Composed in the conception of love’s beginning, when he took part in a hundred poem sequence during the reign of Retired Emperor Horikawa.
難波江の藻にうづもるゝ玉かしはあらはれてだに人を戀ひばや
| naniFae no mo ni udumoruru tamakasiFa araFarete dani Fito wo koFi ba ya |
In the bay of Naniwa Seaweed-covered Gemstone rocks Appear-just so Does my love for her. |
Minamoto no Toshiyori
源俊頼
When he had gone to the province of Settsu and started to live in seclusion, feeling frustrated about his personal circumstances.
難波津を今日こそみつの浦ごとにこれやこの世をうみわたる舟
| naniFa tu wo keFu koso mitu no ura goto ni kore ya kono yo wo umiwataru Fune |
The port of Naniwa I have seen today: an imperial port And on the beach every One, the world’s Seas sails (so sad): those boats. |
Narihira
業平
When he had gone to Naniwa, he met with rain on Tamino Island and composed this poem:
あめによりたみのの島をけふゆけど名にはかくれぬ物にぞ有りける
| ame ni yori tamino no sima wo keFu yukedo na ni Fa kakurenu mono ni zo arikeru | On account of rain To Tamino Isle, raincoat clad, I went today, yet Naniwa, so well-known, conceals The place! |
Tsurayuki
貫之
A poem, with tanka, composed by Kanamura, Lord Kasa, on the occasion of an Imperial visit to the Naniwa Palace in winter, Tenth Month.
おしてる 難波の國は 葦垣の 古りにし里と 人皆の 思ひやすみて つれもなく ありし閒に 續麻なす 長柄の宮に 眞木柱 太高敷きて 食す國を 治めたまへば 沖つ鳥 味經の原に もののふの 八十伴の男は 廬りして 都成したり 旅にはあれども
| ositeru nanipa nö kuni pa asikaki nö puri ni si sato tö pitö mina nö omopiyasumite ture mo naku ari si apida ni umiwo nasu nagara nö miya ni makïbasira puto taka sikite wosukuni wo wosametamapaba oki tu töri adipu nö para ni monönöpu nö yaso tömo nö wo pa ipori site miyako nasitari tabi ni pa aredömo |
The bright shining Land of Naniwa is a Reed-fenced Ancient home: All men Forgot it and Cared not, But then As drawn hemp thread, At Nagara a palace With fine wood pillars Was raised broad and high For His realm He rules As birds offshore On the field of Ajifu, As warriors His many men Built a shelter, Making a capital Though on a journey. |
海原のゆたけき見つつ葦が散る難波に年は經ぬべく思ほゆ
| unapara nö yutakëki mitutu asi ga tiru nanipa ni tö pa penubëku omopoyu |
Out across the sea’s Wide sweep I gaze; Among scattered reeds At Naniwa my years I would pass away, I feel. |
The above poems are by Yakamochi, Lord Ōtomo, Junior Assistant Minister at the War Ministry, on the 13th day of the the Second Month.
A private poem expressing my own faint-hearted thoughts, with tanka.
皇祖の 遠き御代にも 押し照る 難波の國に 天の下 知らしめしきと 今の世に 絶えず言ひつつ かけまくも あやに畏し 神ながら 我ご大君の うち靡く 春の初めは 八千種に 花咲きにほひ 山見れば 見の羨しく 川見れば 見のさやけく ものごとに 榮ゆる時と 見したまひ 明らめたまひ 敷きませる 難波の宮は 聞こし食す 四方の國より 奉る 御調の船は 堀江より 水脈引きしつつ 朝なぎに 楫引き上り 夕潮に 棹さし下り あぢ群の 騷き競ひて 濱に出でて 海原見れば 白波の 八重をるが上に 海人小船 はららに浮きて 大御食に 仕へまつると をちこちに 漁り釣りけり そきだくも おぎろなきかも こきばくも ゆたけきかも ここ見れば うべし神代ゆ 始めけらしも
| sumeröki nö t opoki miyö ni mo ositeru nanipa nö kuni ni amë nö sita airasimesiki tö ima nö yö ni taezu ipitutu kakemaku mo aya ni kasikosi kamu nagara wa go opokimi nö uti nabiku paru nö pazimë pa yati kusa ni pana saki nipopi yama mireba mi nö tömosiku kapa mireba mi nö sayakëku monögötö ni sakayuru töki tö misitamapi akirametamapi sikimaseru nanipa nö miya pa kikösiwosu yomo nö kuni yori tatematuru mitukï nö pune pa porie yori miwobikisitutu asa nagi ni kadi pikinobori yupu sipo ni sawo sasikudari adimura nö sawaki kipopite pama ni idete unapara mireba siranami nö ya pe woru ga upë ni ama wobune parara ni ukite opomike ni tukapematuru tö wotiköti ni izari turikeri sökidaku mo ogirönaki ka mo kökibaku mo yutakeki ka mo kökö mireba ube si kamuyo yu pazimëkerasi mo |
An emperor, In a far distant reign, From the blinding light Of Naniwa province, The state, Ruled: Even in our world today, Still the tale is told; The words, fill me with awe: Our divine Empress: At the fluttering Birth of spring, When every Flower blooms with colour; When the mountains Are a rare sight indeed; When the river View is clear and bright; When everything In brilliant bloom Her Majesty saw She was gladdened and Had built The palace at Naniwa, where She rules The four corners of the land; Bringing offerings The tribute boats Ply the canal, Pushed by the currents In the calm at dawn They row upstream and With the evening tide Punt down; As a flock of teal, Rauccously competing, Folk out on the beach, Gaze upon the wide sea’s sweep Where on white breakers, Layer on layer, The little fisher boats Bob about; Her Majesty’s table To supply; Here and there They fish with lanterns; So many, How wide and deep the sea, This extremity Of plenitude: Seeing it, ’tis No surprise that from the age of gods A palace was begun here. |