A poem composed by Emperor Ingyō after spending the night with Princess Sotōri.
波那具波辞 佐区羅能梅涅 許等梅涅麼 波椰区波梅涅孺 和我梅豆留古羅
hana guwashi
sakura no mede
koto medeba
hayaku wa medezu
wa ga mezuru kora | So fair the bloom,
I love the cherry blossom, and
Just the same do I love her—sad—that
Earlier I did not love her
That girl I love now. |
松浦なる玉島川に鮎釣ると立たせる子らが家道知らずも
matura naru
tamasima ni
ayu turu to
tataseru kora ga
ipedi sirazu mo |
On Matsura’s
Jewelled islets
Catching sweetfish
Stand many maidens:
Their route home I do not know… |
Ōtomo no Tabito
Nine poems in reply by the maidens.
はしきやし翁の歌におほほしき九の子らや感けて居らむ
pasikiyasi
okina no uta ni
opoposiki
kokono no kora ya
kamakete woramu |
Well,
By the old man’s poem
While taking our ease
Are we nine maids
Entranced? |
Envoy
白髪し子らに生ひなばかくのごと若けむ子らに罵らえかねめや
sirokamisi
kora ni opinaba
kaku no goto
wakakemu kora ni
norapekaneme ya |
Should white hairs
These maidens grow, then
In this way
Would these young maidens
Tease me? |
Envoy
死なばこそ相見ずあらめ生きてあらば白髪子らに生ひざらめやも
sinaba koso
apimizu arame
ikite araba
sirogami kora ni
opizarame ya mo
|
If I should die
With no meeting, all would be done, but
If I should live,
White hairs, o, maidens,
Would you not grow at all… |
'Simply moving and elegant'