Dwarf Bamboo 小篠
葉をしげみ道見えずとてやすらへばそよそよといふをざさ原かな
| ha o shigemi michi miezu tote yasuraeba soyosoyo to iu ozasawara kana | So lush the leaves My way is hidden, I think – And when I take my ease a while ‘That’s right! That’s right!’ rustle The dwarf bamboo groves! |
Kanemasa
Sakaki 榊
ちはやぶる神のしめさす榊葉のさかゆく御代にあふぞうれしき
| chihayaburu kami no shimesasu sakakiba no sakayuku miyo ni au zo ureshiki | The mighty Gods’ own Leaves of the sacred tree An ever-flourishing reign Reveal – how pleasant! |
Daishin
Sakaki 榊
神代より色もかはらぬ榊ばはさかえときはににほふなりけり
| kamiyo yori iro mo kawaranu sakakiba wa sakae tokiwa ni niou narikeri | Since the Age of Gods Unchanged are the hues of Leaves upon the sacred tree: Eternal glory Shining forth! |
Tadafusa
Sakaki 榊
榊葉をかみのみむろとあがむればゆふつけ烏のねぐらなりけり
| sakakiba o kami no mimuro to agamureba yūtsukedori no negura narikeri | Leaves upon the sacred tree, as The gods’ dwelling place Are worshipped, so A cockerel’s Roost are they! |
Toshiyori
Sakaki 榊
しもおけど色もかはらぬさかきばは君がちとせのかざしなりけり
| shimo okedo iro mo kawaranu sakakiba wa kimi ga chitose no kazashi narikeri | Frost falls, yet Unchanged are the hues of Leaves upon the sacred tree: For my Lord a thousand years of Decoration will they be! |
Nakazane
Temples 寺
木の葉ちり鹿なく秋の山寺はいりあひのかねの音ぞさびしき
| ko no ha chiri shika naku aki no yamadera wa iriai no kane no oto zo sabishiki | Leaves scattering from the trees, and Stags crying – in autumn At a mountain temple The sunset bell’s Toll is lonely, indeed! |
Higo
ひさかたの雨も降らぬか蓮葉に溜まれる水の玉に似たる見む
| hisakata no ame mo puranu ka patisuba ni tamareru midu no tama ni nitaru mimu | Is it that from the eternal Heavens, rain has long not fallen, That on the lotus leaves Water rests and Seems all the more like gemstones? |
Left (Win)
今さらにたれに心をうつうつすらむ我とすみ絵はかき絶えにけり
| ima sara ni tare ni kokoro o utsusuramu ware to sumi e wa kakitaenikeri |
Now, once again, To whom will his heart Shift? His reflection in A drawing of ink, is all that’s left Drawn, now he no longer lives with me… |
Lord Ari’ie
1107
Right
跡もなく色になり行言の葉やすみ絵ををとむる木立成らん
| ato mo naku iro ni nariyuki koto no ha ya sumi e o tomuru kodachi naruran |
No lines remain, All is turned to colour; Will his leaves of words Remain here at my home, as an ink Sketch of a grove? |
Lord Takanobu
1108
The Right state: the Left’s poem has no faults in particular. The Left state: why would you say that an ink drawing that remains ‘leaves no trace’? We would have preferred it had it been ‘colours most fair’ (iro masaru).
In judgement: both Left and Right have the conception of ‘ink drawings’ (sumie) and, when viewed together, I do not feel that they show much promise, but the Right, beginning with ‘no lines remain’ (ato mo naku) which I do not feel is in tune with the latter part of the poem, in addition, then concludes with ‘sketch of a grove’ (kodachi naruran) which is undesirable. The Left’s ‘a drawing of ink, is all that’s left’ (ware to sumi e wa) is a metaphorical expression which at least strives at charm. Thus, I must say that the Left is superior.
Left.
人心緒絶えの橋に立かへり木の葉降りしく秋の通ひ路
| hito kokoro odae no hashi ni tachikaeri ko no ha furishiku aki no kayoiji |
Our hearts On the broken bridge at Odae Do stand; Fallen leaves swept along The autumn paths back and forth… |
Lord Sada’ie.
1011
Right.
思はずに緒絶えの橋と成ぬれどなを人知れず戀わたるかな
| omowazu ni odae no hashi to narinuredo nao hito shirezu koi watarukana |
Unthinkingly To the broken bridge of Odae Have we come, yet Still, unknown to all, Might our love make a crossing? |
Lord Tsune’ie.
1012
The Gentlemen of the Right state: we wonder about the purpose of ‘fallen leaves swept along’ (ko no ha furishiku) in the Left’s poem. The Gentlemen of the Left state: the Right’s poem is pedestrian.
In judgement: Both the poems of the Left and of the Right use ‘bridge of Odae’ (odae no hashi) which is tasteful. The Left’s ‘fallen leaves swept along’ must be following Ise Monogatari. The gentlemen of the Right must surely be pretending ignorance! The poem of the Right, too, has an elegant total configuration, but ‘unknown to all’ (hito shirezu) is at odds with the emotional overtones. Thus the Left’s ‘fallen leaves swept along the autumn paths back and forth’ is better. I make it the winner.
散り積もる木の葉が下の忘れ水澄むとも見えず絶間のみして
| tiritumoru ko no Fa ga sita no wasuremidu sumu tomo miezu taema nomi site |
Scattered and drifted are The leaves from the trees, and beneath is A forgotten stream How unclear it seems, Appearing only now and then… |
Ise no Taifu (989?-1060?)
伊勢大輔