On warblers on the road to the barrier, while at the Poetry Office.
鶯のなけどもいまだふる雪に杉の葉しろき逢坂の山
uguisu no
nakedomo imada
furu yuki ni
sugi no ha shiroki
ausaka no yama | The warbler
Has sung, yet still
Falling snow
Turns white the cedar needles
On the mount of Meeting Hill. |
The Senior Retired Emperor [Gotoba]
あふさかの関の山みちこえわびぬ昨日も今日も雪しつもれば
ausaka no
seki no yamamichi
koewabinu
kinō mo kyō mo
yuki shi tsumoreba | At Meeting Hill
The mountain trail up to the barrier
Would be a trial to pass,
For yesterday and today, too,
‘Tis piled with drifted snow… |
585
会坂の関屋もいづらやましなの音羽の滝の音にききつつ
ausaka no
sekiya mo izura
yamashina no
otowa no taki no
oto ni kikitsutsu | Meeting Hill’s
Barrier hut: where might it be?
In Yamashina
The cataract at Otowa
Is the only sound I ever hear… |
461
音羽山やまおろし吹きてあふ坂の関の小川はこほりわたれり
otowayama
yama’oroshi fukite
ausaka no
seki no ogawa wa
kōriwatareri | From Mount Otowa
The chill winter wind blows down to
Meeting Hill, where
The stream by the barrier has
Frozen over. |
335
あふさかのせきの関屋の板びさしまばらなればや花のもるらん
ausaka no
seki no sekiya no
itabisashi
mabara nareba ya
hana no moruran | At Meeting Hill
The barrier hut’s
Boarded eaves must
Be fitted ill for
Blossom seems to be fluttering through. |
Created with Soan.
相坂のあらしの風にちる花をしばしとどむる関守ぞなき
ausaka no
arashi no kaze ni
chiru hana o
shibashi todomuru
sekimori zo naki | On Meeting Hill
The storm winds
Scatter blossom, but
To detain them briefly is
There no barrier warden. |
名にしおはばいざ尋ねみん逢坂の関路ににほふ花はありやと
na ni shi owaba
iza tazunemin
ausaka no
sekiji ni niou
hana wa ari to ya | If your name holds true, then
Why should I not visit you?
At Meeting Hill
Is the roadway to the barrier aglow
With blossom, I wonder? |
Created with Soan.
Blossom on the way to a barrier.
たづねみるかひはまことに逢坂の関路ににほふ花にぞ有りける
tazune miru
kai wa makoto ni
ausaka no
sekiji ni niou
hana ni zo arikeru | Paying a visit here
Truly had some point to it, for
At Meeting Hill
The roadway to the barrier is aglow
With blossom! |
Created with Soan.
Composed saying he would pass the barrier at Meeting Hill at night.
あふ坂の関には人もなかりけりいは井の水のもるにまかせて
aFusaka no
seki ni Fa Fito mo
nakarikeri
iFawi no midu no
moru ni makasete | At Meeting Hill’s
Barrier of folk
There is no sign—
To the water from the rocky spring’s
Guarded dripping is it entrusted… |
Hōribe no Narinaka
Created with Soan.
Composed on love at the barrier of Meeting Hill by His Majesty, when his gentlemen were drawing out the names of places and composing poems on them.
あふさかのなをもたのまじ恋すれば関のし水に袖はぬれけり
aFusaka no
na wo mo tanomazi
koFisureba
seki no simidu ni
sode Fa nurekeri | Meeting Hill—
An untrustworthy name, indeed!
My passions
Dammed, the spring waters by the barrier
Have soaked my sleeves. |
Imperial Composition [Emperor Shirakawa]
Created with Soan.
'Simply moving and elegant'
