A poem composed on the occasion of an Imperial Visit to the hot springs of Kii province.
莫囂圓隣之大相七兄爪謁氣 吾瀬子之 射立為兼 五可新何本
莫囂円隣之大相七兄爪謁気我が背子がい立たせりけむ厳橿が本
| sidumarisi uranami sawaku wa ga seko ga itataserikemu itu kasi ga moto | Quietened Have the rowdy breakers in the bay; My dear one Stood, no doubt, At the foot of the sacred oak! |
Princess Nukata
額田王
When His Majesty, the Emperor [Tenchi], asked the Grand Minister, Lord Fujiwara [no Kamatari], which was superior: the myriad hued flowers of spring or the thousand leaves of autumn, Princess Nukata settled the matter with this poem.
冬木成 春去来者 不喧有之 鳥毛来鳴奴 不開有之 花毛佐家礼抒 山乎茂 入而毛不取 草深 執手母不見 秋山乃 木葉乎見而者 黄葉乎婆 取而曽思努布 青乎者 置而曽歎久 曽許之恨之 秋山吾者
冬こもり 春さり來れば 鳴かずありし 鳥も來鳴きぬ 咲かずありし 花も咲けれど 山を茂み 入りても取らず 草深み 取りても見ず 秋山の 木の葉を見ては 黄葉をば 取りてぞ偲ふ 靑きをば 置きてぞ嘆く そこし恨めし 秋山ぞ吾は
| puyu kömori paru sarikureba nakazu arisi töri mo ki nakinu sakazarisi pana mo sakeredö yama wo simi irite mo torazu kusa pukami torite mo mizu akiyama nö ko nö pa wo mite pa momiti wo ba torite zö sinopu awoki wo ba okite zö nagëku sökö si uramesi akiyama zö are pa | Buried by winter, When spring comes to pass, The silent Birds burst into song; The bloomless Flowers burst out, but The mountains are so lush, One cannot make one’s way; The grasses are so thick, An outstretched hand is lost; On an autumn mountain, One sees trees’ leaves: The yellow leaves, To take for a keepsake; Green ones To leave behind in sorrow, Though I hate to do it: It’s the autumn mountains for me! |