Composed and sent in reply when Fun’ya no Yasuhide became a 3rd rank official in the provincial government of Mikawa and sent to her saying, ‘Why not come out and see this distant duty post of mine?’
わびぬれば身をうき草の根をたえて誘ふ水あらば去なむとぞ思
| wabinureba mi wo ukikusa no ne wo taete sasoFu midu araba inamu to zo omoFu |
In my desolation I am as duckweed: Cut my roots and Take me away-would the water do it, I should go, I think. |
Ono no Komachi
小野小町
Composed on the anniversary of the death of the Fukakusa Emperor (Ninmyō (810-850; r. 833-850))
草ふかき霞の谷に影かくしてるひのくれしけふにやはあらぬ
| kusa Fukaki kasumi no tani ni kage kakusi teru Fi no kuresi keFu ni ya Fa aranu |
Overgrown with grasses, Haze fills the valley Hiding the light Of the shining sun which set here- On this day, was it not? |
Fun’ya no Yasuhide
A poem from a poetry competition at Prince Koresada’s house.
吹くからに秋の草木のしをるればむべ山かぜをあらしといふらむ
| Fuku kara ni aki no kusaki no siForureba mube yamakaze wo arasi to iFuramu |
A gust-and in that moment The Autumn trees and grasses Wither; Yes, the mountain wind Is aptly named ‘Storm‘. |
Fun’ya no Yasuhide
文屋康秀
At time when the Nijō Empress [Kōshi] was known as the Mother of the Crown Prince, on the Third day of the First month, he was summoned to her presence; while giving her orders, she commanded him to compose a poem on the snow falling upon his head while the sun was shining.
春の日のひかりにあたる我なれどかしらの雪となるぞわびしき
| Faru no Fi no Fikari ni ataru ware naredo kasira no yuki to naru zo wabisiki |
The spring sun’s Light strikes Me but, the Snow upon my brow Saddens. |
Fun’ya no Yasuhide