人しれぬ袖ぞ露けき逢ふことはかれのみまさる山のした草
hito shirenu
sode zo tsuyukeki
au koto wa
kare nomi masaru
yama no shitagusa | Unknown to all
My sleeves are drenched with dew;
For our meetings
Excel only in being withered
As the scrub grass on the mountainside. |
[Nakako,] The Suō Handmaid
29
In reply.
おく山の下かげ草はかれやする軒ばにのみはおのれなりつつ
oku yama no
shitakagegusa wa
kare ya suru
nokiba ni nomi wa
onore naritsutsu | Deep within the mountains, have
The grasses growing in the trees’ dark shade
Really withered away?
Simply beneath your eaves,
Is where I ever am… |
The Consultant Middle Captain
30
Image by joyfultta from Pixabay
きてなれし袂は人に見せてましつらき涙の色のかはらば
kitenareshi
tamoto wa hito ni
misetemashi
tsuraki namida no
iro no kawaraba | I was wont to wear
These sleeves—to him
I would display them:
If heartless tears
Should change their hues… |
Yurika, from the Hall of the Junior Consort
27
In reply.
忍草しのぶる程のよがれにはなにに心も袖もぬるらん
shinobugusa
shinoburu hodo no
yogare ni wa
nani ni kokoro mo
sode mo nururan | A fond fern
I do recall as
My nightly visits cease, so
Why is my heart and
Sleeves, too, so drenched? |
The Assistant Lieutenant of the Middle Palace Guards, Left Division
28
おもひやれとはで程ふる五月雨に独やどもる袖の雫を
omoiyare
towade hodo furu
samidare ni
hitori yado moru
sode no shizuku o | Lost in thoughts of you,
Time without a visit passes by
As a summer shower
In my lonely home leaks
Droplets on my sleeves… |
Lady Higo
25
In reply
世とともにさてのみこそはすぐししか思ひしりぬや袖の雫を
yo to tomo ni
sate nomi koso wa
sugushishika
omoishirinu ya
sode no shizuku o | Together with the world
All stayed the same
As it passed by;
Could I be ignorant of
The droplets on your sleeves? |
The Middle Counsellor
26
忍ぶれど物思ふ人はうき雲の空に恋する名をのみぞたつ
shinoburedo
mono’omou hito wa
ukigumo no
sora ni koisuru
na o nomi zo tatsu | I kept it secret, yet
She, who is the focus of my thoughts, is
As a drifting cloud
Within the sky, and of my love
Rumours, alone, do rise toward her. |
Middle Captain Morotoki, Fourth Rank
19
恋すともいかでか空に名はたたじ忍ぶる程は袖につつまで
koisu to mo
ikade ka sora ni
na wa tataji
shinoburu hodo wa
sode ni tsutsumade | You love, so
How is it that the skies
Could remain untouched by rumours?
Your secret
You’ve not kept wrapped within your sleeves… |
Lady Aki, in service to the Empress Dowager
20
人しれぬ思ひありそのはま風に浪のよるこそいはまほしけれ
hito shirenu
omoi ariso no
hamakaze ni
nami no yoru koso
iwamahoshikere | Unknown to all
My passion burns—toward a rocky
Beach the breeze
Brings waves–that
I would tell you! |
Middle Captain Toshitada
17
In reply.
おとにきくたかしの浜のあだ波はかけじや袖のぬれもこそすれ
oto ni kiku
takashi no hama no
adanami wa
kakeji ya sode no
nure mo koso sure | By repute
Upon Takashi Beach
Break faithless waves, so
Had I not better keep away? Lest my sleeves
Should end up soaked! |
18[1]
[1] This poem is attributed to Kii, from the residence of Imperial Princess Sukeko 祐子内親王家紀伊 in Hyakunin isshu (72).
ながれ出づるしづくに袖は朽ちはてておそふる方もなきぞかなしき
nagare’izuru
shizuku ni sode wa
kuchihatete
osouru kata mo
naki zo kanashiki | Flowing out
These droplets my sleeves
Have completely rotted, and
That I have no way to halt them
Makes me sad, indeed. |
The Major Controller of the Left
7
おく網のうけもひかれぬものゆゑに何かはあまの袖のくつらん
oku tsuna no
uke mo hikarenu
mono yue ni
nani ka wa ama no
sode no kutsuran | Cast out, your line’s
Floats, she’ll not draw in,
So
Why would a fisher-girl
Have rotten sleeves, I wonder? |
Yurika, from the Hall of the Junior Consort
8
しぐれの雨木の葉ばかりを染めくればかづきし袖は色もかはらず
shigure no ame
ko no ha bakari o
somekureba
kazukishi sode wa
iro mo kawarazu | Showers of rain
Simply, the trees’ leaves
Do dye, so
My drenched sleeves
Hue remains unchanged. |
Ryūgen
Spring
Left
春のたつ霞の衣うらもなく年を経てこそ花の散りけれ
haru no tatsu
kasumi no koromo
ura mo naku
toshi o hete koso
hana no chirikere | Spring does sew
A robe of haze
Without an underlay,
The year passes by in
A scattering of blossom |
1
春の野の雪間をわけていつしかと君がためとぞ若菜摘みつる
haru no no no
yuki ma o wakete
itsushika to
kimi ga tame to zo
wakana tsumitsuru | Across the springtime meadows
Do I forge between the snows,
Eagerly, so eagerly,
For you, my Lord,
Have I gathered fresh herbs! |
2
春霞かすみこめたる山里はこほりとくともかげはみえじを
harugasumi
kasumi kometaru
yamazato wa
kōri toku tomo
kage wa mieji o | The haze of spring
Blurs all around
A mountain retreat,
Even were the ice to melt
I could see no sign of it! |
3
Right
梅枝にきゐる鶯年毎に花の匂ひをあかぬ声する
ume ga e ni
ki’iru uguisu
toshigoto ni
hana no nioi o
akanu koesuru | Upon the plum tree’s branches
Has come to rest the warbler;
Every single year, that
Of the blossoms’ scent
He cannot get his fill he sings. |
4
桜色に花さく雨はふりぬとも千しほぞそめてうつろふなそで
sakurairo ni
hana saku ame wa
furinu tomo
chishio zo somete
utsurou na sode | Cherry-coloured
Blossoms flower, as the rain
Falls on, yet
Dyed a thousand times
Fade not, o, my sleeves! |
5
青柳のいとはるばると緑なる行末までも思ひこそやれ
aoyagi no
ito harubaru to
midori naru
yukusue made mo
omoi koso yare | The willow’s
Branches dangle lengthily
So green
Right to the very end
Will I fondly think of you. |
6
A miscellaneous winter poem.
我が袖に霰た走る巻き隠し消たずてあらむ妹が見むため
wa ga sode ni
arare tapasiru
makikakusi
kedazute aramu
imo ga mimu tame | Upon my sleeves
The hailstones strike;
I’ll wrap them and hide them away
That they not melt, and
Show them to my darling. |
Kakinomoto no Hitomaro Collection
Topic unknown.
思ひつつねなくにあくる冬の夜の袖の氷はとけずもあるかな
omoFitutu
nenaku ni akuru
Fuyu no yo no
sode no koFori wa
tokezu mo aru kana | Filled with passionate thoughts,
Sleepless until dawn,
On a winter’s night
The ice upon my sleeves
Shows no sign of melting. |
Anonymous
'Simply moving and elegant'
