For a painting of travellers resting beneath scarlet leaves, on a sliding door in the Awata mountain retreat of the Nijō Minister of the Right.
今よりは紅葉のもとにやどりせじをしむに旅の日かずへぬべし
| ima yori Fa momidi no moto ni yadorisezi wosimu ni tabi no Fikazu Fenubesi | From now on Beneath the scarlet leaves I’ll not be let rest, for Regretfully, my travelling Days have come upon me. |
Dharma Master Egyō
恵慶法師
When the courtiers were commanded to hold an autumn leaves match, during the reign of the Murakami emperor.
思ひやるくらぶの山の紅葉ばにおとらぬ物はこころなりけり
| omoiyaru kurabu no yama no momijiba ni otoranu mono wa kokoro narikeri | Pondering, To compare Mount Kurabu’s Scarlet leaves— Only not lesser is My heart… |
Motosuke-shū 1[i]
[i] This poem is not included the extant texts of the match, but from its headnote must have been composed for it and been subsequently lost among with the others.
Round Two
Left
しらつゆのこのはをわきておくやまのふかきもみぢはいろもうつらじ
| shiratsuyu no ko no ha o wakite okuyama no fukaki momiji wa iro mo utsuraji | Silver dewfall Marks out the leaves upon the trees; In the mountains’ heart, Deep scarlet the autumn leaves Hues, too, will never fade away. |
3[i]
Right (Win)
くれなゐのやしほのいろはもみぢばに秋くははれるとしにざりける
| kurenai no yashio no iro wa momijiba ni aki kuwawareru toshi ni zarikeru | With vermillion Dippings eight, hue is laid Upon the scarlet leaves with Autumn added To the year! |
4[ii]
[i] This poem is included in Gyokuyōshū (V: 794/795) with the headnote, ‘For the scarlet leaves match during the reign of the Tenryaku emperor’.
[ii] This poem is included in Gyokuyōshū (V: 795/796) with the headnote, ‘For the scarlet leaves match during the reign of the Tenryaku emperor’. It is also included in Mandaishū (V: 1223) with the headnote, ‘A poem from the autumn leaves match held at the palace in the intercalary Ninth Month, Tenryaku 9’ and in Kiyotada-shū (38), with the headnote ‘From an autumn leaves match at the palace, in a year when there were two ninth months’.
Topic: Scarlet Leaves
Poets
A poetry match held by His Majesty, matching scarlet leaves in the intercalary Ninth Month, Tenryaku 9.[i]
Round One
Left
わがをりてくらぶのやまのもみぢばにひとしきいろはあらじとぞおもふ
| wa ga orite kurabu no yama no momijiba ni hitoshiki iro wa araji to zo omou | I pick, and Compare on Mount Kurabu Scarlet leaves— Matching their hues is Nothing at all, I feel! |
1
Right (Win)
うすくこくくらぶのやまのもみぢばはつゆもわかねどいろぞまされる
| usuku koku kurabu no yama no momijiba wa tsuyu mo wakanedo iro zo masareru | Both pale and dark To compare are Mount Kurabu’s Scarlet leaves— Not even the dew tells them apart, yet Still superb are their hues! |
2
[i] This corresponds to November 955.
Original
もみぢばのちりかふこまのあまたあるをいづれにのりてあきをとどめむ
| momijiba no chirikau koma no amata aru o izure ni norite aki o todomemu | Scarlet leaves Scatter becoming mounts So many, but Which one should I ride To hold the autumn here? |
48
Left
このはちるこのはのこまははやくともあきのかげにはいかがまさらむ
| ko no ha chiru ko no ha no koma wa hayaku tomo aki no kage ni wa ikaga masaramu | Leaves from the trees scatter, Leaves from the trees as a mount Are swift, yet Why is the autumn shade Still spectacular? |
49
Right
ゆくあきをとどむるこまのおそければかぜこそさきにまづさそひけれ
| yuku aki o todomuru koma no osokereba kaze koso saki ni mazu sasoikere | Departing autumn To hold here was the mount Late arriving, so The wind got in ahead and Made the first invitation! |
50
Original
ちらねどもかねてぞをしきもみぢばはけふをかぎりのいろとみつれば
| chiranedomo kanete zo oshiki momijiba wa kyō o kagiri no iro to mitsureba | They have yet to scatter, but Already, I regret The scarlet leaves, for Today is the utmost Extent of their hues… |
39
Left (Win)
あきふかきやまのもみぢもあるものをいまはのいろとおもはざらなむ
| aki fukaki yama no momiji mo aru mono o ima wa no iro to omowazaranamu | Though in the depths of autumn The mountains’ scarlet leaves Are fair, On their hues now I would not have you dwell… |
40
Right
かぎりなきいろはためしにをしけれどえだにもみぢはとまりげもなし
| kagiri naki iro wa tameshi ni oshikeredo eda ni momiji wa tomarige mo nashi | Limitlessly fair Hues have there been before, and Regrets, yet The scarlet leaves upon the boughs Show no signs of lingering… |
41
Original
あきかぜはくものうへまでふきのぼれつきのかつらのちりちらずみむ
| akikaze wa kumo no ue made fukinobore tsuki no katsura no chiri chirazu mimu | O, autumn wind Above the clouds Blow high! For the silver trees upon the moon I would see scatter, or scatter not! |
33
Left (Win)
くものうへにかぜはふかせじもみぢばをつきのうちだにちらさでをみむ
| kumo no ue ni kaze wa fukaseji momijiba o tsuki no uchi dani chirasade o mimu | Above the clouds The wind will not blow, I hope! For even the scarlet leaves Beneath the moon Unscattered I would behold… |
34
Right
そらながらあまのかはかぜさむければつきのかつらはとまりしもせじ
| sora nagara ama no kawakaze samukereba tsuki no katsura wa tomarishi mo seji | Within the skies The wind o’er Heaven’s river Is chill, so The silver trees upon the moon Will not have lingered, I think. |
35
Original
もみぢばはきりのたつにもちりけるをかぜをかたなとおもひけるかな
| momijiba wa kiri no tatsu ni mo chirikeru o kaze o katana to omoikeru kana | The scarlet leaves with The rising mists Do scatter— The wind a sword Truly does seem! |
30
Left
もみぢばはあきのかぜこそさそひけれきりのなきなをたつぞあやしき
| momijiba wa aki no kaze koso sasoikere kiri no nakina o tatsu zo ayashiki | The scarlet leaves By the winds of autumn, truly, Are invited; That baseless rumours of the mists Arise is strange, indeed! |
31
Right
からにしきかぜのたつらんもみぢばはきりのたつにもおくれざりけり
| karanishiki kaze no tatsuran momijiba wa kiri no tatsu ni mo okurezarikeri | Cathay brocade The rising wind seeming to shear Scarlet leaves, Even the rising of the mists Will not delay it.¯ |
32
