Coming of Age 元服
むらさきのはつもとゆひにむすびおかんつるばみの衣ちとせふるまで
| murasaki no hatsu motoyui ni musubiokan tsurubami no kinu chitose furu made | With violet was Your first topknot Tied for now; May you wear noble, dark grey garb Until a thousand years have passed! |
Daishin
Coming of Age 元服
むらさきのはつもとゆひをむすぶより君がくらゐの山をしぞ思ふ
| murasaki no hatsu motoyui o musubu yori kimi ga kurai no yama o shi zo omou | With violet was Your first topknot Tied – since then My Lord, your status Reminds me of a mountain’s lofty heights. |
Higo
Coming of Age 元服
むらさきのやしほの色をもどかねどいつもとゆひをゆひ初むるかな
| murasaki no yashio no iro o modokanedo itsu motoyui o yuihajimuru kana | This violet Deeply dipped hue I cannot fault, yet When will a topknot First be tied, I wonder! |
Tadafusa
Coming of Age 元服
こよひゆふはつもとゆひのむらさきのま袖の色にはやもなりなん
| koyoi yuu hatsu motoyui no murasaki no masode no iro ni haya mo narinan | This eve is tied Your first topknot With violet Hues I would your fair sleeve Swiftly, too, be coloured! |
Nakazane
Clouds 雲
むらさきの色やまがふと大空にうかべる雲のむつましきかな
| murasaki no iro ya magau to ōzora ni ukaberu kumo no mutsumashiki kana | Are the violet Hues blended through The heavens where The clouds do drift What make them so dear? |
Daishin
A chrysanthemum from Murasakino.
名にしおへば花さへ匂ふ紫の一本菊における初霜
| na nisi oFeba Fana saFe nioFu murasaki no Fitomoto kiku ni okeru Fatusimo |
Bearing such a name This bloom is certain to scent: Upon a violet Single chrysanthemum The first frost has fallen. |
3
Imperial Visits to the Fields
むらさきの御かりはゆゆしましろなるくちのはがひに雪ちろほひて
| murasaki no mikari wa yuyushi mashiro naru kuchinohakai ni yuki chirōite | The violet Awesome imperial hunting grounds: Turned pure white is Kuchinohakai by Scattered snow. |
Minamoto no Toshiyori
源俊頼
白妙の豊御幣をとりもちていはひぞそむる紫の野に
| sirotaFe no toyomitegura o torimotite iFaFi zo somuru murasaki no no ni |
White mulberry cloth, This offering, I take and In celebration dye it Upon the violet plains… |
Fujiwara no Nagatō (949-?1009)
藤原長能
Left (Win).
けふ祭る神の恵みはかねてより卯月の忌のさして知りにき
| kyō matsuru kami no megumi wa kanete yori uzuki no imi no sashite shiriniki |
Today we celebrate The blessings of the god; For days of Seclusion the Fourth Month Known. |
205
Right.
あすは又加茂の河波たちかへり紫野にや色をそふべき
| asu wa mata kamo no kawa nami tachikaeri murasakino ni ya iro o soubeki |
Tomorrow, once more, The waves on Kamo River Will rise, borne on strains of song, returning Through the violet plains With the touch of colour. |
206
The Right question, ‘Whether saying “known for days” (kanete shiriniki) implies whether the god’s blessings are only provided on the day of the festival?’ The Left reply, ‘The blessings provided on the day of the festival are different from those given at other times. Where is there a problem with this?’ Somewhat testily, they then continue, ‘The initial section of the Right’s poem is about the river, but it then continues to with the violet fields. The subject changes. Furthermore, “violet fields” (murasakino ni ya) is a displeasing expression.’
Shunzei says simply, ‘Both poems seem to be of the same quality [ryōshu no utazama wa dōka narubeshi]. However, the Right passes over the festival day to focus on the violet fields the following day, while the Left remains focussed on the day of the festival. It should win.’