Round Thirteen
Left (Tie)
ひこぼしのくれをまつまはあぢきなく雲のよそなる心ちこそせね
hikoboshi no
kure o matsu ma wa
ajikinaku
kumo no yoso naru
kokochi koso sene | While the Herd Boy
The evening awaits,
He suffers—
Beyond the distant clouds
Is where his feelings lie! |
Taifu
25
Right
さもこそは身はならはしといひながら七夕いかでたへてすぐらん
sa mo koso wa
mi wa narawashi to
iinagara
tanabata ikade
taete suguran | That is how it is—
Her flesh knows how it is,
They say, but
How is it that the Weaver Maid
Endures the passing days? |
Kenshō
26
In terms of overall quality, the Left is superior, but I am unable to understand it. The conclusion of the Right is non-standard.
Saying that he was entering the mountains.
神な月時雨ばかりを身にそへてしらぬ山ぢに入るぞかなしき
kaminaduki
sigure bakari wo
mi ni soFete
siranu yamadi ni
iru zo kanasiki | In the Godless Month
Simply do showers
Lie upon my flesh;
Upon unknown mountain paths
To set my foot is sad, indeed. |
Dharma Master Zōki
Created with Soan.
Topic unknown.
はかなくもこむよをかけて契るかなふたたびおなじ身ともならじを
Fakanaku mo
komu yo wo kakete
tigiru kana
Futatabi onazi
mi to mo narazi wo | How unreliable to vow that
Throughout the world to come
We will be linked!
For once more within the selfsame
Flesh we might not be… |
The Minister of the Right
Created with Soan.
When the Gokyōgoku Regent ordered her to produce a hundred poem sequence.
雲となり雨となりても身にそはばむなしき空をかたみとやみん
kumo to nari
ame to narite mo
mi ni sowaba
munashiki sora o
katami to ya min | Even should you become a cloud, and
Then become raindrops
Falling on my flesh, then
Would the vacant skies
I see as a keepsake, perhaps? |
Kojijū
Created with Soan.
When he was a gentleman-in-waiting[1] and had just started speaking to Masatada’s daughter.[2]
身にしみておもふ心のふかければつひに色にもいでぬべきかな
mi ni simite
omoFu kokoro no
Fukakereba
tuFi ni iro ni mo
idenubeki kana | Within my flesh
The feelings of my heart
Are buried deep, but
At long last my passions
Can be revealed! |
Supernumerary Middle Counsellor Atsutada
Created with Soan.
[1] Atsutada was made a gentleman-in-waiting (jijū 侍従) on the 12th day of the First Month, Engi 延喜23 [31.1.923], dating this poem to after that point.
[2] The identity of this woman is unknown.
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
Created with Soan.
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
Created with Soan.
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
Created with Soan.
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
Created with Soan.
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
Created with Soan.
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
Created with Soan.
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
'Simply moving and elegant'
