Tag Archives: jewels

Kanpyō no ōntoki chūgū uta’awase 1

Spring

Round 1

Left

やま風にとくる氷のひまごとにうち出づる浪や春の初花

yamakaze ni
tokuru kōri no
hima goto ni
uchi’izuru nami ya
haru no hatsuhana
With the mountain breeze
The melting ice from
Every crack
Bursts out in waves, perhaps
These are the first blooms of spring?

Minamoto no Maszumi
1[1]

Right (Win)

春霞たつひの風のいとなれや滝のをとけて玉とみだるる

harugasumi
tatsu hi no kaze no
ito nare ya
taki no o tokete
tama to midaruru
The haze of spring
Arises with the breeze this day, so
Will its streamers with
The melting waterfall’s threaded
Jewels become confused?

2


[1] Kokin rokujo I: 5

Koresada shinnō-ke uta’awase 5

久方の天照る月のにごりなく君が御代をばともにとぞ思ふ

hisakata no
ama teru tsuki no
nigorinaku
kimi ga miyo oba
tomo ni to zo omou
The eternal
Heaven-shining moon is
So clear that
My Lord’s reign
Lives together with it in my thoughts!

9

宵よひに秋の草葉におく露の玉にぬかむととれば消えつつ[1]

yoiyoi ni
aki no kusaba ni
oku tsuyu no
tama ni nukamu to
toreba kietsutsu
Night after night
Upon the blades of autumn grass
Fall dewdrops;
I would thread those jewels, but
At a touch, ever do they vanish away…

10


[1] This poem is also Shinsenzaishū 316, where it is attributed to Ōshikōchi no Mitsune.

Love II: 6

Left (Win).

幾夜我浪にしほれて貴舟河袖に玉散る物思ふらん

ikuyo ware
nami ni shiorete
kifunegawa
sode ni tama chiru
mono omouran
Nights without number will I
Drench with the waves
Of Kifune River,
Scatter jewels on my sleeves –
Should these thoughts consume me so?

A Servant Girl.

671

Right.

貴船川百瀬の浪も分過ぬ濡れ行く袖の末を頼みて

kifunegawa
momose no nami mo
wakesuginu
nureyuku sode no
sue o tanomite
Kifune River’s
Hundredfold waves
Have I crossed;
With soaking sleeves
Do I plead for an ending…

Jakuren.

672

The Gentlemen of the Right state: the Left’s poem is fine, overall. The Gentlemen of the Left state: the Right’s poem is without fault.

Shunzei’s judgement: Both Left and Right poems on ‘Kifune River’ (kifunegawa) seem tasteful [], but rather than the Right’s final ‘Do I plead for an ending’ (sue o tanomite), the Left’s ‘Scatter jewels on my sleeves’ (sode ni tama chiru) sounds particularly good. The Left must win.