When she had been living with Prince Motonaga for some time, as an amusement the Prince tied up a box with something in it with his under-belt and, saying he would be back for it, left it lying about somewhere; after he had gone out, she was abducted and hidden away by Prince Tsune’akira, and it was only after many days and months had gone by that she returned to her former house, and sent the box, with this to Prince Motonaga.
あけてだに何にかは見む水の江の浦島の子を思ひやりつつ
akete dani
nani ni ka Fa mimu
mizu no e no
urasima no ko wo
omoFiyaritutu |
Even should I open it
What is it that I might see?
By the waters’ edge
The lad from Urashima
Is ever in my thoughts… |
Nakatsukasa
中務
His response, on departure:
おそくとも開くこそ憂けれ玉くしげあな恨めしの浦島の子や
osoku tomo
aku koso ukere
tamakusige
ana uramesi no
urasima no ko ya |
’Tis late and
To open it would bring only grief:
This jewelled box;
O, how regretful now
Is the lad from Urashima. |
My reply:
玉くしげなにいにしへの浦島にわれならひつゝをそく開けけん
tamakusige
nani inisiFe no
urasima ni
ware naraFitutu
wosoku akeken |
A jewelled box!
Why, in ancient
Urashima’s
Imitation would I
So foolishly open it? |
Said to me by the same Middle Captain, on returning a pillow box which I had forgotten and left in the palace guardroom:
あくまでも見るべきものを玉くしげ浦島の子やいかゞ思はむ
aku made mo
mirubeki mono wo
tamakusige
urasima no ko ya
ikaga omoFamu |
Oh, how satisfying to open
And look within this
Jewelled box, but
The lad from Urashima,
What might he have thought? |
'Simply moving and elegant'