These are from Chapter 49, The Ivy 宿木.
すべらきのかざしにおると藤の花をよばぬ枝に袖かけてけり
thinking to use it
as a garland for His Majesty,
my sleeves were caught
reaching for a wisteria blossom
on an inaccessible branch
よろづ世をかけてにほはん花なればけふをもあかぬ色とこそみれ
it is a flower whose scent
will last for countless ages
today, therefore
we will not tire
of its color
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| Source info at bottom of post |
君がためおれるかざしは紫の雲にをとらぬ花のけしきか
the branch I picked
as a garland for Your Highness --
the appearance of its blossoms
is not inferior to that
of purple clouds
(N.B. Purple clouds: i.e., of the Amitabha Buddha's paradise)
世のつねの色ともみえず雲居までたちのぼりたる藤浪の花
they are of a color
not commonly seen in this world
that ascends as high
as the place of the clouds --
waves of wisteria blossoms
These are from Chapter 53, At Writing Practice 手習
木枯の吹にし山のふもとには立かくすべきかげだにぞなき
on the mountainside
swept by the storm
there is not so much as
a shelter in which
one might hide
待人もあらじとおもふ山里の梢を見つゝ猶ぞ過うき
in the mountain village
where I think surely
no one waits for me
seeing the tops of the branches there
I cannot just pass by
The image of Amida's descent (raigô 来迎) is from the Metropolitan Museum collection.
