Left (Tie).
吉野河はやき流れを堰く岩のつれなき中に身を砕くらん
| yoshinogawa hayaki nagare o seku iwa no tsurenaki naka ni mi o kudakuran |
The River Yoshino’s Swift flow is Dammed by boulders; With the chilling of our bond It seems my very self will shatter… |
A Servant Girl
995
Right.
ありとても逢はぬためしの名取川朽ちだにはてよ瀬せの埋れ木
| ari tote mo awanu tameshi no natorigawa kuchi dani hateyo sese no mumoregi |
We live, yet Cannot meet – our situation A source of rumours; in the River Natori Let all rot away with The drowned trees in the rapids! |
Jakuren.
996
Both Left and Right together state: we find no faults to mention.
In judgement: both poems are extremely good. This is a tie of quality.
Left.
人心さのみはいかゞ水無瀬川我には淺き契なるらむ
| hito kokoro sa nomi wa ikaga minasegawa ware ni wa asaki chigiri naruramu |
Her heart Is just like it; why as The Minase River So shallow for me Should her feelings be? |
Lord Suetsune
993
Right (Win).
いかにして影をも見まし澤田河袖つくほどの契りなりとも
| ika ni shite kage o mo mimashi sawadagawa sode tsuku hodo no chigiri naritomo |
No matter what I would see her face in The River Sawada, Even if my sleeves get drenched By my feelings… |
Ietaka.
994
Both Left and Right together state: there are no faults to indicate.
In judgement: using ‘the Minase River’ (minasegawa) preceded by ‘is just like it; why as’ (sa nomi wa ika ni) sounds charming in style, but ‘should her feelings be?’ (chigiri naruramu) means the end of the poem is a bit dry! ‘The River Sawada, even if my sleeves get drenched’ (sawadagawa sode tsuku hodo no) sounds pleasant. Thus, the Right wins.
Left.
つれなしと人をぞさらに思ひ河逢ふ瀬を知らぬ身を恨ても
| tsurenashi to hito o zo sara ni omoigawa ause o shiranu mi o uramitemo |
How cruel She is, I ever feel, My thoughts a river; No rushed meetings between us – I hate myself for that, and yet… |
Lord Kanemune
991
Right (Win).
遥なる程とぞ聞し衣川かた敷く袖の名こそ有けれ
| harukanaru hodo to zo kikishi koromogawa katashiku sode no na koso arikere |
Far, far away Lies, I have heard, The River Robe: For my single spread sleeve How apt that name is! |
Lord Takanobu
992
The Right state: we find the Left’s poem unconvincing. The Left state: the Right’s poem lacks any faults.
In judgement: in the Left’s poem, ‘my thoughts a river’ (omoigawa) is certainly not unconvincing. The latter section of the Right’s poem sounds fine. It should win.
Left.
最上河人の心の稲船もしばしばかりと聞かば頼まん
| mogamigawa hito no kokoro no inabune mo shibashi bakari to kikaba tanoman |
Upon Mogami River, Her heart is as A rice-boat; That but for a little while She will hear me, is all my longing. |
Lord Ari’ie
989
Right (Win).
飛鳥川淵瀬ひまなき世の中に人のつらさぞ變らざりける
| asukagawa fuchi se himanaki yo no naka ni hito no tsurasa zo kawarazarikeru |
On Asuka River The deeps and shallows have no rest; In this world of ours, Her cruelty Is unchanging. |
The Supernumerary Master of the Empress’ Household Office
990
The Right state: we have no criticisms to make of the Left’s poem. The Left state: we wonder about the Right’s use of ‘the deeps and shallows have no rest’ (fuchi se himanaki).
In judgement: ‘Mogami River’ appears to be technically accomplished, but the final section sounds excessive. The deeps and shallows of Asuka River, indeed, do change constantly. The final section, too, seems fine. Thus, the Right wins.
Left (Win).
いつかさはまたは逢ふ瀬を松浦潟此河上に家は住むとも
| itsuka sa wa mata wa ause o matsu’uragata kono kawakami ni ie wa sumu tomo |
Sometime it may be that Again we’ll meet, so I await, though on Matsura Inlet’s Upper reaches Does my house lie… |
Lord Sada’ie
987
Right.
水無瀬川淺き契と思へども涙は袖にかけぬ間ぞなき
| minasegawa asaki chigiri to omoedomo namida wa sode ni kakenu ma zo naki |
The River Minase runs Shallow as our vows I feel, yet Tears upon my sleeves Fall without a single pause… |
Lord Tsune’ie
988
The Right state: we are unable to admire the Left’s poem. The Left state: if the initial part of the poem has ‘shallow’ (asashi), we would like there to be ‘deep’ (fukashi) in the concluding section. In addition, is the poem suggesting that the shallows do not give rise to waves? The initial and concluding section of the poem do not match and the whole is old-fashioned.
In judgement: the Gentlemen of the Right state that they are unable to admire the Left’s poem. It also sounds like there are a number of accumulated criticisms of the Right’s poem. This is enough to cause me quite some perplexity. I am unable to identify any faults in the Left’s poem which render it unworthy of appreciation. Thus, the Left wins.
Left (Tie).
聞きわたるありなれ河の水にこそ影を傡べて住まゝほしけれ
| kikiwataru arinaregawa no mizu ni koso kage o narabete sumamahoshikere |
Echoes cross The Arinare River’s Waters; Bringing to mind the face Of the one I would be with… |
Kenshō
985
Right.
涙川逢ふ瀬も知らぬみをつくし丈越す程になりにけるかな
| namidagawa ause mo shiranu miotsukushi take kosu hodo ni narinikeru kana |
A river of tears: I know no way for us to meet, so The channel buoys, my soul, Are flooded over – That is how they be! |
Nobusada
986
The Gentlemen of the Right state: we are not accustomed to hearing the expression ‘Arinare River’ (arinaregawa), and the ending of the poem is old-fashioned. The Gentlemen of the Left state: ‘are flooded over’ (take kosu hodo) sounds excessively modern.
In judgement: ‘Arinare River’ is unusual, and the final section of the Left’s poem is certainly old-fashioned. The ‘river of tears’’ (namidagawa) ‘channel buoys’ (miotsukushi) do seem to be enduring an excess of water, don’t’ they! The round should tie.