In a fifty-poem sequence for Priest-Prince Shukaku
しもまよふそらにしほれしかりがねのかへるつばさに春雨ぞふる
| shimo mayou sora ni shioreshi kari ga ne no kaeru tsubasa ni harusame zo furu |
Wracked by frosts, The skies, where drenched The geese, calling, Homeward bound, wingbeats Stirring Spring rains’ fall. |
Fujiwara no Sada’ie
藤原定家
When the Monk En’i invited people to take part in a hundred poem sequence, he composed this on drizzle.
しぐれつる眞屋の軒端の程なきに頓てさしいる月の影かな
| sigureturu maya no nokiba no Fodo naki ni yagate sasi’iru tuki no kage kana |
Fallen rain dripping From the leaning eaves So shallow that Swiftly in pours The moonlight. |
Fujiwara no Sada’ie
藤原定家
Composed at the Kesōbumi Match during the reign of Retired Emperor Horikawa (1079-1107; r. 1086-1107).
思ひやれとはで日をふる五月雨に獨やどもるそでの雫を
| omoFiyare toFade Fi wo furu samidare no Fitori yado moru sode no siduku wo |
Keep thinking of me! Days go by without a word- In the early summer rain I ward this house alone- Droplets on my sleeves. |
Empress Higo
When people were offering poems in the Empress’ palace, he composed this on a warbler in the rain.
春雨は降りしむれども鶯の聲はしほれぬ物にぞありける
| Faruzame Fa Furisimuredomo uguFisu no kowe Fa siForenu mono ni zo arikeru |
Spring rain Falling seeps through all, yet The warbler’s Voice undampened Is. |
Minamoto no Toshiyori
源俊頼
A man whom she was seeing in secret, came to see her on a night when it was raining, and said he had to return home on account of being wet; so, she composed the following.
かばかりに忍ぶる雨を人とはゞ何にぬれたる袖といふらむ
| kabakari ni sinoburu ame wo Fito toFaba nani ni nuretaru sode to iFuramu |
So many Secrets in this rain; If folk should ask What has wet My sleeves, what should I say? |
Izumi Shikibu
和泉式部
To someone who had said, on a day when the rain was pouring down, that the rain was the tears on his sleeves.
見し人に忘られて降る袖にこそ身を志る雨はいつもをやまね
| misi Fito ni wasurarete Furu sode ni koso mi wo siru ame Fa itumo wo yamane |
A man saw me Then forgotten did I spend my days Upon my sleeves The rain-knowing well my fate- Never ceases falling. |
Izumi Shikibu
和泉式部
Narihira heard that Fujiwara no Toshiyuki had become close to a lady at his house, and had sent her a letter saying that he was coming directly, but that the falling rain might cause him some trouble; Narihira composed this on her behalf.
数数に思ひ思はず問ひがたみ身を知る雨は降りぞまされる
| kazukazu ni omoFi omoFazu toFigatami mi wo siru ame Fa Furi zo masareru |
Politely, Do you love me or love me not, Is very hard to ask; The rain knows how I feel full well And falls all the harder. |
Ariwara no Narihira
有原業平
Composed and sent to a woman at Lord Narihira’s house.
つれづれのながめにまさるなみだ河袖のみぬれてあふよしもなし
| turedure no nagame ni masaru namidagaFa sode nomi nurete aFu yosi mo nasi |
Ceaselessly Falling the rains have swollen Into a river of tears. Yet only my sleeves are drenched, With no way to meet you. |
Fujiwara no Toshiyuki