Left (Tie).
行通ふ心の戀をしるべにてまだ見ぬ峰を幾重越ゆらん
yukikayou
kokoro no koi o
shirube nite
mada minu mine o
ikue koyuran
Crossing distances, with
Our hearts’ love
As a guide;
How many unseen peaks
Must I yet cross…
Lord Ari’ie .
865
Right.
尋ぬべき程を聞くにもいとゞしく心の道ぞまづ迷ひぬる
tazunubeki
hodo o kiku ni mo
itodoshiku
kokoro no michi zo
mazu mayoinuru
The distance I must travel:
When I ask how far it is,
More and more
Does my heart upon the path
Begin by wandering lost.
Lord Takanobu .
866
The Right state: we wonder about the appropriateness of the expression ‘our hearts’ love’ (kokoro no koi )? The Left state: the Right’s poem has no faults to mention.
In judgement: the Left’s ‘our hearts’ love’ is something I am completely unaccustomed to hearing. The Right’s poem does have ‘my heart upon the path’ (kokoro no michi ), but the use of ‘more and more’ (itodoshiku ) means it is difficult to make it a winner. The round should tie.
Left (Win).
行く末の深き縁とぞ契つるまだ結ばれぬ淀の若菰
yukusue no
fukaki eni to zo
chigiritsuru
mada musubarenu
yodo no wakagomo
In the future,
A deep connection will we have,
You vowed,
Yet still no one has cupped
This young shoot of wild rice at Yodo.
A Servant Girl .
863
Right.
結ばんと契し人を忘れずやまだ影淺き井手の玉水
musuban to
chigirishi hito o
wasurezu ya
mada kage asaki
ide no tamamizu
That we would be joined
We swore, so
Will you not forget me?
The slight reflection left
In Ide’s jewelled waters…
Ietaka .
864
Both Left and Right state: there is no separation between man and woman.
In judgement: ‘Young shoot of wild rice at Yodo’ (yodo no wakagomo ) and ‘Ide’s jewelled waters’ (ide no tamamizu ) are both elegant in style, but the Left has pledged a more profound bond. The Right has ‘the slight reflection left’ (mada kage asaki ) and the Left is a poem about a vow which has been made. The Right is just referring to events of the past. Thus, ‘depth’ should win.
On deer.
さを鹿の小野の草伏いちしろく我がとはなくに人の知れらく
sawosika no
wono no kusabusi
itisiroku
wa ga topanaku ni
pito no sireraku
The stag
Lying in the meadow grass
Stands out, so
Not I but
Others will come to know!
Anonymous
On deer.
さを鹿の朝伏す小野の草若み隠らひかねて人に知らゆな
sawosika no
asa pusu wono no
kusa wakami
kakurapikanete
pito ni sirayu na
The stag
Lies in the meadow in the morn,
The grass so fresh
He cannot hide –
O, don’t let others know!
Anonymous
On Rivers.
夕さらずかはづ鳴くなる三輪川の清き瀬の音を聞かくしよしも
yū sarazu
kawazu nakunaru
miwagawa no
kiyoki se no oto o
kikakushi yoshi mo
Evening comes, and
The frogs do cry;
The River Miwa’s
Crystal currents’ sound
Is a pleasure, indeed!
Anonymous
On frogs.
上つ瀬にかはづ妻呼ぶ夕されば衣手寒み妻まかむとか
kami tu se ni
kapadu tuma yobu
yupusareba
koromode samumi
tuma makamu to ka
In the rapids upstream
A frog cries for a mate,
When the evening comes,
How chill the sleeves –
Maybe he would be with her swiftly!
Anonymous
On frogs.
背を早み落ちたぎちたる白波にかはづ鳴くなり朝夕ごとに
se wo payami
otitagititaru
siranami ni
kapadu nakunari
asayupu goto ni
The current flows so swift
There are eddies making
Whitecaps where
The frogs do call,
Morning and evening both…
Anonymous
On frogs.
草枕旅に物思ひ我が聞けば夕かたまけて鳴くかはづかも
kusa makura
tabi ni monomopi
wa ga kikeba
yupukata makete
naku kawadu kamo
Pillowed on the grass,
In gloomy thought on my travels,
And then I hear,
As if eager for evening,
The frogs calling…
Anonymous
On frogs.
神なびの山下響み行く水にかはづ鳴くなり秋と言はむとや
kamunabi no
yamasita toyomi
yuku midu ni
kapadu nakunari
aki to ipamu to ya
The sacred
Mountains’ feet resound
With rushing waters, where
Frogs are crying;
Do they announce the coming autumn?
Anonymous
秋田刈る刈廬を作り我が居れば衣手寒く露ぞ置きにける
akita karu
karipo wo tukuri
wa ga woreba
koromode samuku
tuyu zo wokinikeru
Reaping the autumn fields,
Building a brief hut, and
Resting there,
How chill my sleeves
When the dew falls upon them.
Anonymous
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'Simply moving and elegant'