うきながら人もつらしとしりぬればことわりなくも落つる涙か
ukinagara hito mo tsurashi to shirinureba kotowarinaku mo otsuru namida ka | ‘Tis cruel, but, that Folk are heartless, I know too well, so Does it make no sense for My tears to fall? |
Kai, from the Shijō Palace
35
In reply.
かりそめのたえまを待つや恨むべきことわりなきは涙なりけり
karisome no taema o matsu ya uramubeki kotowarinaki wa namida narikeri | A temporary Respite are you awaiting— Should you hate that? What makes no sense Are your tears… |
The Supernumerary Master of the Left Capital Office
36
うらみかねさ夜の衣を人しれず思ひかへせどなぐさまぬかな
uramikane sayo no koromo o hito shirezu omoikaesedo nagusamanu kana | Unable to despise you, On this brief night, my robe, Unknown to all, I did reverse in constant thought of you, but It brought me no comfort, at all! |
Kii, from the Ichijō Palace
31
In reply.
ひたすらにさよの衣にことよせてうらなき人を恨みざらなん
hitasura ni sayo no koromo ni kotoyosete uranaki hito o uramizaranan | Truly, On this brief night, your robe Is but a pretext— An unfeeling lady I would not despise! |
The Governor of Mimasaka
32
忍ぶれど物思ふ人はうき雲の空に恋する名をのみぞたつ
shinoburedo mono’omou hito wa ukigumo no sora ni koisuru na o nomi zo tatsu | I kept it secret, yet She, who is the focus of my thoughts, is As a drifting cloud Within the sky, and of my love Rumours, alone, do rise toward her. |
Middle Captain Morotoki, Fourth Rank
19
恋すともいかでか空に名はたたじ忍ぶる程は袖につつまで
koisu to mo ikade ka sora ni na wa tataji shinoburu hodo wa sode ni tsutsumade | You love, so How is it that the skies Could remain untouched by rumours? Your secret You’ve not kept wrapped within your sleeves… |
Lady Aki, in service to the Empress Dowager
20
Summer
Left
夏くればかみにあふひの草つみてかざしにいのるひとにばかりぞ
natsu kureba kami ni aoi no kusa tsumite kazashi ni inoru hito ni bakari zo | When the summer comes For the God, hollyhocks Are plucked, and for a Prayer placed in the hair of All folk, every one! |
7
夏草も茂りにければ駿河なる田子のうらなへ今やひくらん
natsu kusa mo shigerinikereba suruga naru tago no ura nae ima ya hikuran | The summer grasses, too, Have grown lush, so As Suruga’s Tago Bay, Do they now extend their charm? |
8
夏虫のやどるにまつは色ならで春秋空にうつろひやする
natsumushi no yadoru ni matsu wa iro narade haru aki sora ni utsuroi ya suru | The summer insects Lodge upon the pines Unchanging hues; Is it the spring and autumn skies Which fade away? |
9
Right
卯花の咲く夏の夜はやみなれどかきねにやどる月かとぞみる
u no hana no saku natsu no yo wa yami naredo kakine ni yadoru tsuki ka to zo miru | The deutzia flowers Bloom upon a summer night ‘Tis dark, yet Lodged upon my brushwood fence I wonder if I see the moon? |
10
五月きぬことかたらはむほととぎす君にあふちの花も咲きけり
satsuki kinu koto katarawamu hototogisu kimi ni auchi no hana mo sakikeri | That the Fifth Month has come Is announced by The cuckoo: For you, the chinaberry Blossoms, too, have bloomed. |
11
空蝉のからにはあらで置く露の身をあらたむる心なるべし
utsusemi no kara ni wa arade oku tsuyu no mi o aratamuru kokoro narubeshi | A cicada’s shed Shell I am not, for The dripping dew Does refresh my flesh, or So my heart seems to feel. |
12
Topic unknown.
かきくらし霰ふりしけ白玉をしける庭とも人のみるべく
kakikurasi arare Furisike siratama wo sikeru niFa tomo Fito no mirubeku | All turns dark, as Hail falls around; Pearls Strewn over the grounds where Folk can gaze upon them. |
Anonymous
Topic unknown.
もみぢばのながるるあきはかはごとににしきあらふとひとはみるらん[1]
momidiba no nagaruru aki Fa kaFa goto ni nisiki araFu to Fito Fa miruramu | The scarlet leaves Flow and in autumn By every river Washing their brocade Folk can be seen! |
Anonymous
[1] This poem is included in the Poetry Contest at Prince Koresada’s House (Koresada shinnō-ke uta’awase) 69.
あきくればむしとともにぞなかれぬるひとも草ばもかれぬと思へば[1]
aki kureba mushi to tomo ni zo nakarenuru hito mo kusaba mo karenu to omoeba | When the autumn comes Together with the insects Do I weep, That both folk and grass and leaves Have withered, is in my thoughts… |
33
からにしきみだれるのべとみえつるはあきのこのはのふるにざりける
karanishiki midareru nobe to mietsuru wa aki no ko no ha no furu ni zarikeru | For Cathay brocade Confused the meadows Do seem, for In autumn, the leaves from the trees Have truly fallen! |
34
[1] This poem also occurs in Fubokushō (5580).
朝ごとに山にたちまふ朝霧は紅葉みせじとをしむなりけり
asagoto ni yama ni tachimau asagiri wa momiji miseji to oshimu narikeri | With every morning Twining round the mountains The morning mists – that They cannot reveal the scarlet leaves Is regrettable, indeed! |
7
秋の夜は人をしづめてつれづれと掻きなす琴の音にぞたてつる
aki no yo wa hito o shizumete tsurezure to kakinasu koto no ne ni zo tatetsuru | On an autumn night When folk are all abed, Idly Plucked a zither’s Strains sound out. |
8
Cranes in a garden (庭上鶴馴)
Left
庭の面に人になれたるあしたづはよはひをきみにゆづるなるべし
niwa no omo ni hito ni naretaru ashitazu wa yowai o kimi ni yuzurunarubeshi | Upon this garden’s face stands, Accustomed to folk, A crane; His years to my Lord Will he bestow, no doubt! |
A Court Lady
31
Right
千とせふるやどのけしきやしるからん汀のたづのなれにけるかな
chitose furu yado no keshiki ya shirukaran migiwa no tazu no narenikeru kana | Is it that a thousand years old This dwelling does appear? For to the muddy Water’s edge the cranes Have become accustomed! |
A Court Lady
32
Spiders 蜘蛛
さがるいとをみるぞうれしきささがにのくる人つぐるすぢとおもへば
sagaru ito o miru zo ureshiki sasagani no kuru hito tsuguru suji to omoeba | A descending thread When seen, fills me with joy! For the tiny crab spider is Announcing a guest’s arrival I feel… |
Akinaka
'Simply moving and elegant'