うらみかねさ夜の衣を人しれず思ひかへせどなぐさまぬかな
uramikane sayo no koromo o hito shirezu omoikaesedo nagusamanu kana Unable to despise you, On this brief night, my robe, Unknown to all, I did reverse in constant thought of you, but It brought me no comfort, at all!
Kii, from the Ichijō Palace 31
In reply.
ひたすらにさよの衣にことよせてうらなき人を恨みざらなん
hitasura ni sayo no koromo ni kotoyosete uranaki hito o uramizaranan Truly, On this brief night, your robe Is but a pretext— An unfeeling lady I would not despise!
The Governor of Mimasaka 32
Spring
Left
春のたつ霞の衣うらもなく年を経てこそ花の散りけれ
haru no tatsu kasumi no koromo ura mo naku toshi o hete koso hana no chirikere Spring does sew A robe of haze Without an underlay, The year passes by in A scattering of blossom
1
春の野の雪間をわけていつしかと君がためとぞ若菜摘みつる
haru no no no yuki ma o wakete itsushika to kimi ga tame to zo wakana tsumitsuru Across the springtime meadows Do I forge between the snows, Eagerly, so eagerly, For you, my Lord, Have I gathered fresh herbs!
2
春霞かすみこめたる山里はこほりとくともかげはみえじを
harugasumi kasumi kometaru yamazato wa kōri toku tomo kage wa mieji o The haze of spring Blurs all around A mountain retreat, Even were the ice to melt I could see no sign of it!
3
Right
梅枝にきゐる鶯年毎に花の匂ひをあかぬ声する
ume ga e ni ki’iru uguisu toshigoto ni hana no nioi o akanu koesuru Upon the plum tree’s branches Has come to rest the warbler; Every single year, that Of the blossoms’ scent He cannot get his fill he sings.
4
桜色に花さく雨はふりぬとも千しほぞそめてうつろふなそで
sakurairo ni hana saku ame wa furinu tomo chishio zo somete utsurou na sode Cherry-coloured Blossoms flower, as the rain Falls on, yet Dyed a thousand times Fade not, o, my sleeves!
5
青柳のいとはるばると緑なる行末までも思ひこそやれ
aoyagi no ito harubaru to midori naru yukusue made mo omoi koso yare The willow’s Branches dangle lengthily So green Right to the very end Will I fondly think of you.
6
Sages’ Dwellings 仙宮
たちぬはぬ衣の袖しふれければみちとせへてぞ桃もなりける
tachinuwanu koromo no sode shi furekereba michitose hete zo momo mo narikeru Neither woven nor sewn are This robe’s sleeves, but When they wave Three thousand years go by Among the peaches.
Toshiyori
Coming of Age 元服
もとゆひのこぞめのいとをくり返し衣の色にひきやうつさん
motoyui no kozome no ito o kurikaeshi koromo no iro ni hiki ya utsusan A topknot’s Deeply dyed scarlet cords Winding back and forth – In the shade of your robe, I wonder, will they be reflected?
Akinaka
Left (Win)
からあひの八入の衣色深くなどあながちにつらき心ぞ
kara’ai no
yashio no koromo
iro fukaku
nado anagachi ni
tsuraki kokoro zo
Deepest indigo
Dipped many times, my robe’s
Hue is dark, indeed;
Why, with such heartless
Cruelty am I treated…
Lord Suetsune
1127
Right
衣衣にうつりし色はあだなれど心ぞ深き忍ぶもぢずり
kinuginu ni
utsurishi iro wa
ada naredo
kokoro zo fukaki
shinobu mojizuri
My robe’s
Hues have shifted;
Faithless is she, yet
My heart’s depths
Are stained with fern-patterned longing…
Lord Takanobu
1128
The Right state: we wonder whether ‘deepest indigo dipped many times’ (kara’ai no yashio ) should not be scarlet. How dark would the colour be then? In response: there is no possibility of interpreting this as scarlet. We have used deep indigo, so what is there to criticise in then using dark? The Left state: while we understand the conception of the poem, we feel the expression is somewhat lacking. ‘My heart’s depths are stained with secret longing’ (kokoro zo fukaki shinobu mojizuri ) does not link well with the initial part of the poem.
In judgement: the Left’s initial ‘deepest indigo’ (kara’ai ) certainly sounds elegant, and there is no reason to make it scarlet. I also see no reason to fault the use of dark, either. As for the Right, it does not sound as if ‘stained with fern-patterned longing’ (shinobu mojizuri ) links with the remainder of the poem – from the beginning to ‘my heart’s depths’ (kokoro zo fukaki ). The final ‘stained with fern-patterned longing’ seems to appear abruptly. Deepest indigo should win.
On clothing.
橡の衣は人皆事なしと言ひし時より着欲しく思ほゆ
turubami no
kinu pa pito mina
koto nasi to
ipisi toki yori
kiposiki omopoyu
An oak-dyed
Robe, so all
Say is fine –
Since then
I would wear one, I feel.
橡の衣の色はかはらねど一重になればめづらしき哉
turubami no
koromo no iro Fa
kaFarenedo
FitoFe ni nareba
medurasiki kana
An oak-dyed
Robe’s shade
Does never change, yet
When but a single layer has it become,
How rare it is, indeed!
Minamoto no Akinaka
源顕仲
Left.
つれなしと人をぞさらに思ひ河逢ふ瀬を知らぬ身を恨ても
tsurenashi to
hito o zo sara ni
omoigawa
ause o shiranu
mi o uramitemo
How cruel
She is, I ever feel,
My thoughts a river;
No rushed meetings between us –
I hate myself for that, and yet…
Lord Kanemune
991
Right (Win).
遥なる程とぞ聞し衣川かた敷く袖の名こそ有けれ
harukanaru
hodo to zo kikishi
koromogawa
katashiku sode no
na koso arikere
Far, far away
Lies, I have heard,
The River Robe:
For my single spread sleeve
How apt that name is!
Lord Takanobu
992
The Right state: we find the Left’s poem unconvincing. The Left state: the Right’s poem lacks any faults.
In judgement: in the Left’s poem, ‘my thoughts a river’ (omoigawa ) is certainly not unconvincing. The latter section of the Right’s poem sounds fine. It should win.
鴬のこつたふ枝の移り香は桜の花のときの待つ衣
ugupisu no
ko tutapu eda no
uturika pa
sakura no pana no
toki no matu kinu
The bush warbler
Tells me of the branches’
Fragrance:
For cherry blossom
Season does my robe await.
Yamabe no Akahito
山辺赤人
Hidden Love
おもひ出は心ばかりにかよはして衣のくびに事なもらしそ
omoide wa kokoro bakari ni kayowashite koromo no kubi ni koto na morashi so My feelings Simply through my heart I send back and forth; On the collar of my robe O, let nothing leak out!
Minamoto no Nakazane 源仲実
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'Simply moving and elegant'