Regretting the Day of the Rat
Left
むねのひををしもぬかねばみだれおつるなみだのたまにかつぞけちつる
mune no hi o
o shimo nukaneba
midare’otsuru
namida no tama ni
katsu zo kechitsuru | The fire within my breast
Will not thread upon a string, but
My disorderly dripping
Gemstone tears will
Yet extinguish it. |
Tsurayuki
23
Right (Win)
くらきよにともすほたるのむねのひををしもとけたるたまかとぞ見る
kuraki yo ni
tomosu hotaru no
mune no hi o
o shimo toketaru
tama ka zo zo miru | On a night so dark,
The kindled fireflies of
The fire within my breast;
Loosened from their string
As scattered gemstones they appear. |
Tadamine
24
Wisteria
Left (Win)
おくつゆのひかりてたまぞみえまがふちのはながらにきえずもあらなむ
oku tsuyu no
hikarite tama zo
miemagau
chi no ha nagara ni
kiezu mo aranamu | The fallen dewdrops
Shine like gems
Within my sight;
From the budding leaves
I would they vanished not! |
21
Right
あまつそらてりみくもりみゆくつきのふちのはなどはさやけかるらん
ama tsu sora
terimi kumorimi
yuku tsuki no
fuchi no ha nado wa
sayakekaruran | Through the heaven-bound skies
Shining, then clouding,
Goes the moon, so
Why, by this deep pool’s edge
Should it show so clear? |
Fukayabu
22
Orchids
Left
はるきてはきのふばかりをあさみどりなべてけさこくのはなりにけり
haru kite wa
kinō bakari o
asamidori
nabete kesa koku
no wa narikeri | Spring’s coming means, though
Yesterday was simply
Pale green,
Everywhere, this morning deeper-hued
Have the meadows become. |
Tsurayuki
19
Right
はるさめにしべゆるぶらし春のくさこくのはなべてさきみちにけり
harusame ni
shibe yuruburashi
haru no kusa
koku no wa nabete
sakimichinikeri | In the springtime rain,
The flowers’ hearts seem loosened, so
With spring plants’ hues
Deepening, the meadows everywhere
Have filled with blossom. |
20
Lilac Daphne
Left (Tie)
かたをかにひのはなばなにみえつるはこのもかのもにたれかつけつる
kataoka ni
hi no hanabana ni
mietsuru wa
konomo kanomo ni
tare katsuketsuru | Upon the hillside
The fires as flowers
Do appear—
Here and there,
Who has kindled them? |
Tsurayuki
17
Right
わたつみのおきなかにひのはなれいでてもゆとみゆるはあまつほしかも
watatsumi no
oki naka ni hi no
hanare’idete
moyu to miyuru wa
ama tsu hoshi kamo | Across the broad sea sweep
Upon the offing, fires
In the distance
Burn it seems—
Stars within the heavens, perhaps… |
Tomonori
18
Azaleas
Left
かりがねにおもひかけつつしのばなんあまつそらなるわが身なりとも
kari ga ne ni
omoikaketsutsu
shinobanan
ama tsu sora naru
wa ga mi naritomo | Upon the goose cries
Ever hang your thoughts, and
Remember, that
Within the sky-spanning heavens
I may yet be… |
Sadafun
15
Right
うぐひすのこゑなつかしくなきつるはのちもこひつつしのばなむとか
uguisu no
koe natsukashiku
nakitsuru wa
nochi mo koitsutsu
shinobanamu to ka | Does the warbler’s
Song so charmingly
Ring out that
Later, ever fondly
Will he be remembered? |
16
Kerria
Left
はなをらでわれぞややまふきのはなるつゆをたまにてけたじとおもへば
hana orade
ware zo ya yamau
ki no ha naru
tsuyu o tama nite
ketaji to omoeba | Leave the blossom unplucked, and
As it is, I will, that
From the tree’s leaves
The dewdrop gems
Will not disappear, or so I wish… |
Sadafun
13
Right (Win)
いづこともわかずはるさめふりやまふきのはなべてももえにけるかな
izuko to mo
wakazu harusame
furiyamau
ki no ha nabete mo
moenikeru kana | Everywhere
Without exception, springtime showers
Have ceased to fall, so
All the leaves upon the trees
Have budded! |
14
Bird Cherry Blossom
Left
はるがすみたちみつをみてにはかにはさくらのはなとおもひけるかな
harugasumi
tachimitsu o mite
niwaka ni wa
sakura no hana to
omoikeru kana | The spring mists
Rising to fill all, I saw, and
Suddenly, of
Cherry blossom
Did I think! |
Tsurayuki
11
Right (Win)
はるかにはさくらのはなとみゆれどもいりてのそきはひろくぞありける
haruka ni wa
sakura no hana to
miyuredomo
irite no soki wa
hiroku zo arikeru | From afar, as
Cherry blossom
Did they appear, yet
Travelling there, the distance is
Broad, indeed! |
Tadamine
12
Cherry Blossom
Left (Tie)
わがそのへいざかへりなむあさがほのひとはなさくらのはなりにけり
wa ga sono e
iza kaerinamu
asagao no
hito hana sakura
no wa narinikeri | To my garden,
Well, I must return, for
A morning glory’s
Single bloom in flower seems
To have turned it to a meadow. |
Okikaze
9
Right
はるはきぬたねにまくべきいねはなさくらのはなへにおろしはててよ
haru wa kinu
tane ni makubeki
ine wa nasa
kura no hanae ni
oroshihateteyo | Spring has come, and
The seeds must be sown;
No seedlings sprout
Beside the storehouse
Sow them all! |
10
Scarlet Plum Blossom
Left
あひがたき人をばさらにみしころはいのはなれてはねられざりけり
aigataki
hito oba sara ni
mishi koro wa
i no hanarete wa
nerarezarikeri | Hard to meet
Her it was, but finally,
I saw her once more, then
Being parted
Robbed me of my sleep. |
Tsurayuki
7
Right (Win)
わすれにし人をぞゆめになほこむはいのはなやかにねられてぞみる
wasurenishi
hito o zo yume ni
nao komu wa
i no hanayaka ni
nerarete zo miru | Forgotten by
A lady who to my dreams
Does yet come, so
In sleep, clearly,
When sleeping only do I see her! |
8
Plum Blossom
Left (Win)
そきとほくさらにはいでてかづきてむめのはなびきてうちよせよなみ
soki tōku
sara ni wa idete
kazukitemu
me no ha nabikite
uchiyoseyo nami | In the utmost distance,
Already you emerge—
As I dive beneath the surface where
The seaweed fronds drift back and forth,
Draw closer, o, waves! |
Tsurayuki
5
Right
かぜふかばいざうらごとにいでてみむめのはなびきてなみによるやと
kaze fukaba
iza uragoto ni
idete mimu
me no ha nabikite
nami ni yoru ya to | If the wind does blow,
I wonder, to every shore
Should I go out to see
The seaweed fronds drifting back and forth
As the waves draw near? |
Sadafun
6
'Simply moving and elegant'