Left
住吉のきしによる波夜さへや夢のかよひ路人めよくらむ
sumiyoshi no kishi ni yoru nami yoru sae ya yume no kayoiji hitome yokuramu | On Sumiyoshi’s Shore break waves; Even at night Upon the path of dreams Can we avoid others’ prying eyes? |
186
Right
夕附夜おぼろに人を見てしより天雲はれぬ心地こそすれ
yūzukuyo oboro ni hito o miteshi yori amagumo harenu kokochi koso sure | On a moonlit evening Faintly, a lady Did I see, and ever since Heaven’s clouds, unclearing, Weigh on my feelings… |
187
Wisteria blooming by a river bank
Left
さだめなく吹く風なれば池水のきしをめぐりてよする藤なみ
sadamenaku fuku kaze nareba ikemizu no kishi o megurite yosuru Fujinami | Inconstant is The gusting wind, so By the pondwater’s Bank and all along it Break wisteria waves… |
Fujiwara no Munenari
11
Right
藤なみのかからぬ岸のなければやこぎくる舟のよるひまのなき
fujinami no kakaranu kishi no nakereba ya kogikuru fune no yoru hima no naki | Untouched by wisteria waves Such a bank Is there not one? Come rowing, the boats Have not a moment to make shore. |
Lesser Superintendant Fujiwara no Sadamitsu
12
Seafolk 泉郎
かのきしにわたりつきぬるあまを舟いかにのりえてうれしかるらん
kano kishi ni wataritsukinuru ama o fune ika ni noriete ureshikaruran | To yonder shore Have crossed The fisher-folk; their boats— How might I board them, and Feel the selfsame joy? |
Higo
Love Waiting for Someone 待人恋
すみよしの松とは人のしらねばやなみうちたえてきしもせざらん
sumiyoshi no matsu to wa hito no shiraneba ya nami uchitaete kishi mo sezaran | At Sumiyoshi are The pines of folk All unknowing? The waves have stopped, and Even the shore seems untouched. |
Tadafusa
A poem from the Empress’ Poetry Competition held in the Kanpyō period.
住の江の岸による浪夜さへや夢の通ひ路人目よくらむ
suminoe no
kisi ni yoru nami
yoru saFe ya
yume no kayoFidi
Fitome yokuramu |
As to Suminoe’s
Shore rush the waves
Why every night
Upon the path of dreams
Do I hide from other’s eyes? |
Fujiwara no Toshiyuki
藤原敏行
Composed at the River Ōi.
水もなくみえこそわたれ大井河岸の紅葉は雨とふれども
midu mo naku
mie koso watare
oFowigaFa
kisi no momidi Fa
ame to Furedomo |
No water
To be seen around at
The River Ōi
Yet on the banks the scarlet leave
Do fall as rain… |
Fujiwara no Sadayori
藤原定頼
Two poems composed by Naga no imiki Okimaro, grieving at the sight of the bound pine.
磐代の岸の松が枝結びけむ人は帰りてまた見けむかも
ipasiro no
kisi no matu ga e
musubikemu
pito pa kaperite
mata mikemu kamo |
On Iwashiro’s
Shore, a pine’s branches
It seems he tied –
I wonder, will he return
And see them once more… |
Naga no Okimaro
長意吉麻呂
住吉の岸野の榛ににほふれどにほはぬ我れやにほひて居らむ
suminoe no
kishino no hari ni
niouredo
niohanu ware ya
nioiteoramu |
At Sumiyoshi, with
Alder growing on the banks
Is all dyed, yet
Will I, as yet unmarked,
Paint him with colour? |
竜田川岸の山吹咲きぬれば影より波ぞ折りはじめける
tatsutagawa
kishi no yamabuki
sakinureba
kage yori nami zo
orihajimekeru |
On Tatsuta River’s
Bank, the kerria
Has bloomed, so
From its face
Waves have begun to weave… |
Tsunemasa
経正
Upon meeting with Imperial Princess Shishi of the First Order (955-1015), they talked of times past and she composed:
袖にさへ秋のゆふべはしられけりきえしあさぢがつゆをかけつゝ
sode ni sae
aki no yûbe wa
shirarekeri
kieshi asaji ga
tsuyu wo kaketsutsu |
Even upon our sleeves
Does the autumn evening
Reveal itself;
The thatch, now gone,
Is ever dew-drenched. |
Imperial Consort, Princess Kishi (929-985)
'Simply moving and elegant'