Gō no sochi-shū 156

On the shape of a pine tree floating in the pond at the Asuka Mansion.

いけみづにまつのみどりをうつしてぞちとせのかげもいろまさりける

ikemizu ni
matsu no midori o
utsushite zo
chitose no kage mo
iro masarikeru
In the pond’s waters
The pine trees’ green
Is reflected;
The face of a thousand years in
Superlative hues!

Ōe no Masafusa

Michinari-shū 215

Listening to a flute in a village.

おきゐつつねざめのみするころにしもよぶかきふえのこゑをきくかな

oki’itsutsu
nezame nomi suru
koro ni shi mo
yobu kakibue no
koe o kiku kana
Ever and always on arising and
Waking from sleep, that
Is when,
The call of a flute beside my fence
Is the sound I hear!

Minamoto no Michinari (?-1019)
源道済

Izumi shikibu-shū 193

On plucking the zither, playing the flute, and enjoying herself somewhere.

聞く人のみみさへさむく秋風に吹きあはせたる笛のこゑかな

kiku hito no
mimi sae samuku
akikaze ni
fukiawasetaru
fue no koe kana
The folk listening
Have even had their ear chilled
By the autumn breeze
Blowing to them together with
The flute’s notes!

Izumi Shikibu (?-976?)
和泉式部

Teishi-in ominaeshi uta’awase 07

Left

ひとのみることやくるしきをみなへしあきぎりにのみたちかくるらむ

hito no miru
koto ya kurushiki
ominaeshi
akigiri ni nomi
tachikakururamu
For man to gaze on you,
Is it so painful,
O, Maidenflower,
That simply in the autumn mists
You must hide yourself away?

Tadamine
13[1]

Right

とりてみばはかなからんやをみなへしそでにつつめるしらつゆのたま

torite miba
hakanakaran ya
ominaeshi
sode ni tsutsumeru
shiratsuyu no tama
If I pick and look
How fleeting are
Upon a maidenflower,
Enveloped in my sleeves
Silver dewdrop pearls.

14


[1] KKS IV: 235

Teishi-in ominaeshi uta’awase 06

Left

かくをしむあきにしあはばをみなへしうつろふことはわすれやはせぬ

kaku oshimu
aki ni shi awaba
ominaeshi
utsurou koto wa
wasure ya wa senu
If feeling such regret
I should encounter autumn, then
O, maidenflower,
To fade
You should not forget, should you?

11

Right

ながきよにたれたのめけむをみなへしひとまつむしのえだごとになく

nagaki yo ni
tare tanomekemu
ominaeshi
hito matsumushi no
edagoto ni naku
On a long, long night
Who is it has made you believe,
O, maidenflower?
Pining for him while crickets
Cry from your every branch…

12[1]


[1] Shinsen man’yōshū 536; Fubokushō 4231

SSIS X: 726

Composed at the Kameyama mansion, in the Eighth Month, Kenji 2 [September 1276], when the first topic announced was ‘the colour of pines floating on a pond’.

池水に松のちとせをうつしても君にふたたびあふがうれしさ

ikemizu ni
matsu no chitose o
utsushitemo
kimi ni futatabi
au ga ureshiki
In the pond waters
The pine’s thousand years
Are reflected, yet
Once more, my Lord,
To meet you brings me joy!

The Regent and Former Prime Minister
摂政前太政大臣