When the Biwa Minister of the Left, having some use for them, requested some oak leaves, and this was sent to the house of his acquaintence, Chikane, to obtain them.
我が宿を何時馴らしてか楢の葉を馴らし顔には折りにをこする
wa ga yado wo
itu narasite ka
nara no Fa wo
narasigaFo ni Fa
wori ni okosuru
With my home
When did you become so familiar?
That leaves of oak
So freely
Do you send to pick!
FatusegaFa
FurukaFa no Fe ni
Futamoto aru sugi
tosi o Fete
mata aFimimu
Futamoto aru sugi
The River Hatsuse, and
River Furu: between their banks
Stand twin cedars;
The years go by, and
They will come together once more,
Twin cedars standing.
During the reign of former Emperor Ichijō, around the time Her Majesty, the Empress, first made the acquaintence of Sei Shōnagon, she had to leave for two or three days in the Third Month, and this was sent to her from Her Majesty.
いかにして過ぎにし方を過ぐしけんくらしわづらふ昨日今日かな
ika ni site
suginisi kata wo
sugusiken
kurasiwaduraFu
kinoFu keFu kana
What ever was
The way I spent my time before?
And, how can I pass it now?
Suffering in darkness
Have these days gone by…