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
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