這う蔦のなきよなりせば松が枝にかかる紅葉の色を見ましや
| hau tsuta no nakiyo nariseba matsu ga e ni kakaru momiji no iro o mimashi ya |
Trailing ivy: Were there none in this world, Upon the pine boughs Clinging scarlet leaves’ Hues would I see? |
Minamoto no Tadafusa
源忠房
Left (Tie).
涙せく袖のよそめは竝べどもわすれずやともいふひまぞなき
| namida seku sode no yosome wa narabedomo wasurezu ya to mo iu hima zo naki |
Tears are dammed upon My sleeves, and within eyesight Does she sit arrayed, but ‘Have you not forgotten me?’ – To ask that, I have no chance! |
Lord Sada’ie
883
Right.
梅が枝の末越す中の垣根より思ふ心や色に見えまし
| ume ga e no sue kosu naka no kakine yori omou kokoro ya iro ni miemashi |
The plum branches’ Tips cross beyond Her fence, so Will the love within my heart Appear plain before her? |
Jakuren
884
Both teams state there are no faults with their opponent’s poem.
In judgement: the Gentlemen of both Left and Right have stated that there are no faults with the style of either poem. I accept that and will make this round a tie.
Two poems composed by Naga no imiki Okimaro, grieving at the sight of the bound pine.
磐代の岸の松が枝結びけむ人は帰りてまた見けむかも
| ipasiro no kisi no matu ga e musubikemu pito pa kaperite mata mikemu kamo |
On Iwashiro’s Shore, a pine’s branches It seems he tied – I wonder, will he return And see them once more… |
Naga no Okimaro
長意吉麻呂
Left (Win).
重ねずと思ふばかりぞ小夜衣匂ひは袖に移りぬるかな
| kasanezu to omou bakari zo sayogoromo nioi wa sode ni utsurinuru kana |
No piled robes, but All I do is long for her: Her night-robe’s Scent upon my sleeves Does dwell…. |
Lord Suetsune
881
Right.
匂ひ來る梢ばかりを情にて主は遠き宿の梅が枝
| nioikuru kozue bakari o nasake nite aruji wa tōki yado no mume ga e |
The scent drifting From the treetops is my only Consolation, for Their master is as far away As his dwelling’s plum blossom branches… |
Nobusada
882
The Right state: the Left’s poem lacks any faults to indicate. The Left state: is the Right’s poem not composed upon the plum blossom of the house next door?
In judgement: for the topic of ‘Nearby Love’, poems composed where the lovers are in the same room are most likely winners. Even so, how close do their dwellings need to be? The Left’s latter section, ‘Her night-robe’s scent upon my sleeves’ (sayogoromo nioi wa sode ni) is certainly elegant. The Right’s poem has ‘Their master is as far away’ (aruji wa tōki). Simply because of this, it is certainly not composed on plum blossom. Still, the Left’s ‘night-robe’ (sayogoromo) seems a little superior to ‘The scent drifting from the treetops is my only consolation’ (nioikuru kozue bakari o nasake nite).
A poem composed in winter in the Eleventh Month, by His Majesty, when the Major Controller of the Left, Prince Kazuragi, and others, were granted the name Tachibana.
橘は実さへ花さへその葉さへ枝に霜降れどいや常葉の木
| tatibana pa mi sape pana sape sono pa sape e ni simo puredo iya toko pa no ki |
O, orange tree: Fruit and flowers both, And leaves, too, Even should frost fall on your branches Evegreen will you be! |
The above poem was composed in winter, on the 9th day of the Eleventh Month, after Prince Kazuragi, Junior Third Rank, and Prince Sai, Junior Fourth Rank, Upper Grade, among others, surrendered their membership of the imperial family and were granted the name of Tachibana. At that time Former Emperor [Genshō], the Emperor [Shōmu], and Empress [Kōmyō], were present in the Empress’ quarters, and hosted a banquet at which poems celebrating the name of Tachibana were composed, and sake was presented to the new members of the family. It is alternatively said, ‘This poem was composed by the Former Emperor. In addition, the Emperor and the Empress each composed a single poem. Those poems were lost and cannot now be located.’ If one seeks copies of the documents now, they say that on the 9th day of the Eleventh Month [Tenpyō] 8 [736], Prince Kazuragi and other submitted a request to the throne to be granted the name of Tachibana. On the 17th day the request was granted.
我が門の榎の実もり食む百千鳥千鳥は来れど君ぞ来まさぬ
| wa ga kado no e nomi moripamu momo titori titori pa kuredo kimi zo kimasanu |
At my gates Pecking at the hackberries Is a host of birds; The birds, they come, yet You, my lord, come not… |