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
かぞ色の友にいのればふたりさすしそくのかげにちよぞこもれる
kazoiro no
tomo ni inoreba
futari sasu
shizoku no kage ni
chiyo zo komoreru | The parents’
Together pray;
Both show
In their boy’s face,
Hidden for a thousand generations. |
Kanemasa
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
うなゐこがはなちのかみをとりたててまきそめ川よ淵せかはるな
unaiko ga
hanachi no kami o
toritatete
makisomegawa yo
fuchise kawaru na | A boy’s
Loose hair about his shoulders
Being gathered up –
O, dyer’s river,
Change not your deeps and shallows! |
Toshiyori
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
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
Waterweed 萍
うき草のうき世の中としりながらのがれもやらぬ我ぞかなしき
ukikusa no
ukiyo no naka to
shirinagara
nogare mo yaranu
ware zo kanashiki | A waterweed
This cruel, transient world
Knows well;
With no way to escape it,
Sunk in sadness am I… |
Daishin
Waterweed 萍
世の中は水のうへなるうき草のうきにたへたる身をいかにせん
yo no naka wa
mizu no uenaru
ukikusa no
uki ni taetaru
mi o ikani sen | In this mundane world
Atop the waters lies
A waterweed –
In endless misery,
O, what am I to do? |
Higo
Waterweed 萍
ふる河のとだえをわたるたび人のもすそにあをくつける萍
furukawa no
todae o wataru
tabibito no
mosuso ni aoku
tsukeru ukikusa | An ancient river’s
Broken bridge a’crossing goes
A traveller,
Her skirt-hem greenly
Gripped by waterweed… |
Kanemasa
Waterweed 萍
池のおもにうゑぬにおふるうき草はなみやよるよる種をまきけん
ike no omo ni
uenu ni ouru
ukikusa wa
nami ya yoruyoru
tane o makiken | Upon the surface of the pond,
Not planted but growing are
The waterweeds –
Do the waves, washing back and forth
Sow their seeds, perhaps? |
Tadafusa
'Simply moving and elegant'