When he drew the topic of dew, when people were composing poetry on randomly selected topics at the residence of the Minister of the Left.
我ならぬ草葉もものは思ひけり袖より外におけるしらつゆ
aFare naranu
kusaba mo mono Fa
omoFikeri
sode yori Foka ni
okeru siratuyu
Not only I, but
All the grassy leaves
Are sunk in gloomy thought
For in places other than my sleeves
Fall silver dewdrops.
Fujiwara no Tadakuni
藤原忠国
When the gentlemen and ladies of the household of the Minister of the Left were getting dressed for a coming-of-age ceremony.
大原やをしほの山のこまつ原はや木高かれ千代の影みむ
oFoFara ya
wosiFo no yama no
komatubara
haya ko takakare
tiyo no kage mimu
At Ōhara,
On Oshio Mountain
The young pine saplings
Will grow swiftly into mighty trees and
See a thousand generations pass!
Ki no Tsurayuki
紀貫之
When Lord Kin’yori spent all his time visiting the home of the lady with whom he was currently involved.
ながめつゝ人待つ宵の呼子鳥何方へとか行きかへるらむ
nagametutu
Fito matu yoFi no
yobu kotori
idukata Fe to ka
yukikaFeruramu
Gazing out
Awaiting you all night long,
The crying songbirds,
Seem to say, “Where to?”
As they go back and forth…
The Mother of the Monk Kankan
寛湛法師母
Topic unknown.
常もなき夏の草葉に置く露を命と頼む蟬のはかなさ
tune mo naki
natu no kusaba ni
oku tuyu wo
inoti to tanomu
semi no Fakanasa
Upon the ever changing
Summer leaves
Drips dew:
The only fit foundation for
The cicadas’ brief life…
Anonymous
On taking the ceremonial wine cup in the Imperial Presence on the day of the extraordinary Kamo Festival, during the Engi period.
かくてのみやむへきものかちはやぶるかもの社のよろづ世を見む
kakute nomi
yamubeki mono ka
tiFayaburu
kamo no yasiro no
yoroduyo wo mimu
With this simply
Should it end?
Puissant
Kamo Shrine
Will see ten thousand ages pass!
The Sanjō Minister of the Right
(Fujiwara no Sadakata 藤原定方 (873-932))
When the Biwa Minister of the Left, having some use for them, requested some oak leaves, and this was sent to the house of his acquaintence, Chikane, to obtain them.
我が宿を何時馴らしてか楢の葉を馴らし顔には折りにをこする
wa ga yado wo
itu narasite ka
nara no Fa wo
narasigaFo ni Fa
wori ni okosuru
With my home
When did you become so familiar?
That leaves of oak
So freely
Do you send to pick!
Toshiko
俊子
When a man who had long visited a woman at the house of the Sugawara Minister, ceased coming for a while, and then came once more.
菅原や伏見の里の荒れしより通ひし人のあともたえにき
sugaFara ya
Fusimi no sato no
aresi yori
kayoFisi Fito no
ato mo taeniki
Sedge fields lie
Around the estate of Fushimi,
All long overgrown;
He who passed across them
Has left no tracks at all…
Anonymous
Topic unknown.
いかにして事語らはん郭公歎の下に鳴けはかひなし
ika ni shite
koto katarawan
hototogisu
nageki no shita ni
nake wa kai nashi
Whatever he may do,
To tell me,
For the cuckoo
Beneath the gloomy trees
To call is pointless…
Anonymous
Sent to a woman.
天の戸をあけぬあけぬと言ひなして空鳴きしつる鳥の声かな
ama no to o
akenu akenu to
iinashite
sora nakishitsuru
tori no koe kana
“The gates of Heaven
Are open! Are open!”
Cries
A song from the sky
In a bird’s call…
Anonymous
On hearing the frogs .
我宿にあひ宿り宿りしてすむ蛙夜になればやものは悲しき
wa ga yado ni
aFiyadorisite
sumu kaFadu
yoru ni nareba ya
mono Fa kanasiki
At my home
I lodge together with
The frogs dwelling there;
Is it that night has come
That make everything so sad?
Anonymous
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