From a poetry contest at Sadafun’s house.
みねはもえふもとはこほるふじ川のわれもうき世を住みぞわづらふ
| mine Fa moe Fumoto Fa koForu FuzigaFa no ware mo ukiyo wo sumi zo waduraFu | At the peak it burns and At the foot does freeze: The Fuji River, just as I, too, in this cruel world Live and suffer. |
Fukayabu
This is the sole surviving poem from ‘Sadafumi’s Poetry Contest‘.
Left.
年月ぞ思かひなく過にける君をきませの山のふもとに
| toshitsuki zo omou kainaku suginikeru kimi o kimase no yama no fumoto ni |
For many years and months I yearned to no end, Passing time Calling you on Kimase Mountain’s foot. |
Lord Suetsune.
967
Right (Win).
吉野山戀のあまりに思入ぬなかなかさらば人や訪ふとて
| yoshinoyama koi no amari ni omoi’irinu nakanaka saraba hito ya tou tote |
As Mount Yoshino Is my love’s extent, So deeply do I feel it; But were I to do so, Perhaps he would visit me there? |
Nobusada.
968
Both Right and Left together state the opposing poem has no faults to indicate.
In judgement: in the Left’s poem, would it really be to no end to pass the time calling on Mount Kimase? The Right’s poem, on Mount Yoshino, has ‘but were I to do so’ (naka saraba), which sounds charming. Thus, the Right wins.
Falling Leaves
紅葉ばのちる木のもとにやどかりてたびねの床に錦をぞしく
| momijiba no chiru ko no moto ni yado karite tabine no toko ni nishiki o zo shiku | Scarlet leaves Fall at the tree’s foot where I find my lodging; My traveller’s bed is Scattered all with brocade! |
Daishin
Sent to the house of someone who had gone to Shinano.
月影は飽かず見るとも更級の山の麓に長居すな君
| tukikage Fa akazu miru tomo sarasina no yama no Fumoto ni nagawisu na kimi |
The moonlight can Never sate your gaze, but In Sarashina At the mountain’s foot Stay not too long, my lord! |
Ki no Tsurayuki
紀貫之
足引きの山元茂き夏草の深くも君を思ふころかな
| asiFiki no yamamoto sigeki natu kusa no Fukaku mo kimi wo omoFu koro kana |
Leg-wearying The mountain’s foot is lush With summer grasses Deeply of you, my love Am I thinking now… |
吾妹子はさかよふ山の背はちかばあはじと人にかねてきかする
| wagimoko wa sakayou yama no se wa chikaba awaji to hito ni kanete kikasuru |
My darling, If I cross the mountains And to the foot draw near, “I will not meet you,” to him I would long hear you say… |
Minamoto no Yorimasa
源頼政