あふせをば流れてとこそたのめしかいかにとだにも音なしのたき
ause oba
nagarete to koso
tanomeshi ka
ika ni to dani mo
otonashi no taki | Our meeting, like the rapids,
Will flow on—can I
Trust in that?
However much they seem
The silenced cataract of Otonashi… |
Lady Ki
39
In reply.
すみわぶる名をながさじとつつむまにしばしよどむぞ音なしの滝
sumiwaburu
na no nagasaji to
tsutsumu ma ni
shibashi yodomu zo
otonashi no taki | Living on in sorrow and
Letting no word of it flow out—
Thus wrapped up
Briefly stilled has been
The cataract of Otonashi. |
Supernumerary Minor Captain Morotoki
40
つらきをば思ひはれじとおもへども身をしる雨の所せくかな
tsuraki oba
omoihareji to
omoedomo
mi o shiru ame no
tokoroseku kana | Your cruelty
Would never vanish from my thoughts,
I felt, but
The gentle rain knows me too well—
How unmanageable it is! |
Kodashin
37
In reply.
おもはずにふりそふ雨の歎をばみかさの山をさしてちかはん
omowazu ni
furisou ame no
nageki oba
mikasa no yama o
sashite chikanan | Unexpectedly,
Rainfall covers all
With grief, as
On Mount Mikasa, my umbrella
I raise as it draws near. |
Supernumerary Middle Counsellor Toshitada
38
うきながら人もつらしとしりぬればことわりなくも落つる涙か
ukinagara
hito mo tsurashi to
shirinureba
kotowarinaku mo
otsuru namida ka | ‘Tis cruel, but, that
Folk are heartless,
I know too well, so
Does it make no sense for
My tears to fall? |
Kai, from the Shijō Palace
35
In reply.
かりそめのたえまを待つや恨むべきことわりなきは涙なりけり
karisome no
taema o matsu ya
uramubeki
kotowarinaki wa
namida narikeri | A temporary
Respite are you awaiting—
Should you hate that?
What makes no sense
Are your tears… |
The Supernumerary Master of the Left Capital Office
36
玉さかに相坂山の真葛原まだうらわかし恨みはてじな
tamasaka ni
aisakayama no
makuzuwara
mada urawakashi
uramihateji na | By chance,
On Aisaka Mountain
The fields of arrowroot are
Still so young—
O, do not end up despising them! |
Lady Tsu, in service to the Former Kamo Virgin
33
In reply.
夏山の下はふくずのうらわかみまだきに露の心おくらん
natsuyama no
shita hau kuzu no
urawakami
madaki ni tsuyu no
kokoro okuran | On the summer mountains
The arrowroot, creeping beneath,
Seems so young that
Swiftly will the dewdrops
Fall upon its heart. |
The Minister of Justice
34
うらみかねさ夜の衣を人しれず思ひかへせどなぐさまぬかな
uramikane
sayo no koromo o
hito shirezu
omoikaesedo
nagusamanu kana | Unable to despise you,
On this brief night, my robe,
Unknown to all,
I did reverse in constant thought of you, but
It brought me no comfort, at all! |
Kii, from the Ichijō Palace
31
In reply.
ひたすらにさよの衣にことよせてうらなき人を恨みざらなん
hitasura ni
sayo no koromo ni
kotoyosete
uranaki hito o
uramizaranan | Truly,
On this brief night, your robe
Is but a pretext—
An unfeeling lady
I would not despise! |
The Governor of Mimasaka
32
Round Seventeen
Left
東路のさやの中山なかなかに見えぬものからこひしかるらん
azumaji no
saya no nakayama
nakanaka ni
mienu mono kara
koishikaruran | On eastern roads lies
Saya no Nakayama:
I really
Cannot see it at all, so
I seem to love it all the more… |
32
Right
This poem is missing from the surviving texts of the contest.
Round Sixteen
Left
ひとたびもこひしとおもふに恋しきは心ぞそらにくだくべらなる
hitotabi mo
koishi to omou ni
koishiki wa
kokoro zo sora ni
kudakuberanaru | Briefly
Did I love you, I feel, then
My fondness with
My heart into the skies
Was surely shattered. |
30
Right
人を思ふ心はわれにあらねばや身のまどふだにしられざるらん
hito o omou
kokoro wa ware ni
araneba ya
mi no madou dani
shirazaruran | A loving
Heart do I
Have not? For
Even confused feelings
I do not seem to feel… |
31
Round Fifteen
Left
逢ふ事のかたきしなれば白波の立ちよる数はわれのみぞしる
au koto no
katakishi nareba
shiranami no
tachiyoru kazu wa
ware nomi zo shiru | Meeting you is
A distant cliff, so
The whitecaps’
Numbers breaking there
I alone do know. |
28
Right
佗びぬればしひてわすれんとおもへども心よわくも落つるなみだか
wabinureba
shiite wasuren to
omoedomo
kokoro yowaku mo
otsuru namida ka | I suffer, so
I’ll make myself forget,
I think, yet
Is it my fragile heart that
Drips with tears? |
29
Love
Round Fourteen
Left
逢ふ事をいづくなりともしらぬ身の我がたましひの猶まどふかな
au koto o
izuku nari tomo
shiranu mi no
wa ga tamashii no
nao madou kana | Meeting you,
When will it be?
Not knowing that
My soul is
Yet lost! |
26
Right (Win)
あふことはまつにてとしのへぬるかな身はすみの江におひぬものから
au koto wa
matsu nite toshi no
henuru kana
mi wa suminoe ni
oinu mono kara | To meet with you
I have pined, and the years
Have passed!
For my flesh at Suminoe
Has grown… |
27
Round Thirteen
Left
うらちかくふりくる雪はしら波のすゑの松山こすかとぞみる
ura chikaku
furikuru yuki wa
shiranami no
sue no matsuyama
kosu ka to zo miru | Close by the beach
The snow comes falling upon
The whitecaps—that
The pine-topped peak of Sue
The might o’ercome it does appear! |
Fujiwara no Okikaze
24
Right
みよしのの山の白雪つもるらしふる里さむく成りまさるなり
miyoshino no
yama no shirayuki
tsumorurashi
furusato samuku
narimasaru nari | On fair Yoshino
Mountain white snow fall
Drifts high, it seems,
For in this ancient place the chill
Grows ever stronger. |
Sakanoue no Korenori
25[1]
[1] Kokinshū VI: 325: Composed at the place he was staying when he had gone to the Nara capital.
'Simply moving and elegant'