dating this poem to after that point.
[2] The identity of this woman is unknown.
Sent when he saw the Tsutsumi Middle Counsellor Lady of the Bedchamber.[1]
あなこひしはつかに人をみづのあわのきえかへるともしらせてしかな
| ana koFisi Fatuka ni Fito wo midu no awa no kiekaFeru tomo sirasetesi kana | O, how strong my love! Faintly, a lady Did I see, who as foam upon the water Vanished once more, yet I had to let her know! |
The Ononomiya Palace Minister
[1] A reference to Fujiwara no Sōshi (Kuwako) 藤原桑子 (dates unknown), the daughter of Fujiwara no Kanesuke 藤原兼輔 (877-933), who was an Imperial Concubine to Emperor Daigo 醍醐 (885-930; r 897-930), and the mother of Imperial Prince Nori’akira 章明 (924-990).
Sent to a woman’s residence.
人しれぬおもひはとしもへにけれどわれのみしるはかひなかりけり
| Fito sirenu omoFi Fa tosi mo Fenikeredo ware nomi siru Fa kaFinakarikeri | Unknown to all are My passionate thoughts as the years Go by, yet that I, alone, am aware of them If pointless. |
The Ononomiya Palace Minister
On gazing at the moon.
世にふるに物思ふとしもなけれども月にいくたびながめしつらん
| yo ni Furu ni mono’omoFu to simo nakeredomo tuki ni ikutabi nagamesituran | Passing through this world Gloomy thoughts alway I have not, yet During this moon how many times Might I have gazed out here? |
Minister of Central Affairs, Prince Tomohira
