On cicadas.
夕影に来鳴くひぐらしここだくも日ごとに聞けど飽かぬ声かも
| yupukage ni ki naku pigurasi kokodaku mo pigoto ni kikedo akanu kowe kamo |
With the twilight Comes to call the evening cicadas; Endlessly With every day I hear them yet, Never do I tire of their song… |
Anonymous
Left (Tie)
人心常は卯月の時鳥ことかたらはん聲を聞かばや
| hito kokoro tsune wa uzuki no hototogisu koto kataran koe o kikaba ya |
Her heart is Ever chill; O, for the Fourth Month Cuckoo To tell me With a gentle song! |
Lord Suetsune
1047
Right
足引の遠山鳥の一聲は我つまながらめづらしき哉
| ashihiki no tōyamadori no hitogoe wa ware tsumanagara mezurashiki kana |
Leg-wearying The distant mountain pheasant’s Call is Even for his mate A rare thing, indeed! |
Lord Tsune’ie
1048
The Gentlemen of the Right state: the Left’s poem has no faults. The Gentlemen of the Left state: the initial part of the Right’s poem has an antiquated feel.
In judgement: the Left’s ‘cuckoo’ (hototogisu) and the Right’s ‘mountain pheasant’ (yamadori) are of the same level.
春霞とひわけいぬる声聞きて狩衣なりとほかはいふらむ
| Farugasumi toFiwake inuru kowe kikite kariginu nari to Foka Fa iFuramu |
Through the haze of spring Comes questioning A voice I hear, “In hunting garb,” Seems the reply… |
Ki no Tsurayuki
紀貫之
鹿背の山木立を茂み朝さらず来鳴き響もす鴬の声
| kase no yama kodati wo sigemi asa sarazu kinaki toyomosu ugupisu no kowe |
On Kase Mountain The groves are so lush that Unable to wait for morning Comes the echo of The warbler’s song! |
Tanabe no Sakimaro Collection
田辺福麻呂歌集
Left
時鳥今宵はとまれ片岡の朝の原に帰りやせぬ
| Fototogisu koyoFi Fa tomare katawoka no asita no Fara ni kaFeri ya senu |
O, cuckoo Stay here this night, and Down the hillside With the morning to the plain Will you not return? |
19
Right
我が宿に声な惜しみそ時鳥通ふ千里のゆきはてぞ此は
| wa ga yado ni kowe na osimi so Fototogisu kayoFu tisato no yukiFate zo ko Fa |
At my home I regret not your song, O, cuckoo, For your thousand league Journey’s end lies here. |
20
Left (Win)
ほかにまた待つ人あれや時鳥心長閑かに声の聞えぬ
| Foka ni mata matu Fito are ya Fototogisu kokoro nodoka ni kowe no kikoenu |
Is there any other who still Awaits as I, O, cuckoo? Heart at peace with Your song unheard… |
15
Right
二声と聞かでややまむ時鳥暁近くなりもしぬらむ
| Futakowe to kikade ya yamamu Fototogisu akatuki tikaku nari mo sinuramu |
Will your twin cries Cease before they’re heard, O, cuckoos? With approaching dawn It seems they die… |
16
Left
待たせつる程は久しき時鳥飽かで立ちなむ後の恋しさ
| mataseturu Fodo Fa Fisasiki Fototogisu akade tatinamu noti no koFisisa |
I was kept waiting For so long, O, cuckoo! Never sated am I of my longing For you when you are gone… |
13
Right (Win)
小夜更けて誰か告げつる時鳥待つにたがはぬ声の聞ゆる
| sayo Fukete tare ka tugeturu Fototogisu matu ni tagaFanu kowe no kikoyuru |
The brief night dawns: To whom will you announce it, O, cuckoo? All that I await Is to hear your song. |
14
Left (Tie)
仄かなる声を聞きては時鳥鳴きつる方をまづぞ求むる
| Fonokanaru kowe wo kikite Fa Fototogisu nakituru kata wo madu zo motomuru |
Your faint Song I do hear O, cuckoo, Along the path you call Am I in truth invited. |
9
Right
小夜更けぬ布留の都の 時鳥帰る雲路の声を聞かせよ
| sayo Fukete Furu no miyako no Fototogisu kaFeru kumodi no kowe wo kikaseyo |
The brief night dawns At the ancient capital of Furu; O, cuckoo From your homeward path among the clouds Let me hear your song! |
10
Left
月夜には手倉の山の時鳥声も隠れぬ物にざりける
| tukiyo ni Fa tekura no yama no Fototogisu kowe mo kakurenu mono ni zarikeru |
On a moonlit night On Tekura Mountain that The cuckoo Does conceal his call Is not true at all… |
7
Right (Win)
住む里は篠部をの森の時鳥木の下声ぞ標なりける
| sumu sato Fa sinobe no mori no Fototogisu ko no sita kowe zo sirube narikeru |
To my dwelling In Shinobe Forest are The cuckoo Calls beneath the trees A signpost. |
8
Left
鳴くになど驚かるらむ時鳥呼ぶ人毎にありと聞きつつ
| naku ni nado odorokaruramu Fototogisu yobu Fito goto ni ari to kikitutu |
Why does your song Startle me so O, cuckoo? All the folk you call Are there, do I ever hear… |
5
Right (Win)
知らねども答へやせまし時鳥元つ人てふ声を哀れと
| siranedomo kotaFe ya semasi Fototogisu moto tu Fito teFu kowe wo aFare to |
I know it not, yet I wonder will you reply, O, cuckoo? A familiar friend’s Voice is moving, indeed. |
6