Love Waiting for Someone 待人恋
いつはりのちぎりばかりにまつら山まつらんとだに君はしらじな
| itsuwari no chigiri bakari ni matsurayama matsuran to dani kimi wa shiraji na | A false vow – That’s all it was you made on Mount Matsura, so Even that I pine here Do you seem unaware… |
Akinaka
Tag Archives: vow
GSS XVII: 1241
When he had gone to the province of Michinoku as its governor, he saw a withered pine tree at Takekuma, and had a sapling planted to replace it; after finishing his posting, he returned to the same province later, and saw the pine he had planted once more.
栽し時契やし剣武隈の松をふたたび逢ひ見つる哉
| uesi toki tigiri ya si ken takekuma no matu wo Futatabi aFimituru kana | When I planted you Did I make a vow, perhaps? That Takekuma’s Pine once more I would encounter! |
Fujiwara no Motoyoshi
藤原元善
Love IX: 17
Left (Tie)
ます鏡うつしかへけむ姿ゆへ影絶えはてし契をぞ知る
| masukagami utsushikaekemu sugata yue kage taehateshi chigiri o zo shiru |
A clear glass Will reflect back My true face, yet A form fixed forever Reveals his my vow to me… |
A Servant Girl
1113
Right
戀妻に似てや書らん見つるより絵にも心をうつしつる哉
| koizuma ni nite ya kakuran mitsuru yori e ni mo kokoro o utsushitsuru kana |
My beloved wife: Does this so resemble her, that at The mere sight of The painting, my heart Does move? |
Lord Tsune’ie
1114
The Right state: the Left’s poem has no faults. The Left state: the Right’s poems contains a fault, does it not?
In judgement: What are we to make of the Left’s ‘In a clear glass my ever-changing reflected’ (masukagami utsushikaekemu)? While I have the feeling that there is a source for this poem, this aged official is completely unable to grasp it what it might be. It is not the case that the poem is lacking in an elegant style. The Gentlemen of the Left have commented on the existence of a fault in the Right’s poem. Perhaps the two cranes (tsuru)? This type of issue relating to a poem’s formal diction does not seem that serious to me. However, saying ‘does this so resemble her, that at’ (nite ya kakuran) is insufficient in terms of expression. The Left’s ‘clear glass’ would win, if its source were clear, but in its absence, it is difficult to make it the winner.
Love VII: 29
Left.
葛城や久米路の橋にあらねども絶えぬる中は渡る物かは
| kazuragi ya kumeji no hashi ni aranedomo taenuru naka wa wataru mono ka wa |
At Kazuragi The bridge of Kumeji It is not, yet Can a relationship that’s done Ever continue on? |
Lord Suetsune
1017
Right (Win).
葛城や渡しもはてぬ岩橋も夜の契はありとこそ聞け
| kazuragi ya watashi mo hatenu iwabashi mo yoru no chigiri wa ari to koso kike |
At Kazuragi lies The unfinished Bridge of stone: A vow at night There was, I hear! |
Ietaka
1018
Both Left and Right state: we find no faults to mention.
In judgement: both poems refer to ‘the bridge of Kazuragi, while the Left has ‘a relationship that’s done’ (taenuru naka). As the bridge, from the very beginning, was never finished, it is not appropriate to say that it is ‘done’. ‘A vow at night’ (yoru no chigiri) seems to be referring to Kodaigimi’s ‘cannot endure’ (taenubeshi). The Right has certainly matched the conception of the bridge. Thus, I make the Right the winner.
Love VII: 8
Left (Tie).
わたの原沖つ潮風に立つ浪の寄り來やかかる汀なりとも
| wata no hara oki tsu nami ni tatsu nami no yoriko ya kakaru migiwa naritomo |
Across the broad sea sweep, The waves from the offing, The breakers: So I would have you come to me, Though I be such a shore… |
Lord Ari’ie.
975
Right.
わたの原深き契りや渚なるかたし貝ともなりにける哉
| wata no hara fukaki ya chigiri nagisa naru katashigai tomo narinikeru kana |
The broad sea sweep’s Depths: did our vow match them? Upon the beach lie Single seashells: That is what we have become! |
Lord Tsune’ie.
976
The Right state: we are unable to appreciate the Left’s poem. The Left state: as are we the Right’s poem.
In judgement: the Left’s poem would seem to be an improved example of a poem in the style of the previous round. That being said, the waves wouldn’t not come, would they? And, what is the point in addressing them so? The Right’s poem has an extremely flippant final section. The poems are comparable and should tie.
Love V: 17
Left (Win).
悲しきは境異なる中として亡き玉までもよそに浮かれん
| kanashiki wa sakai kotonaru naka to shite naki tama made mo yoso ni ukaren |
How sad it is: Beyond the borders of this life Should our bond endure Even your departed soul So distant, would I trail after… |
Lord Sada’ie
873
Right.
忘れずよ幾雲井とは知らねども空行月の契ばかりは
| wasurezu yo iku kumoi to wa shiranedomo sora yuku tsuki no chigiri bakari wa |
I will not forget! How far beyond the clouds you are I know not, yet As the moon across the skies, Is my simple vow to you… |
Jakuren
874
Left and Right: no faults to mention.
In judgement: although the Left’s poem sounds a little over-familiar, it certainly does have conception. The Right’s poem does sound smooth, but the origin poem has ‘Forget me not’ (wasuru na yo) – and this has ‘I will not forget’ (wasurezu yo) – the origin poem has ‘for distant as the clouds’ (hodo wa kumoi ni) – and this has ‘how far beyond the clouds’ (iku kumoi to wa); and ‘as the moon across the skies’ (sora yuku tsuki no) is identical, so the only part which as been changed is ‘I shall return – ‘til then’ (meguri au made). It is only to be expected that it would sound good, given that it presents much of the same material in the same order. The Left should win.
SIS XVIII: 1201
When Major Councillor Asamitsu was still of low rank, he secretly visited a woman’s dwelling, and when he said he would not return home with the dawn, she composed:
岩橋の夜の契も絶えぬべし明くるわびしき葛木の神
| iwabashi no yoru no chigiri mo taenubeshi akuru wabishiki kazuragi no kami |
That bridge of stone Like our night’s vow Cannot endure; With the coming dawn, how sad Is the god of Kazuragi… |
Sakon, Lady Chamberlain to the Crown Prince