When the Regent and Grand Minister was a Colonel, he went to the Grand Shrine as an Imperial Messenger, Sada’ie accompanied him and composed this at the Outer Shrine.
契ありてけふみやがはのゆふかづらながきよまでもかけてたのまん
chigiri arite
kyô miyagawa no
yû kazura
nagaki yo made mo
kakete tanoman
It must be fate-
On this day by the sacred river’s
Barken garlands,
‘For as long as they should
Hang there,’ is my plea.
Fujiwara no Sada’ie
藤原定家
On the spirit of reminiscence, at the Poetry Office.
君がよにあはずはなにを玉のをのながくとまではおしまれじ身を
kimi ga yo ni
awazu wa nani o
tama no o no
nagaku tomade wa
oshimareji mi o
If with your reign
I am not to meet, for what should
My jewelled belt of life
Stretch on and on,
Without a care?
Sada’ie
定家
By the painting of Ōyodo, on a screen in the Saishō Hall of the Four Heavenly Kings.
おほよどのうらにかりほすみるめだにかすみにたへてかへるかりがね
ôyodo no
ura ni karihosu
mirume dani
kasumi ni taete
kaeru kari ga ne
On Ōyodo
Beach, laid out to dry is
The algae-just a glimpse, as
Obscured by the haze
The geese call, homeward bound.
Sada’ie
定家
On the spirit of a tranquil dwelling, from a hundred poem sequence commanded by the Monk-Prince Shukaku.
わくらばにとはれし人もむかしにてそれより庭のあとはたえにき
wakuraba ni
towareshi hito mo
mukashi nite
sore yori niwa no
ato wa taeniki
But rarely
Did he visit-now
‘Tis all in the past, and
Since then in the garden
Every single trace has gone.
Sada’ie
定家
When Retired Emperor Go-Shirakawa was at the Seika-ji, Sada’ie went as the messenger accompanying the tribute-horses.
さがの山ちよのふるみちあとゝめてまたつゆわくるもち月のこま
saga no yama
chi yo no furu michi
ato tomete
mata tsuyu wakuru
mochizuki no koma
On the mount of Saga
For a thousand generations the ancient ways
Have left their mark,
Once more forging through the dew comes
A mount from Mochizuki.
Sada’ie
定家
On the moon by the sea, from the Poetry Office Poetry Contest.
もしほくむ袖の月かげをのづからよそにあかさぬすまのうら人
moshio kumu
sode no tsuki kage
onozu kara
yoso ni akasanu
suma no urabito
Scooping seaweed-salt,
The moonlight on my sleeves
Naturally
Does not brighten the distant
Folk on Suma beach.
Sada’ie
定家
Composed at the Imperial Bodyguards’ Headquarters, when the gentlemen of the court went blossom viewing at the palace, after the new year had been here for some time.
春をへてみゆきになるゝ花のかげふりゆく身をもあはれとや思
haru o hete
miyuki ni naruru
hana no kage
furiyuku mi o mo
aware to ya omou
Spring passes and
The royal visit’s here – a blizzard
Of blossom shading,
Falling – and me ageing –
Do you think of me kindly?
Fujiwara no Sada’ie
藤原定家
Topic unknown.
かきやりしそのくろかみのすぢごとにうちふすほどはおもかげぞたつ
kakiyarishi
sono kurokami no
suji goto ni
uchifusu hodo wa
omokage zo tatsu
I gently smoothed
Those raven tresses
Strand by strand; now
As I lie down
Her face floats before me.
Sada’ie
定家
From the Minase 15 Love Poem Poetry Competition.
しろたへの袖のわかれにつゆおちて身にしむいろの秋風ぞふく
shirotae no
sode no wakare ni
tsuyu ochite
mi ni shimu iro no
aki kaze zo fuku
White mulberry cloth,
My sleeves, on parting
Are splashed with dew,
Staining my breast, this hue
Is carried on the gusting autumn wind.
Fujiwara no Sada’ie
藤原定家
From the Poetry Contest in 1500 Rounds.
たづねみるつらき心のおくのうみよしほひのかたのいふかひもなし
tazune miru
tsuraki kokoro no
oku no umi
yoshioi no kata no
iukai mo nashi
Should I seek out love
Within her cold heart’s
Depths – as at the sea by Michinoku
In the tidal inlets
There are no shellfish – ’twould be pointless.
Sada’ie
定家
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