Composed during the reign of Retired Emperor En’yū (959-991; r. 969-984), on the occasion of the second imperial excursion to the Horikawa Palace.
水上のさだめてければ君が代にふたゝびすめる堀川の水
minakami wo
sadametekereba
kimi ga yo ni
Futatabi sumeru
ForikaFa no midu |
The river’s source
Is ordained, so
Your Majesty’s reign
Has once again made crystal clear
The waters of Horikawa River. |
Sone no Yoshitada
曾禰好忠
Topic unknown.
深くしも賴まざらなむ君ゆへに雪踏分けてよなよなぞ行く
Fukaku si mo
tanomazaranamu
kimi yuFe ni
yuki Fumiwakete
yona yona zo yuku |
Great (and deep)
My expectations are not, yet
For you
I forge through the snow
Night after night, making my way. |
Sone no Yoshitada
曾禰好忠
Topic unknown.
來たりともぬるまもあらじ夏の夜の有明の月も傾ぶきにけり
kitaritomo
nuru ma mo arazi
natu no yo no
ariake no tuki mo
katabukinikeri |
Even had he come
There’d be no time to sleep;
For on this Summer night
The moon towards its setting place
Inclines already. |
Sone no Yoshitada
曾禰好忠
Topic unknown.
播磨なる飾磨に染むるあながちに人をこひしとおもふころかな
Farima naru
sikama ni somuru
anagati ni
Fito wo koFisi to
omoFu koro kana |
In the land of Harima
Lies Shikama-dyers’ town-
I’m completely sunk
In my love for her
Now, I feel! |
Sone no Yoshitada
曾禰好忠
Composed in the conception of year’s end.
魂まつる年のをはりになりにけり今日にや又もあはむとすらむ
tama maturu
tosi no woFari ni
narinikeri
keFu ni ya mata mo
aFamu to suramu |
The soul celebration
At year’s end
Is upon me;
This day: will it come again
For me, I wonder? |
Sone no Yoshitada
曾禰好忠
Topic unknown.
山ふかみ落ちてつもれるもみぢ葉のかはけるうへに時雨ふるなり
yama Fukami
otite tumoreru
momidiba no
kaFakeru uFe ni
sigure Furu nari |
In the mountains’ depths
Fallen, piled high,
Scarlet autumn leaves
Have dried-atop them
A shower falls, it seems. |
Sone no Yoshitada
曾禰好忠
Topic unknown.
ひさぎおふる澤邊の茅原冬くればひばりの床ぞあらはれにける
Fisagi oFuru
saFabe no tiFara
Fuyu kureba
Fibari no toko zo
araFarenikeru |
Catalpa grows
By the marshside thatch-reed beds;
With Winter
Skylark nests
Have appeared. |
Sone no Yoshitada
曾禰好忠
Topic unknown.
なにごともゆきて祈らむと思ひしに神無月にもなりにけるかな
nani goto mo
yukite inoramu to
omoFisi ni
kaminaduki ni mo
narinikeru kana |
For all my needs
I would go to pray
Or so I thought, but
The Godless Month
Is already upon me, it seems. |
Sone no Yoshitada
曾禰好忠
Topic unknown.
山里はゆききの道のみえぬまで秋の木の葉にうづもれにけり
yamazato Fa
yukiki no miti no
mienu made
aki no ko no Fa ni
udumorenikeri |
This mountain home:
The path to and from the door
Lies unseen:
Leaves from the Autumn trees
Have buried it completely. |
Sone no Yoshitada
曾禰好忠
Topic unknown.
草枯れの冬までみよと露霜のをきてのこせる白菊の花
kusagare no
Fuyu made miyo to
tuyu simo no
wokite nokoseru
siragiku no Fana |
The grass is sere
In winter-til then, behold!
Dewdrops and frost
Fallen, removed and remaining
Upon white chrysanthemum blooms. |
Sone no Yoshitada
曾禰好忠
'Simply moving and elegant'