Category Archives: Horikawa-in enjo awase

Horikawa-in enjo awase 20

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

Horikawa-in enjo awase 19

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

Horikawa-in enjo awase 18

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

Horikawa-in enjo awase 17

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

Horikawa-in enjo awase 16

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

Horikawa-in Enjo Awase 15

人しれぬ袖ぞ露けき逢ふことはかれのみまさる山のした草

hito shirenu
sode zo tsuyukeki
au koto wa
kare nomi masaru
yama no shitagusa
Unknown to all
My sleeves are drenched with dew;
For our meetings
Excel only in being withered
As the scrub grass on the mountainside.

[Nakako,] The Suō Handmaid
29

In reply.

おく山の下かげ草はかれやする軒ばにのみはおのれなりつつ

oku yama no
shitakagegusa wa
kare ya suru
nokiba ni nomi wa
onore naritsutsu
Deep within the mountains, have
The grasses growing in the trees’ dark shade
Really withered away?
Simply beneath your eaves,
Is where I ever am…

The Consultant Middle Captain
30

A picture of the eaves of a traditional Japanese house.
Image by joyfultta from Pixabay

Horikawa-in Enjo Awase 14

きてなれし袂は人に見せてましつらき涙の色のかはらば

kitenareshi
tamoto wa hito ni
misetemashi
tsuraki namida no
iro no kawaraba
I was wont to wear
These sleeves—to him
I would display them:
If heartless tears
Should change their hues…

Yurika, from the Hall of the Junior Consort
27

In reply.

忍草しのぶる程のよがれにはなにに心も袖もぬるらん

shinobugusa
shinoburu hodo no
yogare ni wa
nani ni kokoro mo
sode mo nururan
A fond fern
I do recall as
My nightly visits cease, so
Why is my heart and
Sleeves, too, so drenched?

The Assistant Lieutenant of the Middle Palace Guards, Left Division
28

Horikawa-in Enjo Awase 13

おもひやれとはで程ふる五月雨に独やどもる袖の雫を

omoiyare
towade hodo furu
samidare ni
hitori yado moru
sode no shizuku o
Lost in thoughts of you,
Time without a visit passes by
As a summer shower
In my lonely home leaks
Droplets on my sleeves…

Lady Higo
25

In reply

世とともにさてのみこそはすぐししか思ひしりぬや袖の雫を

yo to tomo ni
sate nomi koso wa
sugushishika
omoishirinu ya
sode no shizuku o
Together with the world
All stayed the same
As it passed by;
Could I be ignorant of
The droplets on your sleeves?

The Middle Counsellor
26

Horikawa-in Enjo Awase 12

つらしともいざやいかがはいはし水あふせまだきにたゆる心は

tsurashi to mo
iza ya ikaga wa
iwashimizu
ause madaki ni
tayuru kokoro wa
How cruel!
Why as
Spring waters rushing from the rocks did
Our meeting swiftly
Did you wish to end?

Kazusa, in service to the Empress
23

In reply

世世ふともたえじとぞ思ふ神がきの岩ねをくぐる水の心は

yo yo futomo
taeji to zo omou
kamigaki no
iwane o kuguru
mizu no kokoro wa
Age upon age may pass, yet
Never shall we end, I feel, as from
The sacred precinct’s
Rocky roots flow
Waters—that is my heart!

24

Horikawa-in Enjo Awase 11

Later, on the second day of the Fifth Month, it appears that everyone, quite losing their composure, decorated their replies extravagantly and even painted pictures beneath them; later, on the seventh day of the same month, because His Majesty sent instructions to the ladies who had been present to compose love poems and attend him, on that day they attended him to present their poems.

ほととぎす待つにつけてもささがにのいづれの世にかしる時ぞ思ふ

hototogisu
matsu ni tsukete mo
sasagani no
izure no yo ni ka
shiru toki zo omou
A cuckoo
I do await, and yet
The tiny crab—
On which night is it?—
Will know the time, I hope!

Echizen
21

しるし有りてこぬよもあれや時鳥中中かけしくものふるまひ

shirushi arite
konu yo mo are ya
hototogisu
nakanaka kakeshi
kumo no furumai
Should there be a sign,
Would there really be a night he failed to come,
That cuckoo?
Truly to be trusted was
The spider’s spinning…

The Major Counsellor
22

A picture of a spider spinning a web.
Image by Ada K from Pixabay