Left.
逢ひ見じと思かたむる中なれやかく解けがたき下紐の関
aimiji to
omoikatamuru
naka nare ya
kaku tokegataki
shimohimo no seki |
Never to meet
Has she hardened her heart –
Is that to be our bond?
As hard to undo as
The barrier at Shitahimo! |
Lord Suetsune
1005
Right (Win).
恋しともかくは人にも知られなんと思ふ心や文字の関守
koishitomo
kaku wa hito ni mi
shirarenan to
omou kokoro ya
moji no sekimori |
The letters for love, should
I write, would she my feelings
Then understand, I
Wonder? Does her heart have
A barrier warden at Moji? |
The Supernumerary Master of the Empress’ Household Office
1006
The Right state: ‘hardened her heart’ (omoikatamuru) is grating on the ear. The Left state: the Right’s poem has no faults to indicate.
In judgement: regardless of whether the Left’s poem sounds poor or not, having both ‘hardened’ (katamuru) and ‘hard’ (kataki) is a fault. So, ‘a barrier warden at Moji’ (moji no sekimori) wins.
霞しく門司の関地を見渡せば薄澄みわたる沖つ白波
kasumishiku
moji no sekichi o
miwataseba
ususumiwataru
oki tsu shiranami |
Hazy
Is the barrier ground at Moji:
When I gaze across,
Only just in sight are
The whitecaps in the offing. |
Jakuren
今宵かく心づくしの言の葉や秋をとどむる門司の関守
koyoi kaku
kokorozukushi no
koto no ha ya
aki o todomuru
moji no sekimori |
This night
I have drained my heart
Of words;
Autumn longing halted by
The barrier at Moji. |
Kenshō
世とともにすぐる月日を書きとめて門司の関とはいふにやあるらむ
yo to tomo ni
suguru tukiFi wo
kakitomete
mozi no seki to Fa
iFu ni ya aruramu |
With the world
Passing days and months
My writing it does cease;
For my words the barrier at Moji
One might say there is! |
Fujiwara no Shunzei
藤原俊成
はるばると門司の関地を隔てすは文見てだにもなぐさめてまし
Farubaru to
mozi no sekiti wo
Fedatesu Fa
Fumi mite dani mo
nagusametemasi |
Far distant
The barrier ground at Moji – your words
Stand between us
Though just gazing on your letters
Should bring me respite. |
Shun’e
俊恵
Sent to a woman who had fled from him.
恋すてふ門司の関守いく度かわれ書きつらむ心づくしに
koFisu teFu
mozi no sekimori
iku tabi ka
ware kakituramu
kokoro dukusi ni |
Love – with that
Word I am warden of the barrier at Moji;
How many times have
I written it?
To the utter exhaustion of my heart! |
Fujiwara no Akisuke (1090-1155)
藤原顕輔
This poem is also: Akisuke-shū 顕輔集 (1155?) 5.
'Simply moving and elegant'