Composed presented to the Teishi Emperor
哀てふ人も有へく武蔵のゝ草とたにこそおふへかりけれ
aware chō hito mo arubeku musashi no no kusa to dani koso oubekarikere | A pitiful Man, indeed, there is Upon Musashi plain, where With the wretched grasses He has put down roots! |
Left (Tie)
おとぎきにあやなく人をこひそめてそれとだにみぬことのわびしさ
otogiki ni ayanaku hito o koisomete sore to dani minu koto no wabishisa | By repute Pointlessly, a lady Have I begun to love, Without even seeing her, That is truly pitiable! |
25
Right
やまびこのおとにのみきくきみなればわれよりさきにとふ人もなし
yamabiko no oto ni nomi kiku kimi nareba ware yori saki ni tou hito mo nashi | As a mountain spirit Word is all I hear Of you, so Before me Not a man will visit you! |
26
Left (Tie)
ひさにこぬ人をまつにやあひぬらむときはのこひとわがなりぬるは
hisa ni konu hito o matsu ni ya ainuramu tokiwa no koi to wa ga narinuru wa | He never comes, that Man I’m waiting for—will I ever meet him? Though into everlasting love Have I completely fallen… |
Mitsune
23
Right
おもひつつまだいひそめぬわがこひをおなじこころに人はしらなむ
omoitsutsu mada iisomenu wa ga koi o onaji kokoro ni hito wa shiranamu | Ever are you in my passionate thoughts, Though we have yet to speak I would my love You would feel within your heart as I— That’s what I would have you know! |
Mitsune
24
When a man who had come to see her around the Eighth Month left behind his fan, which was decorated with a picture of bamboo leaves spotted with dewdrops, after some time had passed, she returned it, with this.
しののめにおきてわかれし人よりはひさしくとまる竹の葉の露
shinonome ni okite wakareshi hito yori wa hisashiku tomaru take no ha no tsuyu | At the break of dawn He rose and left— That man, but Much longer lingered Dewdrops on the bamboo leaves. |
Izumi Shikibu
ありへてもくちしはてねばをみなへしひとさかりゆくあきもありけり
arietemo kuchishihateneba ominaeshi hito sakariyuku aki mo arikeri | Long has she lingered there, yet Has not begun to wither, but The maidenflower Has folk pass her by, too, When autumn comes. |
43
おほよそになべてをらるなをみなへしのちうきものぞひとのこころは
ōyoso ni nabete oraru na ominaeshi nochi uki mono zo hito no kokoro wa | Perfunctorily, Carelessly, aren’t you plucked, O, maidenflower, And then a cruel thing, indeed, Is a man’s heart… |
44
Left
ひとのみることやくるしきをみなへしあきぎりにのみたちかくるらむ
hito no miru koto ya kurushiki ominaeshi akigiri ni nomi tachikakururamu | For man to gaze on you, Is it so painful, O, Maidenflower, That simply in the autumn mists You must hide yourself away? |
Tadamine
13[1]
Right
とりてみばはかなからんやをみなへしそでにつつめるしらつゆのたま
torite miba hakanakaran ya ominaeshi sode ni tsutsumeru shiratsuyu no tama | If I pick and look How fleeting are Upon a maidenflower, Enveloped in my sleeves Silver dewdrop pearls. |
14
[1] KKS IV: 235
From the poetry contest in 1500 rounds.
見ぬ人をまつの木かげの苔むしろ猶敷島ややまとなでしこ
minu hito o matsu no kokage no kokemushiro nao shikishima ya yamato nadeshiko | For a man unseen She pines in the shadow of the trees On a mossy bed for Her coverlet, the isles that make Yamato – a pink! |
Kūnaikyō, in service to Former Emperor Gotoba