Composed as a love poem, when he presented a hundred poem sequence.
おもへどもいはでの山に年をへてくちやはてなん谷のむもれ木
| omoFedomo iFade no yama ni tosi wo Fete kuti ya Fate nan tani no mumoregi | I think on you, yet Stay silent as the Iwade Moutains Through the passing years Might my love rot away, as A drowned tree within the valley? |
Master of the Left Capital Office Akisuke
Third Rank Lay Priest [Minamoto no Yorimasa] summoned his retainer, Watanabe Chōjitsu.
‘Take my head,’ he ordered, but overcome with the sorrow of taking his master’s life, Chōjitsu cried, overcome with tears, ‘Such a service is unthinkable. I would only dare to do it afterwards, should my Lord take his own life.’
‘I see,’ Yorimasa replied, then faced the west and chanted the name of Amida Buddha ten times in a loud voice, before reciting:
埋木の花さく事も無かりしにみのなるはてぞ哀なりける
| umoregi no hana saku koto mo nakarishi ni mi no naru hate zo aware narikeru | On a drowned tree Blossoms flower Not a one— To reach the end of life Is sad, indeed! |
With these as his last words, he ran the tip of his great sword through his belly, collapsing over it and died. At such a time, one would not normally be able to compose a poem, but Yorimasa had loved the Way of Waka extravagantly since he was young, so at the last he did not forget it.
The same Major Counsellor, writing vertically upon delicate scarlet paper.
年ふともいはで朽ちぬる埋木の下の心はふりぬ恋かな
| toshi futomo iwade kuchinuru umoregi no shita no kokoro wa furinu koi kana | The years pass by, yet Without a word, has rotted The drowned tree— Beneath it, my heart Has grown old with love! |
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In reply
ふかからぬ水無瀬の川の埋木はしたの恋路は年ふりぬとも
| fukakaranu minase no kawa no umoregi wa shita no koiji wa toshi furinu tomo | There’s no depth to The River Minase, where Drowned trees lie— Beneath, the paths of love Have grown old in years, and yet… |
Chikuzen, Daughter of Prince Yasusuke
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