Category Archives: Mandaishū

Mandaishū IX: 1760

A poem from the Poetry Contest held by the Tōin Empress.

ひとたびもこひしとおもふにくるしきはこころぞちぢにくだくべらなる

hitotabi mo
koishi to omou ni
kurushiki wa
kokoro zo chiji ni
kudakuberanaru
Briefly
Did I love you, I feel, then
The pain
My heart a thousand, thousandfold
Did surely shatter.

Anonymous

Mandaishū XIV: 2648

Composed on Love after Parting during the reign of Former Emperor Nijō (1143-1165; r. 1158-1165).

水無瀬川流れてとこそ思ひしかこはいかにしてたえはじめけむ

minasegawa
nagarete to koso
omoishi ka
ko wa ika ni shite
taehajimekemu
The River Minase
Rapidly runs – did
I think that once?
Now what am I to do
That our parting has begun?

Minister of Justice [Fujiwara no] Norikane
刑部卿範兼

Mandaishū XI: 2183

On the conception of Love on a First Meeting.

いまよりも心ながさを頼まなむつらきをだにも恨みやはせし

ima yori mo
kokoro nagasa o
tanomanamu
tsuraki o dani mo
urami ya wa seshi
From now
On your faithfulness
Will I rely!
Or your cruelty –
Will that be what I despise?

Senior Assistant Governor General of Dazai [Fujiwara no] Shige’ie
太宰大弐重家
(1128-1181)