Tag Archives: Sawada

Love VII: 17

Left.
人心さのみはいかゞ水無瀬川我には淺き契なるらむ

hito kokoro
sa nomi wa ikaga
minasegawa
ware ni wa asaki
chigiri naruramu
Her heart
Is just like it; why as
The Minase River
So shallow for me
Should her feelings be?

Lord Suetsune
993

Right (Win).
いかにして影をも見まし澤田河袖つくほどの契りなりとも

ika ni shite
kage o mo mimashi
sawadagawa
sode tsuku hodo no
chigiri naritomo
No matter what
I would see her face in
The River Sawada,
Even if my sleeves get drenched
By my feelings…

Ietaka.
994

Both Left and Right together state: there are no faults to indicate.

In judgement: using ‘the Minase River’ (minasegawa) preceded by ‘is just like it; why as’ (sa nomi wa ika ni) sounds charming in style, but ‘should her feelings be?’ (chigiri naruramu) means the end of the poem is a bit dry! ‘The River Sawada, even if my sleeves get drenched’ (sawadagawa sode tsuku hodo no) sounds pleasant. Thus, the Right wins.

Sawadagawa

沢田川 袖漬くばかりや 浅けれど ハレ 浅けれど 恭仁の宮人や 高橋渡す アハレ そこよしや 高橋渡す

sawadagawa
sode tsuku bakari
asakeredo
hare
asakeredo
kuni no miyabito ya
takahashi watasu
aware
soko yoshi ya
takahashi watasu
The River Sawada
It does soak your sleeves
Though it’s only shallow
Hey!
Though it’s only shallow
Folk from the capital
Have put a great bridge across it!
For shame!
Is there any point
To putting a great bridge across it?