Round Six
Left
夏山のみねのこずゑのたかければなく郭公こゑかはるかな
| natsuyama no mine no kozue no takakereba naku hototogisu koe kawaru kana | The summer mountain Peaks have treetops So high, that The crying cuckoo’s Calls stand for them. |
11
Right (Win)
おほあらきのもりの下草茂りあひてふかくも夏のなりにけるかな
| ōaraki no mori no shitagusa moriaite fukaku mo natsu no narinikeru kana | In Ōaraki Forest the undergrowth Has grown so thick, that Deep summer is Surely here! |
Mitsune
12
Round Five
Left (Win)
なつの夜のふすかとすればほととぎす鳴く一声に明くるしののめ
| natsu no yo no fusu ka to sureba hototogisu naku hitogoe ni akuru shinonome | On summer nights, I’m wondering whether to go to bed, when A cuckoo’s Single call Brightens the dawn. |
Ki no Tsurayuki
9
Right
郭公をちかへりなけうなゐこがうちたれがみの五月雨の空
| hototogisu ochikaerinake unaiko ga uchitaregami no samidare no sora | A cuckoo Calls again and again; A child’s shoulder-brushing Hair dangling down: A summer shower fills the skies. |
Ōshikōchi no Mitsune 10[1]
[1] Shūishū II: 116: For a poetry contest at Sadafun’s house.
Later, on the second day of the Fifth Month, it appears that everyone, quite losing their composure, decorated their replies extravagantly and even painted pictures beneath them; later, on the seventh day of the same month, because His Majesty sent instructions to the ladies who had been present to compose love poems and attend him, on that day they attended him to present their poems.
ほととぎす待つにつけてもささがにのいづれの世にかしる時ぞ思ふ
| hototogisu matsu ni tsukete mo sasagani no izure no yo ni ka shiru toki zo omou | A cuckoo I do await, and yet The tiny crab— On which night is it?— Will know the time, I hope! |
Echizen
21
しるし有りてこぬよもあれや時鳥中中かけしくものふるまひ
| shirushi arite konu yo mo are ya hototogisu nakanaka kakeshi kumo no furumai | Should there be a sign, Would there really be a night he failed to come, That cuckoo? Truly to be trusted was The spider’s spinning… |
The Major Counsellor
22
Stars 星
時つ鳥なかず雲ゐにとどろきて星のはやしにうづもれぬらん
| tokitsudori nakazu kumoi ni todorokite hoshi no hayashi ni uzumorenuran | The cuckoo is Songless among the clouds, where Echoes Within the forest of stars Seem never to die away… |
Toshiyori
Left (Tie)
人心常は卯月の時鳥ことかたらはん聲を聞かばや
| hito kokoro tsune wa uzuki no hototogisu koto kataran koe o kikaba ya |
Her heart is Ever chill; O, for the Fourth Month Cuckoo To tell me With a gentle song! |
Lord Suetsune
1047
Right
足引の遠山鳥の一聲は我つまながらめづらしき哉
| ashihiki no tōyamadori no hitogoe wa ware tsumanagara mezurashiki kana |
Leg-wearying The distant mountain pheasant’s Call is Even for his mate A rare thing, indeed! |
Lord Tsune’ie
1048
The Gentlemen of the Right state: the Left’s poem has no faults. The Gentlemen of the Left state: the initial part of the Right’s poem has an antiquated feel.
In judgement: the Left’s ‘cuckoo’ (hototogisu) and the Right’s ‘mountain pheasant’ (yamadori) are of the same level.
Left
時鳥今宵はとまれ片岡の朝の原に帰りやせぬ
| Fototogisu koyoFi Fa tomare katawoka no asita no Fara ni kaFeri ya senu |
O, cuckoo Stay here this night, and Down the hillside With the morning to the plain Will you not return? |
19
Right
我が宿に声な惜しみそ時鳥通ふ千里のゆきはてぞ此は
| wa ga yado ni kowe na osimi so Fototogisu kayoFu tisato no yukiFate zo ko Fa |
At my home I regret not your song, O, cuckoo, For your thousand league Journey’s end lies here. |
20
Left (Win)
ほかにまた待つ人あれや時鳥心長閑かに声の聞えぬ
| Foka ni mata matu Fito are ya Fototogisu kokoro nodoka ni kowe no kikoenu |
Is there any other who still Awaits as I, O, cuckoo? Heart at peace with Your song unheard… |
15
Right
二声と聞かでややまむ時鳥暁近くなりもしぬらむ
| Futakowe to kikade ya yamamu Fototogisu akatuki tikaku nari mo sinuramu |
Will your twin cries Cease before they’re heard, O, cuckoos? With approaching dawn It seems they die… |
16
Left
待たせつる程は久しき時鳥飽かで立ちなむ後の恋しさ
| mataseturu Fodo Fa Fisasiki Fototogisu akade tatinamu noti no koFisisa |
I was kept waiting For so long, O, cuckoo! Never sated am I of my longing For you when you are gone… |
13
Right (Win)
小夜更けて誰か告げつる時鳥待つにたがはぬ声の聞ゆる
| sayo Fukete tare ka tugeturu Fototogisu matu ni tagaFanu kowe no kikoyuru |
The brief night dawns: To whom will you announce it, O, cuckoo? All that I await Is to hear your song. |
14
Left
時鳥雲井の声を聞く人は心も空になりぞしにける
| Fototogisu kumowi no kowe wo kiku Fito Fa kokoro mo sora ni nari zo sinikeru |
A cuckoo From the clouds your call Folk hear, and Their hearts with the skies One do become! |
11
Right (Win)
小夜更けて起きて待たずば時鳥はつかなる音もいかで聞かまし
| sayo Fukete okite matazuba Fototogisu Fatukanaru ne mo ikade kikamasi |
A brief night dawns, and Had I not awaited to arise A cuckoo’s Momentary cry Somehow I might have heard… |
12
Left (Tie)
仄かなる声を聞きては時鳥鳴きつる方をまづぞ求むる
| Fonokanaru kowe wo kikite Fa Fototogisu nakituru kata wo madu zo motomuru |
Your faint Song I do hear O, cuckoo, Along the path you call Am I in truth invited. |
9
Right
小夜更けぬ布留の都の 時鳥帰る雲路の声を聞かせよ
| sayo Fukete Furu no miyako no Fototogisu kaFeru kumodi no kowe wo kikaseyo |
The brief night dawns At the ancient capital of Furu; O, cuckoo From your homeward path among the clouds Let me hear your song! |
10