沢田川真木のつきはしなかたえて霞ぞ渡る春の曙
sawadagawa
maki no tsugihashi
nakadaete
kasumi zo wataru
haru no akebono |
At Sawada River
The bridge of boards
Has broken in the middle, and
Only the haze does cross
On this spring dawn. |
沢田川せせのうもれ木あらはれてはなさきにけり春のしるしに
sawadagawa
sese no umoregi
araharete
hana sakinikeri
haru no shirushi ni |
At the River Sawada
Drowned trees in the rapids
Lie scattered, and
The blossom has bloomed,
Both a mark of spring! |
沢田川ゐてなる足のはばかれてかけさすなべに春ふけにけり
sawadagawa
ite naru ashi no
habakarete
kakesasu nabe ni
haru fukenikeri |
To Sawada River
Have my feet made their way,
Over distance far,
And while they have done so
Has the spring come on! |
いかにしてかげをも見まし沢田川袖つくほどの契りなりとも
ika ni shite
kage o mo mimashi
sawadagawa
sode tsuku hodo no
chigiri naritomo |
What am I to do?
I would see her face;
Though Sawada River
Striking upon my sleeves
Should be our bond! |
沢田川流れてひとの見え越すはたれに見せましせせの白玉
sawadagawa
nagarete hito no
miekosu wa
tare ni misemashi
sese no shiratama |
The Sawada River
Flows on, and she
Do I see beyond it;
To whom would I reveal
These pearls from the rapids? |
沢田川せせの白糸くりかへし君うちはへて万よばへよ
sawadagaFa
sese no sira’ito
kurikaFesi
kimi utiFaFete
yorodu yobaFeyo |
At Sawada River
White spume from the rapids
Time and time again
Ever for you, my love,
A myriad times call out! |
五月雨に水越えにけり沢田川くに宮人の渡す高橋
samidare ni
mizu koenikeri
sawadagawa
kunimiyabito no
watasu takahashi |
In the showers
Has it crossed the waters
At Sawada River:
The capital folk-
Built great bridge! |
A poem composed on the conception of showers at a poetry competition held at the house of Lord Toshitada.
五月雨に水まさるらし沢田川真木の継橋うきぬばかりに
samidare ni
midu masarurasi
sawadagaFa
maki no tugiFasi
ukinu bakari ni |
In the showers
The waters seem to rise so high
At Sawada River
That the bridge of boards
Does just float upon it! |
Fujiwara no Akinaka (1059-1129)
藤原顕仲
This poem is also:
Sakon gonchūjō toshitada ason ke uta’awase 6
左近権中将俊忠朝臣家歌合
(‘Poetry Contest held at the Residence of Lord Toshitada, Provisional Middle Captain of the Inner Palace Guards, Left Division’; 1104)
年ごとに鮎しはしれば沢田川鵜やつかつけて川瀬たづねむ
toshigoto ni
ayu shi hashireba
sawadagawa
u yatsu kazukete
kawase tazunemu |
Every year
When the sweetfish run so swift,
At Sawada River
The cormorants do gather, and
Sport among the river rapids! |
'Simply moving and elegant'