庭に立つ麻布小衾今宵だに妻よしこせぬ麻ち小衾
niFa ni tatu asade kobusuma koyoFi dani tuma yosikosenu asati kobusuma |
Standing in the grounds, Hemp, turned meagre bedding, but Even on this night My wife will not draw near My hempen bedding! |
Left (Win).
さはらずは今宵ぞ君を頼むべき袖には雨の時わかねども
sawarazu wa koyoi zo kimi o tanomubeki sode ni wa ame no toki wakanedomo | If you were unhindered On this night, then, my love, In you I could trust; But on my sleeves the rain Falls without surcease… |
Lord Sada’ie.
945
Right.
來ぬ人を待つ夜更け行秋の雨は袖にのみ降る心地こそすれ
konu hito o matsu yo fukeyuku aki no ame wa sode ni nomi furu kokochi koso sure | When a man who fails to come Is awaited and the night grows late, The autumn rain Falls on my sleeves, alone – That is what I feel! |
Ietaka.
946
The Right state: the phrase ‘if you were unhindered’ (sawarazu wa) sounds poor. The Left state: the Right have simply composed a poem just like Lord Yorimasa’s君戀ふとながめあかせる夜の雨は袖にしも降る心地こそすれ kimi kou to / nagame akaseru / yoru no ame wa / sode ni shimo furu / kokochi koso sure ‘That you love me / I have heard enough / This night when the rain / Upon my sleeves especially does fall – / That is what I feel!’.
In judgement: the Left are said to have a poor-sounding phrase, and the Right to have referred to Yorimasa’s poem. That it is difficult to entirely avoid to referring poems outside of the anthologies is something which people still seem to be unable to remember, but the Gentlemen of the Left have recalled this well. The final section of the Right’s poem does bear an uncanny resemblance to Yorimasa’s poem. If there should be a prior example of a phrase’s use, then while it maybe poor-sounding, the Left should win.
Left.
いつも聞く物とや人の思らむ來ぬ夕暮れの秋風の聲
itsumo kiku mono to ya hito no omouramu konu yūgure no akikaze no koe |
Always do I hear The same, is that what He thinks? This evening, when he has not come Whispers the autumn wind. |
A Servant Girl.
933
Right (Win).
心あらば吹かずもあらなん宵宵に人待つ宿の庭の松風
kokoro araba fukazu mo aranan yoiyoi ni hito matsu yado no niwa no matsukaze |
If you have any pity, Then I would not have you blow Night after night While I wait for him, through my home’s Garden pines, o, wind! |
Nobusada.
934
Both Left and Right state: we can grasp the sense of the opposing poem.
In judgement: I am unable to tell what it is that ‘does not come one evening’ (konu yūgure). ‘Whispers the autumn wind’ (akikaze no koe) is also perhaps rather novel. The Right’s ‘Garden pines, o, wind!’ (niwa no matsukaze) sounds pleasant. It should win.
Left (Win).
頼めぬを待ちつる宵も過果てゝつらさ閉ぢむる片敷の床
tanomenu o machitsuru yoi mo sugihatete turasa tojimuru katashiki no toko |
He did not say he’d come, and so To waiting through the night I have put an end, Sealing my unhappiness In a single bed… |
Lord Sada’ie.
835
Right.
我戀や衛士の焚く火となりぬらん夜のみひとり燃えあかす哉
wa ga koi ya eshi no taku hi to narinuran yoru nomi hitori moeakasu kana |
Has my love, like Conscripts’ kindled flame Become? Through the night alone Afire? |
Lord Tsune’ie.
836
The Right state: we wonder about the appropriateness of both ‘sealing’ (tojimuru) and ‘a single bed’ (katashiki no toko). The Left state: it sounds as if the ‘conscripts’ kindled flame’ (eshi no taku hi) is alone.
In judgement: the Left’s poem, beginning with ‘to waiting through the night I have put an end’ (machitsuru yoi mo sugihatete) and then continuing with ‘sealing my unhappiness’ (tsurasa tojimuru) does not sound bad, but ‘single bed’ should surely have been ‘sleeve’ (sode). The ‘conscripts kindled flame’ would certainly not have been ‘burning alone’ (hitori moyu). The Left should win, it seems.