Left
よのなかにわびしきことをくらぶるにおもふとこひといづれまされり
| yo no naka ni wabishiki koto o kuraburu ni omou to koi to izure masareri | When this mundane world’s Pains We do compare, Yearning and loving— Which is finer? |
Kuronushi
21
Right
をりふしにいひしことのみわすられであひみぬほどのこひはまされり
| orifushi ni iishi koto nomi wasurarede aiminu hodo no koi wa masareri | Those times We simply spoke I cannot forget, Now, when we meet not— Love is finer! |
Toyonushi
22
Left
こころにもまかせぬなかにひとしれずおもひかよはすことはまされり
| kokoro ni mo makasenu naka ni hito shirezu omoi kayowasu koto wa masareri | Deep within my heart, We will never be, I feel, but Unknown to all My yearning goes back and forth— That is finer! |
Kuronushi
23
Right
つくづくとちぎりしほどもすぎゆくにまてどもみえぬこひはまされり
| tsukuzuku to chigirishi hodo mo sugiyuku ni matedomo mienu koi wa masareri | Endlessly Did he vow—that time Has passed and I await him, yet see him not— Love is finer! |
Toyonushi
24
Left
つれもなきひとにおもひをつけそめてみのみこがるることはまされり
| tsure mo naki hito ni omoi o tsukesomete mi no mi kogaruru koto wa masareri | For a cruel Girl to passionately yearn I have begun, Flesh smouldering away— That is finer! |
Kuronushi
25
Right
もゆるひにみはもやすともひとこふるむねのほのほはなほまさりけり
| moyuru hi ni mi wa moyasu to mo hito kouru mune no honō wa nao masarikeri | A smouldering fire May burn my flesh, yet Loving her The flame within my breast Is finer still! |
Toyonushi
26
Left
みひとつをちぢのつるぎにさすよりもしばしものおもふことはまされり
| mi hitotsu o chiji no tsurugi ni sasu yori mo shibashi mono’omou koto wa masareri | My only flesh By a thousand thousand swords Is pierced, but more so Being briefly sunk in gloomy thought— That is finer! |
Kuronushi
27
Right
かぎりなきひとをわかれてまたとだにあひみぬほどのこひはまされり
| kagirinaki hito o wakarete mata to dani aiminu hodo no koi wa masareri | From one so far above Me I part, Never once more even To meet—then Love is finer. |
Toyonushi
28
Left
かぎりなくたのむにひとのあだこころつくをおもふはなほまさりけり
| kagirinaku tanomu ni hito no ada kokoro tsuku o omou wa nao masarikeri | Completely Trustworthy I thought her, yet On her faithless heart I dwell endlessly— That is finer! |
Kuronushi
29
Right
わするれどわすれわびぬるひとをなほこひしとおもふことはまされり
| wasururedo wasure wabinuru hito o nao koishi to omou koto wa masareri | I would forget her, yet I cannot in my grief, for Her I do yet Love, I think— That is finer. |
Toyonushi
30
Mitsune judges
わびしさはおもひもこひもおとらぬをふかきあさきのほどにやはあらぬ
| wabishisa wa omoi mo koi mo otoranu o fukaki asaki no hodo ni ya aranu | In sorrow Neither yearning, nor love Loses out— Their depths and shallows Match, don’t they! |
