Tag Archives: Fujiwara no Toshinari

tonasegawa

戸無瀬河岩間に立たむ筏師や浪に濡れても暮を待つらん

tonasegawa
iwama ni tatamu
ikadashi ya
nami ni nuretemo
kure o matsuran
At the river Tonase
Bursting from between the rocks
The raftsman
If he would be wet with waves
Should surely wait for evening?

Fujiwara no Toshinari
From ‘The Hundred Poem Sequence Composed at the House of the Minister of the Right’ (1172)

SKKS XX: 1968

On the sound of waves at dawn, as they near the Coast of Gold in Paradise.

いにしへのおのへのかねににたるかなきしうつ浪の曉の聲

inishie no
onoe no kane ni
nitaru kana
kishi utsu nami no
akatsuki no koe
In times long gone
Tolled the bell of Onoe
Similar, I think, to
Waves breaking upon the shore,
The sound coming with the dawn.

Master of the Dowager Empress’ Household Office Toshinari
藤原俊成

SKKS XX: 1967

When he had occasion to compose poems for pictures of the Six Hours of Paradise for the Bifukumon’in Empress, he composed this on the hour of listening to great teachings and gratefully praising the Buddha.

いまぞこれいり日を見てもおもひこしみだのみくにの夕ぐれの空

ima zo kore
irihi o mite mo
omoikoshi
mida nomi kuni no
yûgure no sora
Now, at this
Though I gaze upon the setting sun,
Fond within my thoughts
In the Land of Amida, alone,
Is the evening sky.

Master of the Dowager Empress’ Household Office Toshinari
藤原俊成

SKKS XX: 1966

When the Taikenmon’in Middle Councillor, at various people’s urging, composed poems on the 28 verses [of the Lotus Sutra]: on the spirit of saving all mankind, beyond measure, from the first verse.

わたすべきかずもかぎらぬはしばしらいかにたてけるちかひなるらん

watasubeki
kazu mo kagiranu
hashibashira
ika ni tatekeru
chikai naruran
We must pass over
Numbers without limit
Of bridge-pillars–
How can they remain standing (How can He
Make his vow?)

Master of the Dowager Empress’ Household Office Toshinari
藤原俊成

SKKS XIX: 1898

In the conception of the gods, when composing in a hundred poem sequence at the house of the Lay Priest and Former Regent and Grand Minister.

かすが野のをどろのみちのむもれ水すゑだに神のしるしあらはせ

kasuga no no
odoro no michi no
mumore mizu
sue dani kami no
shirushi arawase
Lost under Kasuga Fields’
Overgrown trails are
Hidden waters–as am I, yet
To my posterity at least may the Gods
Give blessing.

Master of the Dowager Empress’ Household Office Toshinari
藤原俊成

SKKS XIX: 1889

Composed for a picture of the Rinji Festival at the Kamo Shrine on a folding screen prepared for the entrance of a Junior Consort to the palace in the 6th year of Bunji (1190).

月さゆるみたらし河にかげみえてこほりにすれる山あゐの袖

 

tsuki sayuru
mitarashigawa ni
kage miete
kori ni sureru
yama’ai no sode
Clear, the moon,
Upon the Mitarashi River
Shines, seeming as
A design of ice upon
Indigo sleeves.

Master of the Dowager Empress’ Household Office Toshinari
藤原俊成

SKKS XIX: 1882

From a hundred poem sequence composed at the house of the Lay-Priest and former Regent.

神風やいすゞのかはの宮ばしらいくちよすめとたちはじめけん

kami kaze ya
isuzu no kawa no
miyabashira
iku chi yo sume to
tachihajimeken
Is it the Gods’ own wind?
By the river Isuzu
The shrine pillars-gods all-
Will stand for many thousand years-
Starting to stir the waters?

Master of the Dowager Empress’ Household Office Toshinari
藤原俊成

SKKS XVIII: 1846

A poem on the fleeting nature of things, from a hundred poem sequence presented to Retired Emperor Sutoku.

世中をおもひつらねてながむればむなしきそらにきゆる白雲

yo no naka o
omoi tsuranete
nagamureba
munashiki sora ni
kiyuru shira kumo
When on the world of men
I fix my thoughts-
Staring hard,
Within the empty skies
White clouds vanish.

Master of the Dowager Empress’ Household Office Toshinari
藤原俊成

SKKS XVIII: 1845

On seeing a poem by someone of old, when he was compiling the Senzaishû.

ゆくすゑはわれをもしのぶ人やあらんむかしをおもふ心ならひに

yukusue wa
ware o mo shinobu
hito ya aran
mukashi o omou
kokoro narai ni
In years to come
Will I be fondly recalled
By someone, I wonder?
Thinking upon the distant past
As is our wont…

Master of the Dowager Empress’ Household Office Toshinari
藤原俊成

SKKS XVIII: 1815

A reminiscence poem, from a hundred poem sequence.

むかしだにむかしとおもひしたらちねのなをこひしきぞはかなかりける

mukashi dani
mukashi to omoishi
tarachine no
nao koishiki zo
hakanakarikeru
If only I lived long ago,
I thought in times gone by;
My parents:
Now they seem so dear to me, and
Yet they were so fleeting.

Master of the Dowager Empress Household Office Toshinari
藤原俊成