Composed on snow.
霰降りいたく風吹き寒き夜や旗野に今夜我が独り寝む
arare puri itaku kaze puki samuki yo ya patano ni koyopi wa ga pitori nemu |
Hail falls, and Fiercely blows the wind, On this night, so cold; At Hatano, tonight, Must I sleep alone? |
Composed on snow.
霰降りいたく風吹き寒き夜や旗野に今夜我が独り寝む
arare puri itaku kaze puki samuki yo ya patano ni koyopi wa ga pitori nemu |
Hail falls, and Fiercely blows the wind, On this night, so cold; At Hatano, tonight, Must I sleep alone? |
A poem composed by the deceased Emperor on the occasion of a visit to the Yoshino Palace.
み吉野の山のあらしの寒けくにはたや今夜も我が独り寝む
miyosino no yama no arasi no samukeku ni pata ya koyopi mo wa ga pitori nemu |
Though in fair Yoshino The storm-winds off the mountains Feel so chill, Yet again tonight Will I sleep alone? |
Emperor Monmu (683-707; r. 697-707)
文武
When he had gone to Saga to dig up plants for his garden.
日暮しに見れ共あかぬ女郎花のべにや今宵旅ねしなまし
higurasi ni miredomo akanu wominaFesi nobe ni ya koyoFi tabinesinamasi |
At the sunset I see, yet cannot get my fill Of maidenflowers, so In the fields tonight Should I make a traveller’s bed? |
Fujiwara no Nagayoshi
藤原長能
泊瀬の斎槻が下に我が隠せる妻あかねさし照れる月夜に人見てむかも
patuse no yutuki ga sita ni wa ga kakuseru tuma akane sasi tereru tukuyo ni pito mitemu kamo |
Beneath Hatsuse’s Divine zelkova Did I conceal my love, but Shining madder red So bright is the moon tonight Someone may find her out! |
Anonymous
On wind.
泊瀬風かく吹く宵はいつまでか衣片敷き我がひとり寝む
patuse kaze kaku puku yopi pa itu made ka koromo katasiki wa ga pitori nemu |
The winds at Hatsuse Blow so tonight: How long will it last? A single spread robe Where I sleep alone… |
Anonymous
Left (Win).
あらましに心は盡きぬ今夜とて待たばと思ふ夕暮の空
aramashi ni kokoro wa tsukinu koyoi tote mataba to omou yūgure no sora |
Wondering if it will it be Has been the sole focus of my thoughts; Tonight, he said – ‘If only you could wait,’ so thinks The evening sky… |
Lord Ari’ie.
821
Right.
心さへかきくらすかなつくづくと思ひ入り日の空を眺めて
kokoro sae kakikurasu kana tsukuzuku to omoi irihi no sora o nagamete |
My very heart Is sunk in darkness; On and on, Go my thoughts with the setting sun, Gazing at the sky… |
Lord Tsune’ie.
822
The Right state: we find no faults. The Left state: saying ‘on and on’ (tsukuzuku) seems somewhat weak.
In judgement: the final line of the Left’s poem sounds elegant. Again, I make the Left the winner.