When the former Ise Shrine Priestess was there and commanded that he join in a game of ishina tori awase, he composed this in the conception of celebration.
くもりなく豐さかのぼる朝日には君ぞつかへん萬代までに
| kumorinaku toyo sakanoboru asaFi ni Fa kimi zo tukaFen yorodu yo made ni |
Without a trace of cloud The bright, sky-climbing Morning sun Does so to serve my Lady, For a myriad years. |
Minamoto no Toshiyori
源俊頼
Composed in the conception of Felicitation.
君がよは富雄川の水すみてちとせをふとも絶えじとぞ思ふ
| kimi ga yo Fa tomi no wogaFa no midu sumite titose wo futomo taezi to zo omoFu |
My Lord’s reign Is rich-as the Tominowo River Waters clear and Though a thousand years pass Will never end, I feel. |
Minamoto no Tadasue
Composed on the spirit of Felicitation as part of a hundred poem sequence.
君が代は松の上葉にをく露のつもりてよもの海となるまで
| kimi ga yo Fa matu no uFaba ni woku tuyu no tumorite yomo no umi to naru made |
My Lord’s reign: Upon the pine tree tops The falling dew Builds up and on all sides A sea becomes-until then… |
Minamoto no Toshiyori
源俊頼
At a time when Retired Emperor Go-Sanjô (1034-73; r. 1068-1072) was still a prince and the present emperor [Shirakawa (1053-1129; r. 1072-1086)] was an infant; she had reason to thank him for his kindness in the matter of her daughter and composed this, sending it to him saying, ‘Look in a mirror.’
君みれば塵もくもらで萬代の齡をのみもますかゞみかな
| kimi mireba tiri mo kumorade yorodu yo no yoFaFi wo nomi mo masu kagami kana |
The sight of you, my lord: There’s not a speck of dust to cloud A myriad of years To come, naught else, shown Mounting in this clear glass. |
Ise no Taifu
Composed for the Seventh Night [festivities] on the birth of Retired Emperor Go-Suzaku (1009-1045; r. 1035-1045).
いとけなき衣の袖はせばくとも劫の上をば撫でつくしてん
| itokenaki koromo no sode Fa sebaku tomo koFu no uFe wo ba nade tukusiten |
An infant’s Garb has sleeves So narrow, yet An eternal stone With them could you rub away. |
Fujiwara no Kintō
藤原公任
When people were calling for her to pass the wine cup, having gathered for the Seventh Night [festivities] on the birth of Retired Emperor Go-Ichijō (1008-1036; r. 1016-1036).
めづらしき光さしそふさか月はもちながらこそ千代もめぐらめ
| medurasiki Fikari sasisoFu sakaduki Fa motinagara koso tiyo mo megurame |
Rare, The light shining from The moon upon this wine cup; In our grasp Let it circle for a thousand years! |
Murasaki Shikibu
紫式部
Written beside [a picture of] the Bridge of Nagara on a folding screen [made for] the [sixtieth birthday] celebrations of the Lay Priest Chancellor [Fujiwara no Kaneie (929-990)].
朽ちもせぬ長柄の橋の橋柱久しきほどの見えもするかな
| kuti mo senu nagara no Fasi no Fasibasira Fisasiki Fodo no mie mo suru kana |
Never touched by decay, The bridge of Nagara’s Bridge pillars Endure and so Will you, I’d say. |
From the poetry contest at the Teiji Palace.
三千年になるてふ桃の今年より花咲く春にあひにける哉
| miti tose ni naru teFu momo no kotosi yori Fana saku Faru ni aFinikeru kana |
Every three thousand years, ’ Tis said, the peach bears fruit; And in this year It blossomed with the spring: That’s what we have chanced across. |
Mitsune
躬恒
Composed on the seventh night in the birthing house for the birth of Major Captain Fujiwara no Sanesuke (957-1046).
今年生ひの松は七日になりにけり殘りの程を思こそやれ
| kotosi woFi no matu Fa nanuka ni narinikeri nokori no Fodo wo omoFi koso yare |
This year’s sprouted Pine’s seventh day Has arrived; Let the remainder be As I would wish it! |
Composed when she attended at the time of the birth of the Crown Prince.
峰たかきかすがの山にいづる日はくもる時なくてらすべらなり
| mine takaki kasuga no yama ni iduru Fi Fa kumoru toki naku terasuberanari |
From the lofty peak Of Mt. Kasuga This emerging sun, With never a cloud, Will, I’m certain, shed his light. |
Assistant Handmaid Fujiwara no Yoruka