mezurashiki kyō no kasuga no yaotome o kami mo koishi to shinobazarame ya
Charming, Today at Kasuga Were maidens eight— Would the deity, too, such yearning Be unable to recall?[1]
1
In reply:
Left (Tie)
やをとめをかみししのばばゆふだすきかけてぞこひむけふのくれなば
yaotome o kami shi shinobaba yūdasuki kakete zo koimu kyō no kurenaba
If maidens eight The deity does recall, then Cords of mulberry cloth Would he hang that on this beloved Day evening should not fall…
2
Right
ちはやぶるかみしゆるさばかすがのにたつやをとめのいつかたゆべき
chihayaburu kami shi yurusaba kasuga no ni tatsu yaotome no itsuka tayubeki
Should the mighty Deity permit, Upon Kasuga plain Stand maidens eight— How long would they endure?
3
[1] A variant of this poem occurs in Shūishū: Composed when officials from the provinces presented twenty-one poems on the occasion of an imperial progress to Kasuga by the former Teiji Emperor in Engi 20: めづらしきけふのかすがのやをとめを神もうれしとしのばざらめや mezurashiki / kyō no kasuga no / yaotome o / kami mo ureshi to / shinobazareme ya ‘Charming, / Today at Kasuga / Were maidens eight— / Would the deity, too, such joy / Be unable to recall?’ Fujiwara no Tadafusa (SIS X: 620)
mono’omowazu michi yukuyuku mo aoyama o furisakemireba tsutsujibana nioe otome sakurabana hae otome nare o somo ware ni yosu to iu ware o mo nare ni yosu to iu arayama mo hito shi yosureba yosuru to zo iu na ga kokoroyume
Unburdened by gloomy thoughts Along the path I went on and on, To the green-growing mountain, When in the distance I saw An azalea Fair bright maiden, A cherry blossom Glorious maiden: O, you, truly Give your heart to me; And I, too, Will give my heart to you; Upon the wild mountain Folk give their hearts To one another, so Never will I abandon you!
washi no sumu
tukuba no yama no
mopakitu no
sono tu no upe ni
adomopite
wotome wotoko no
yukitudopi
kagapu kagapi ni
pitoduma ni
ware mo maziramu
wa ga tuma ni
pito mo koto tope
kono yama o
usipaku kami no
mukasi yori
isamenu waza zo
kepu nomi pa
megusi mo na mi so
koto mo togamu na
Where eagles dwell
On the mount of Tsukuba,
At Mowakitsu,
From the landing,
We all went together
Men and women both
Gathering together
For a poetry meet;
With another’s wife
Did I consort;
My own wife
Did others woo;
This mountain’s
Ruling deity,
Since days long gone,
Has not forbade it;
On this day, alone,
We will find no misfortune;
No words of blame!
