Zithers 筝
さ夜ふけて物の音たかくなりぬらししらぶることはことぢあぐなり
sayo fukete mono no ne takaku narinurashi shiraburu koto wa kotoji agu nari | Brief night breaks, and The notes do louder Seem to grow; Tuned, a zither Is lifted by its bridge. |
Kanemasa
Left
あはぬまは琴柱も知らずひく琴の聞きにくきまで音にや立ててむ
awanu ma wa kotoji mo shirazu hiku kono no kikinikuki made ne ni ya tatetemu |
Yet untuned, and Ignorant of where to place the bridge, Playing such a zither is Hard to hear, as Are my constant sobs, perhaps… |
Lord Kanemune
1097
Right (Win)
松風も琴のしらべに通ふなりわがひとり寝ぞ逢ふよしもなき
matsukaze mo koto no shirabe ni kayou nari wa ga hitorine zo au yoshi mo naki |
The wind in the pines, as Zithers’ harmony Does blend; Yet I am sleeping solo, with No cause to meet at all… |
Lord Tsune’ie
1098
The Right state: the Left’s poem is preposterous. The Left state: the Right’s poem has no faults to mention.
In judgement: the Left’s poem seems to be aping the style of the Left in the previous round. As for the Right’s poem, although ‘zithers’ harmony’ (koto no shirabe) sounds modern, it is in a standard style. It should win.