Topic unknown.
常もなき夏の草葉に置く露を命と頼む蟬のはかなさ
| tune mo naki natu no kusaba ni oku tuyu wo inoti to tanomu semi no Fakanasa |
Upon the ever changing Summer leaves Drips dew: The only fit foundation for The cicadas’ brief life… |
Anonymous
Tag Archives: inochi
MYS XI: 2592
恋死なむ後は何せむ我が命生ける日にこそ見まく欲りすれ
| kopisinamu noti pa nani semu wa ga inoti ikeru pi ni koso mimakuporisure |
When I have died of love What will you do then? While my life’s Living days remain I wish that we would meet! |
MYS XVI: 3813
A envoy in a certain book.
我が命は惜しくもあらずさ丹つらふ君によりてぞ長く欲りせし
| wa ga inoti wa wosiku mo arazu sani turau kimi ni yorite zo nagaku porisesi |
My life I do not regret, for My ruddy-cheeked Lord’s sake I wanted it to be long… |
Of the above poems, it is said, ‘Once there was a maiden. Her family name was Kurumamochiuji. Her husband went away and many years passed without his return. All that time, the maiden thought fondly of him, suffering, and eventually took to her bed, ill, wasted away day-by-day, and soon was close to death. Then she sent a messenger to her husband, asking him to return. After she did so, with tears streaming down her face, the maiden whispered these poems to herself, and finally died.’
GSIS XI: 657
Composed for the poetry competition held at the residence of the Kokiden Consort in Chōkyū 2 [1141].
戀志なむ命はことの數ならでつれなき人のはてぞゆかしき
| koFisinamu inoti Fa koto no kazu narade turenaki Fito no Fate zo yukasiki |
Love In life is something that Has no number, but That cruel one’s End is what I want! |
Eisei
Shūigusō 1173
命だにあらば逢ふ瀬を松浦川かへらぬ波もよどめとぞ思ふ
| inochi dani araba ause o matsuragawa kaeranu nami mo yodome to zo omou |
Had I but life left For a rushed meeting I would await, but Matsura River’s Ever parting waves Are silted up, I fear… |
Teika
定家
Love IV: 14
Left.
巳に過ぎて午こそ物は悲しけれ戀や未の歩み成らむ
| mi ni sugite muma koso mono wa kanashikere koi ya hitsuji no ayuminaramu |
More than I can bear, past the hour of the snake, The hour of the horse is All the more sad; Love is like a sheep’s Steps to the slaughter… |
Kenshō.
807
Right (Win).
命さへ身の終りにや成ぬらん今日暮すべき心地こそせぬ
| inochi sae mi no owari ni ya narinuran kyō kurasubeki kokochi koso senu |
Has my very life At the hour of snake, its end Reached? That I should live throughout this day, Is something I cannot bear… |
Lord Takanobu.
808
The Right state: we cannot admire the Left’s poem. The Left state: in the Right’s poem ‘Has my very life at the hour of snake, its end’ (inochi sae mi no owari) sounds as if it is referring to two different matters.
In judgement: the Left’s poem simply says that after the hour of the snake comes the hour of the horse. It is unnecessary to say such things. The final line certainly seems to have nothing to do with anything. As for the fault of the Right’s poem, ‘life’ and ‘self’ have always had different meanings. Its first line, too, sounds elegant. Once more, the Right should win.