The Kasuga Festival (春日祭)
まつらるる神の御前の乙女子も花もひもとくかすがやまかな
matsuraruru kami no mimae no otomego mo hana mo himo mo toku kasugayama kana | Worshipping Before the gods The maidens Blossom and belts both undo Upon Mount Kasuga! |
Tadafusa
The Kasuga Festival (春日祭)
まつらるる神の御前の乙女子も花もひもとくかすがやまかな
matsuraruru kami no mimae no otomego mo hana mo himo mo toku kasugayama kana | Worshipping Before the gods The maidens Blossom and belts both undo Upon Mount Kasuga! |
Tadafusa
Left
起きもゐで年ふる戀はをのづから常世の神やしるし見すべき
oki mo ide toshi furu koi wa onozukara tokoyo no kami ya shirushi misubeki |
Unable to arise From love these many years, May I By the eternal gods Be shown a sign! |
Kenshō
1069
Right (Win)
獨臥すながながし夜のかなしきを語らひあかすきりぎりす哉
hitori fusu naganagashi yo no kanashiki o katarai akasu kirigirisu kana |
Lying alone, So long, long the night’s Sorrow; Lightening it with chatter Are the crickets! |
The Supernumerary Master of the Empress’ Household Office
1070
The Gentlemen of the Right state: what is the meaning of ‘the eternal gods’ (toko no kami). In appeal, the Left: in the Chronicles of Japan, insects are worshipped under the name of ‘the eternal gods’ and made to seem like men. The Left state: what can an insect chatter about?
In judgement: in regard to the Left’s poem, while it is true that insects were worshipped, a poem on ‘Love and Insects’ with no insect is lacking something from the start. This poem would seem to be more a case of ‘Love and Prayers’. Thus, this is nothing enduring. A prior example has been contrived, but this is ineffective. It does not seem as if this insect’s nature has any relation to the topic. The Right’s poem has a commonplace cricket. Where is the fault in having it lighten one’s mood with chatter? Thus, the Right must win.
祈事を聞かず洗ふる神だにも今日は夏越と人は知らなむ
negigoto wo kikazu araFuru kami dani mo keFu Fa nagosi to Fito Fa siranamu |
Prayers Unheeding, and bathing Are the gods themselves; That this day is the summer purification Do all folk know! |
Minamoto no Shitagō
源順
Fans (扇)
神神に心ながさをちかふともききひらきてぞあふぎなるへき
kamigami ni kokoro nagasa o chikau tomo kiki hirakite zo ōgi narubeki |
To all the Gods An ever-faithful heart I pledge, yet For all the attention they give, A fan I might as well be! |
Toshiyori
昔より今日のみあれに葵草かけてぞ頼む神のしるしを
mukashi yori kyō nomi are ni aoigusa kakete zo tanomu kami no shirushi o |
From times long gone For this festive day Hollyhocks Are hung in prayer, As a symbol of the Gods… |
Fujiwara no Akisue
藤原顕季
The Kamo Festival (加茂祭)
年をへてけふかざしくるあふひ草神にたのみをかくるしるしか
toshi o hete kyō kazashikuru aoigusa kami ni tanomi o kakuru shirushi ka |
A year has gone by, and Today, all come garlanded with Hollyhocks; To the Gods, a secret Prayer made manifest, perhaps? |
Daishin
The Kamo Festival (加茂祭)
人よりもたのみぞかくるあふひ草わきても神のしるしみせなん
hito yori mo tanomi zo kakuru aoigusa wakite mo kami no shirushi misenan |
Rather than the folk, Their prayers are hidden by Hollyhocks: Part them and the Gods’ Sign is revealed… |
Higo
京極関白家肥後
春のをかにのぼりて見けむ竹取はかみのよならぬことをしぞ思ふ
haru no oka ni noborite mikemu takatori wa kami no yo naranu koto o shi zo omou |
In springtime, the hills Did climb to see The bamboo-cutter: ‘This is no realm of the Gods’ He thought… |
Minamoto no Morotoki
源師時