[One of] Two poems composed at the South Shrine in Minu in spring – sakaki.
をとめごがとるかみがきのさか木葉とやとせつばきはいづれ久しき
otomego ga
toru kamigaki no
sakakiba to
yatose tsubaki wa
izure hisashiki | Maidens
Take from the sacred fence
Leaves of sakaki and
Many-years camellia:
Which is older, I wonder? |
Nōin
Sakaki 榊
ちはやぶる神のしめさす榊葉のさかゆく御代にあふぞうれしき
chihayaburu
kami no shimesasu
sakakiba no
sakayuku miyo ni
au zo ureshiki | The mighty
Gods’ own
Leaves of the sacred tree
An ever-flourishing reign
Reveal – how pleasant! |
Daishin
Sakaki 榊
神代より色もかはらぬ榊ばはさかえときはににほふなりけり
kamiyo yori
iro mo kawaranu
sakakiba wa
sakae tokiwa ni
niou narikeri | Since the Age of Gods
Unchanged are the hues of
Leaves upon the sacred tree:
Eternal glory
Shining forth! |
Tadafusa
Sakaki 榊
榊葉をかみのみむろとあがむればゆふつけ烏のねぐらなりけり
sakakiba o
kami no mimuro to
agamureba
yūtsukedori no
negura narikeri | Leaves upon the sacred tree, as
The gods’ dwelling place
Are worshipped, so
A cockerel’s
Roost are they! |
Toshiyori
Sakaki 榊
しもおけど色もかはらぬさかきばは君がちとせのかざしなりけり
shimo okedo
iro mo kawaranu
sakakiba wa
kimi ga chitose no
kazashi narikeri | Frost falls, yet
Unchanged are the hues of
Leaves upon the sacred tree:
For my Lord a thousand years of
Decoration will they be! |
Nakazane
榊葉のゆふしでかけしそのかみに押返しても渡る頃かな
sakakiba no
yuFuside kakesi
sono kami ni
wosikaFesite mo
nitaru koro kana |
Sacred leaves
Garlanded on mulberry cord:
That auspicious time
Comes back to me and
Now is just the same! |
Master of the Left Capital Office, Michimasa
左京大夫通雅
'Simply moving and elegant'