Left
みよりまたおもひはことになつむしのなりてもまたもたのみけるかな
| mi yori mata omoi wa koto ni natsumushi no narite mo mata mo tanomikeru kana | From my flesh, once more Passion’s flame, especially, into A firefly Has made me still— On that you can rely! |
19
Right
なつむしのわがたましひにみをかへてこころごころにこがれけるかな
| natsumushi no wa ga tamashii ni mi o kaete kokoro gokoro ni kogarekeru kana | Into a firefly Soul has My flesh transformed— Every corner of my heart Is smouldering! |
20
Left
おもひにはみをもかへつるなつむしのきえてもあふとたれかいひけむ
| omoi ni wa mi o mo kaetsuru natsumushi no kiete mo au to tare ka iikemu | Passion’s flame Has changed the flesh of The fireflies Even fading will we meet— Who is it might say that? |
17
Right
あひもみぬこひによりつつなつむしのもえこがるれどかひなかりけり
| ai mo minu koi ni yoritsutsu natsumushi no moekogaruredo kai nakarikeri | Meeting but not seeing: Ever trusting in such a love The fireflies Burn themselves to char, yet ‘Tis pointless, indeed. |
18
おのおのがみをばおもへどなつむしのかかるおもひはえこそはなれね
| ono ono ga mi oba omoedo natsumushi no kakaru omoi wa e koso hanarene | Each and every one Of their flesh remains aware, yet A firefly’s Passion burns such that He never can escape it. |
5
Right
こひによりみのうせしをばくゆれどもなほなつむしになをやたちなむ
| koi ni yori mi no useshi oba kuyuredomo nao natsumushi ni na o ya tachinamu | For love Has my body failed, Burning within, yet Still, as a firefly Might I be known? |
6
Left (Tie)
あふことのきみにたえにしわがみよりいくらのなみだながれいでぬらむ
| au koto no kimi ni taenishi wa ga mi yori ikura no namida nagare’idenuramu | My meetings with You, my lord, have ceased, and From my flesh What a torrent of tears Flow out! |
Ise
59
Right
きみこひのあまりにしかばしのぶれどひとのしるらんことのわびしさ
| kimi koi no amari nishikaba shinoburedo hito no shiruran koto no wabishiki | Loving you Beyond all measure, I kept it secret, yet That folk seem to know Is a cause of heartache. |
Tsurayuki
60
On hearing His Highness, the Prince of the Right remark in irritation that the Left’s poem had appealed to His Majesty’s heart, His Majesty composed
ゆきかへりちどりなくなるはまゆふのこころへだてておもふものかは
| yukikaeri chidori naku naru hamayū no kokoro hedatete omou mono ka wa | Going back and forth Plovers cry from The beach among the spider lilies Do their hearts distinguish Do you think? |
His Majesty
61
The End of Summer
Left
なくこゑはするものからに身はむなしあなおぼつかなうつせみのよや
| naku koe wa suru mono kara ni mi wa munashi ana obotsukana utsusemi no yo ya | Their voices sing And yet Their flesh is empty— O, how strange is A cicada shell world! |
Tadamine
9
Right (Win)
ほととぎすをちかへりなけうなゐこがうちたれがみのさみだれのこゑ
| hototogisu ochikaeri nake unaiko ga uchitaregami no samidare no koe | A cuckoo Calls again and again; A child’s shoulder-brushing Hair dangling down: The song of a summer shower. |
Mitsune
10
Composed on the conception of love as a year passes when people were at the residence of the Regent and former Minister of the Left.
われがみはとがへるたかとなりにけりとしはふれどもこゐはわすれず
| ware ga mi Fa togaFeru taka to narinikeri tosi Fa Furedomo kowi Fa wasurezu | My flesh as A hawk returning to its mews Has become; A year has passed, yet This love I will not forget. |
The Minister of the Left [Minamoto no Toshifusa]
Left
おもひつつひるはかくてもなぐさめつ夜こそ涙つきずながるる
| omoitsutsu hiru wa kakute mo nagusametsu yoru koso namida tukizu nagaruru | Ever thinking of you My day is thus Consoled, but At night, indeed, my tears Never do run dry… |
178
Right
かぎりなく深きおもひを忍ぶれば身をころすにもおとらざりけり
| kagirinaku fukaki omoi o shinobureba mi o korosu ni mo otorazarikeri | Endless Depths has the love That I conceal, so That it will kill my flesh Is no exaggeration. |
179
Left
あかずして君を恋ひつる涙にぞうきみしづみみやせわたりける
| akazushite kimi o koitsuru namida ni zo ukimi shizumimi yasewatarikeru | An endless hunger is My love for you; In tears does My flesh float and sink As it grows ever thinner. |
170
Right
かしまなるつくまの神のつくづくと我が身ひとつに恋をつみつる
| kashima naru tsukuma no kami no tsukuzuku to wa ga mi hitotsu ni koi o tsumikeru | In Kashima Does the God of Tsukuma Constantly Upon my flesh, alone, Lay the burdens of love? |
171
Left
おもひ侘びけぶりは空に立ちぬれどわりなくもなき恋のしるしか
| omoiwabi keburi wa sora ni tachinuredo warinaku mo naki koi no shirushi ka | Suffering from passion’s fire, Smoke into the skies Has risen, yet Of a not unreasonable Love is this a sign? |
168
Right
人をおもふ心のおきは身をぞやく煙たつとは見えぬものから
| hito o omou kokoro no oki wa mi o zo yaku keburi tatsu to wa mienu mono kara | Loving her The coals within my heart Do burn my flesh, though Of smoke arising Is there no sign at all… |
169