[One of] four poems from the province of Etchū.
弥彦おのれ神さび青雲のたなびく日すら小雨そほ降る
iyapiko
wonore kamusabi
awokumo no
tanabiku pi sura
kosame sopopuru |
O, Iyahiko!
Your very form fills me with awe:
Clouds of grey
Trail round by day – even then
Showers drizzle down… |
恋草に染かへりたる色なれば思ひそめけむ日をぞ恨むる
koFigusa ni
simikaFeritaru
iro nareba
omoFisomekemu
Fi wo zo uramuru |
The lovely grasses’
Have ever staining
Hues, so
When it seemed I was first deeply dyed with love –
That day I do hate! |
Minamoto no Toshiyori
源俊頼
若草をただかりそめに見し日より束も逢へぬものをこそ思へ
wakakusa wo
tada karisome ni
misi Fi yori
tukane mo aFenu
mono wo koso omoFe |
The fresh young grass
But briefly
Did I see that day, and ever since
That I did not sheaf it together
Has been the focus of my thoughts… |
Minamoto no Toshiyori
源俊頼
Left (Win).
恋ひわびて片敷く袖はかへせどもいつかは妹が夢に見えける
koFiwabite
katasiku sode Fa
kaFesedomo
itu ka Fa imo ga
yume ni miekeru |
Tortured with love
My single spread sleeve
I do reverse, yet
When will my darling
Appear in my dreams? |
The Holy Teacher 闍梨
[Ryūgen 隆源]
29
Right.
我が心ときぞともなく乱るれど日だに暮るれば恋ひ添はりけり
wa ga kokoro
toki zo tomonaku
midaruredo
Fi dani kurureba
koFisoFarikeri |
My heart
With every passing hour
Is more distraught, yet
Even when the day does dim
Love is my companion. |
Bichū 備中
[Minamoto no Nakazane 源仲実]
30
On parting.
朝戸出の君が姿をよく見ずて長き春日を恋ひや暮らさむ
asa tode no
kimi ga sugata wo
yoku mizute
nagaki parupi wo
kopi ya kurasamu |
In the morning, opening the door
My lord’s form
I could not see well, so
How through this long spring day
Can I live with my love? |
Topic unknown.
日にそへて憂事のみも増る哉暮ては頓て明けずもあらなむ
Fi ni soFete
uki koto nomi mo
masaru kana
kurete Fa yagate
akezu mo aranamu |
All throughout the day
My misery alone
Has been overwhelming;
And with the dusk, in the end
It seems there is no hope of dawn. |
The Former Nishinomiya Minister of the Left
西宮前左大臣
(Minamoto no Taka’akira 源高明)
夏の日の俄かに曇る夕立の思ひもかけぬ世にもあるかな
natu no Fi no
niFka ni kumoru
yuFudati no
omoFi mo kakenu
yo ni mo aru kana |
A summer day
Briefly clouded by
An evening shower:
How unexpected
Is this world! |
A poem by the Governor-General of Dazai, Lord Ōtomo.
橘の花散る里の霍公鳥片恋しつつ鳴く日しぞ多き
tatibana no
pana tiru sato no
pototogisu
kata kopisitutu
naku pi si zo opoki |
Orange
Blossom scatters round my estate where
The cuckoo
For unrequited love
Does cry on many a day… |
Ōtomo no Tabito
Two poems composed on birds.
霍公鳥今来鳴きそむあやめぐさかづらくまでに離るる日あらめや
pototogisu
ima kinakisomu
ayamegusa
kaduraku made ni
karuru pi arame ya |
The cuckoo
Has now begun to sing;
Until sweet-flags
Garland all
Will there be any days he flies away? |
Ōtomo no Yakamochi
別れにし手束の弓の白鳥を紀の川ゆすり恋ひぬ日ぞなき
wakarenishi
tatsuka no yumi no
shiratori o
ki no kawa yuzuri
koinu hi zo naki |
We did part, and
Bow in hand,
Like a swan
Swaying on the River Ki
There’s not a day that I don’t love you… |
Minamoto no Shunrai
源俊頼
'Simply moving and elegant'