Mandarin Ducks 鴛鴦
冬さむみはだれしもふるさ夜なかにつがはぬをしの声ぞかなしき
| fuyu samumi hadareshimo furu sayonaka ni tsugawanu oshi no koe zo kanashiki | In winter’s chill A brush of frost does fall, At midnight, when The unmated mandarins’ Cries are sad, indeed! |
Tadafusa
Tag Archives: midnight
Love VIII: 16
Left
玉章のたえだえになるたぐひかな雲井に雁の見えみ見えずみ
| tamazusa no taedae ni naru tagui kana kumoi ni kari no miemi miezumi |
His jewelled missives Have become intermittent It seems, just like The geese up in the skies, Glimpsed, and then not seen at all… |
Lord Ari’ie
1051
Right (Win)
思かぬる夜はの袂に風ふけて涙の河に千鳥鳴くなり
| omoikanuru yowa no tamoto ni kaze fukete namida no kawa ni chidori nakunari |
Unable to bear my love, At midnight my sleeve is Stirred by the wind, and Upon a river of tears The plovers are crying… |
Nobusada
1052
The Gentlemen of the Right state: we find no faults to mention in the Left’s poem. The Gentlemen of the Left state: we wonder about the reason for emphasising ‘upon a river of tears the plovers’ (namida no kawa ni chidori).
In judgement: the Left on a lover’s letters becoming intermittent, and saying ‘the geese up in the skies, glimpsed, and then not seen at all’ (kumoi ni kari no miemi miezumi) has a charming conception, and elegant diction. The Right, saying ‘at midnight my sleeve is stirred by the wind’ (yowa no tamoto ni kaze fukete) and continuing ‘the plovers are crying’ (chidori nakunari) has a configuration and diction which sounds fine, too. The criticisms of the Gentlemen of the Left are nothing more than ‘a fisherman fishing beneath his pillow’! Although the conception of the Left’s poem is charming, the configuration of the Right’s poem is slightly more notable, so it should win.
Saishō chūjō kuninobu no ie no uta’awase 14
Left (Win).
夜とともに玉散る床の菅枕見せばや人に夜半の景色を
| yo to tomo ni tama tiru toko no sugamakura miseba ya Fito ni yowa no kesiki wo |
Together with the night Gemlets scatter on my bed’s Sedge-filled pillow; Should I show her This midnight sight? |
The Master 大夫
[Minamoto no Toshiyori 源俊頼]
27
Right.
波のよる岩根に立てる磯馴れ松また寝もいらで恋ひあかしつる
| nami no yoru iFane ni tateru sonare matu mata ne mo irade koFi akasituru |
The waves roll in To the cliffs where stands A hardy pine upon the rocks; Once more sleepless From love do I greet the dawn. |
The Assistant Master 佐
[Fujiwara no Mototoshi 藤原基俊]
28
Eikyū hyakushu 359
Falling Leaves
紅葉ばを夜半の嵐のしく庭は物わすれせで朝きよめすな
| momijiba o yowa no arashi no shiku niwa wa monowasuresede asa kiyomesu na | Scarlet leaves By the midnight storm Are spread around the grounds: O, keep them in your mind, and Clear them not this morning! |
Minamoto no Nakazane
源仲実
Tametadake shodo hyakushu 238
鵜舟さしよるはよるはと幾夜かはよとのわたりをおりのぼるらむ
| ubune sashi yoruwa yoruwa to ikuyo kawa yoto no watari o orinoboruramu |
The cormorant boats head Out at midnight and Every night the river’s Evening sounds cross with Their rise and fall… |
Love VI: 3
Left (Tie).
つれもなき人をもさそへ夜はの月影ばかりだによそに見るやと
| tsure mo naki hito o mo sasoe yowa no tsuki kage bakari dani yoso ni miru ya to |
That heartless Man, will you invite O midnight Moon! Even just an image In the distance would I wish to see… |
Lord Suetsune.
905
Right.
秋の月妹が面影さそひきて我心にも宿すなりけり
| aki no tsuki imo ga omokage sasoikite wa ga kokoro ni mo yadosu narikeri |
The autumn moon My darling’s face Does bring to me, and Within my heart Has it found a place to stay. |
The Provisional Master of the Empress’ Household Office.
906
The Right state: if one is inviting someone to come and visit, then there is no reason to mention ‘just an image’ (kage bakari). We wonder whether the invitation is addressed to the sky? The Left state: the Right’s poem is pedestrian.
In judgement: both Left and Right have the same conception of an invitation addressed to the moon. The Round can only be a tie.
FGS VI: 918
沖つ潮指出の磯の浜千鳥風寒からし夜半に友呼ぶ
| oki tsu shio sashide no iso no hama chidori kaze samukarashi yowa ni tomo yobu |
From the offing the tides Strike the shore at Sashide; On the beach plovers, Chilled by the wind Call for their mates at midnight. |
Fujiwara no Nagakata (1139-1191)
藤原長方