Composed for a folding screen with a picture suited to a month of the year upon it.
あふさかの関のし水に影見えて今やひくらんもち月のこま
| aFusaka no seki no simidu ni kage miete ima ya Fikuran motiduki no koma | In Ausaka Barrier’s spring waters Are they reflected; Is it now they’re taken hence, The colts of Mochizuki? |
Ki no Tsurayuki
Love and Barriers.
恋しさをなげかざらまし吾妹子に逢坂山の関なかりせば
| koishisa o nagekazaramashi wagimoko ni ausakayama no seki nakariseba | Her sweetness Would be no source of sorrow, Had not my darling The Mount of Meeting Hill’s Barrier before her… |
Fujiwara no Tadamichi
Falling Leaves
あふさかのかけひの水にながるるは音羽の山のもみぢなりけり
| ausaka no kakehi no mizu ni nagaruru wa otowa no yama no momiji narikeri | At Meeting Hill The waters from the pipes Do run With Otowa Mountain’s Scarlet leaves. |
Minamoto no Kanemasa
源兼昌
An ancient-styled poem to supplement a long poem.
君が世に相坂山の岩清水木隠れたりと思ける哉
| kimi ga yo ni aFusakayama no iFasimidu kogakuretari to omoFikeru kana |
Your Majesty’s reign Is welcome so, as on the mount of Meeting Hill, Spring water from the crags Is hidden in the trees, thus I am I sunk in thought! |
Mibu no Tadamine
Left (Tie).
先の世に契らざりける身の憂さや逢坂山の君が関守
| saki no yo ni chigirazarikeru mi no usa ya ausakayama no kimi ga sekimori |
In a previous life We made no vow – Is that why all’s so cruel? On the Mount of Meeting Hill Barrier wardens stand before you! |
Lord Kanemune
1003
Right.
頼めてもまだ越えぬまは相坂の関も名こその心地こそすれ
| tanometemo mada koenu ma wa ausaka no seki mo na koso no kokochi koso sure |
However much I hope While I have yet to cross Meeting Hill’s Barrier, of Nakoso does it Just remind me! |
Ietaka
1004
The Right state: we wonder about the use of ‘Barrier wardens stand before you’ (kimi ga sekimori). The Left state: the Right’s poem lacks any faults to indicate.
In judgement: both Left and Right’s ‘Meeting Hills’ lack faults or merits. Thus, the round ties.
Left (Tie).
身に堪へぬ思ひを須磨の関据ゑて人に心をなどとどむらん
| mi ni taenu omoi o suma no seki suete hito ni kokoro ni nado todomuran |
Unable to endure This love; at Suma By the barrier am I placed; Within my heart why Does she remain so firmly? |
Lord Sada’ie
999
Right.
逢坂の関のこなたに名をとめてこれより過ぐる嘆せよとや
| ausaka no seki no konata ni na o tomete kore yori suguru nageki seyo to ya |
On Meeting Hill Barrier’s inner side Must I stay, they say; Ever pass your days In grief! Is that your only message? |
Lord Takanobu
1000
The Right state: ‘This love; at Suma’ (omoi o suma) sounds antiquated. In addition, how can one be placed by the barrier? The Left state: in the Right’s poem what is the ‘passing grief’ (suguru nageki)?
In judgement: the Gentlemen of the Right’s criticism of wondering ‘how one can be placed by the barrier’ suggests they have never been installed as Barrier Wardens! Both ‘at Suma by the barrier’ and ‘Meeting Hill Barrier’ are of the same quality. The round should tie.
逢坂や旅行く人も篠原に一夜は宿り取らぬものかは
| aFusaka ya tabi yuku Fito mo sinoFara ni Fitoyo Fa yadori toranu mono ka Fa |
Is it for Meeting Hill that A traveller At Shinohara One single night Will not take his rest? |
Fujiwara no Yoshitaka (954-974)
藤原義孝
鹿の音の音羽の山に音せぬは妻に今宵や逢坂の関
| shika no ne no otowa no yama ni otosenu wa tsuma ni koyoi ya ausaka no seki |
The stag cries In the Otowa mountains Without a sound; Is his mate tonight at The barrier of Meeting Hill? |
Jakuren
Composed on the day Spring arrived.
逢坂の關をや春もこえつらむ音羽の山のけさはかすめる
| aFusaka no seki o ya Faru mo koeturamu wotoFa no yama no kesa fa kasumeru |
At Meeing Hill The barrier will spring, too, Pass beyond? In the Otowa Mountains This morning is all hazed. |
Tachibana no Toshitsuna (1028-1094)
橘俊綱
He had been secretly seeing the lady who had been sent to be the Ise Virgin, but when this became known to His Majesty, he put a guard upon her, and it was no longer possible to visit in secret, so he composed.
逢坂は東路とこそきゝしかど心盡しのせきにぞありける
| aFusaka Fa adumadi to koso kikisikado kokoro dukusi no seki ni zo arikeru |
Meeting Hill lies Upon the road to the East I had heard, and yet My heart is exhausted by The barrier here! |
Master of the Left Capital Office, Michimasa
左京大夫通雅