[1-1　Father and mother's tragic love]
　Idure no ohom-toki ni ka, nyougo, kaui amata saburahi tamahi keru naka ni, ito yamgotonaki kiha ni ha ara nu ga, sugurete tokimeki tamahu ari keri.
　Hazime yori ware ha to omohi agari tamahe ru ohom-kata-gata, mezamasiki mono ni otosime sonemi tamahu. Onazi hodo, sore yori gerahu no kaui-tati ha, masite yasukara zu. Asa-yuhu no miya-dukahe ni tuke te mo, hito no kokoro wo nomi ugokasi, urami wo ohu tumori ni ya ari kem, ito atusiku nari yuki, mono kokoro-boso-ge ni sato-gati naru wo, iyo-iyo aka zu ahare naru mono ni omohosi te hito no sosiri wo mo e habakara se tamaha zu, yo no tamesi ni mo nari nu beki ohom-motenasi nari.
　Kamdatime, uhe-bito nado mo, ainaku me wo sobame tutu, "Ito mabayuki hito no ohom-oboye nari. Morokosi ni mo, kakaru koto no okori ni koso, yo mo midare, asikari kere" to, yau-yau amenosita ni mo adikinau, hito no mote-nayami-gusa ni nari te, Yauki-hi no tamesi mo hiki ide tu beku nariyuku ni, ito hasitanaki koto ohokare do, katazikenaki mi-kokoro-bahe no taguhi naki wo tanomi ni te mazirahi tamahu.
　TiTi no Dainagon ha nakunari te haha Kita-no-kata nam inisihe no yosi aru ni te, oya uti-gusi, sasi-atari te yo no oboye hanayaka naru ohom-kata-gata ni mo itau otora zu, nani-goto no gisiki wo mo motenasi tamahi kere do, tori-tate te haka-bakasiki usiro-mi si nakere ba, koto aru toki ha, naho yori-dokoro naku kokoro-boso-ge nari.
　 [1-2　Genji's birth（age 1）]
　Saki no yo ni mo ohom-tigiri ya hukakari kem, yo ni naku kiyora naru tama no wonoko miko sahe umare tamahi nu. Itusika to kokoro-motonagara se tamahi te, isogi mawirase te go-ran-zuru ni, meduraka naru tigo no ohom-katati nari.
　Iti-no-Miko ha, Udaizin no Nyougo no ohom-hara ni te, yose omoku, utagahi naki Mauke-no-kimi to, yo ni mote-kasiduki kikoyure do, kono ohom-nihohi ni ha narabi tamahu beku mo ara zari kere ba, ohokata no yamgotonaki ohom-omohi ni te, kono Kimi wo ba, watakusi-mono ni omohosi kasiduki tamahu koto kagiri nasi.
　Hazime yori osinabete no uhe-miya-dukahe si tamahu beki kiha ni ha ara zari ki. Oboye ito yamgotonaku, zyauzu-mekasi kere do, warinaku matuhasa se tamahu amari ni, sarubeki ohom-asobi no wori-wori, nani-goto ni mo yuwe aru koto no husi-busi ni ha, madu mau-nobora se tamahu. Aru-toki ni ha ohotono-gomori sugusi te, yagate saburahase tamahi nado, anagati ni o-mahe sara zu mote-nasa se tamahi si hodo ni, onodukara karoki kata ni mo miye si wo, kono Miko umare tamahi te noti ha, ito kokoro koto ni omohosi oki te tare ba, Bau ni mo, you se zu ha, kono Miko no wi tamahu beki na'meri to, Ichi-no-Miko no Nyougo ha obosi utagahe ri. Hito yori saki ni mawiri tamahi te, yamgotonaki ohom-omohi nabete nara zu, Miko-tati nado mo ohasimase ba, kono Ohom-kata no ohom-isame wo nomi zo, naho wadurahasiu kokoro-gurusiu omohi kikoye sase tamahi keru.
　Kasikoki mi-kage wo ba tanomi kikoye nagara, otosime kizu wo motome tamahu hito ha ohoku, waga mi ha ka-yowaku mono-hakanaki arisama ni te, naka-naka naru mono-omohi wo zo si tamahu. Mi-tubone ha Kiritubo nari. Amata no ohom-Kata-gata wo sugi sase tamahi te, hima naki o-mahe-watari ni, hito no mi-kokoro wo tukusi tamahu mo, geni kotowari to miye tari. Mau-nobori tamahu ni mo, amari uti-sikiru wori-wori ha, uti-hasi, wata-dono no koko kasiko no miti ni, ayasiki waza wo si tutu, ohom-okuri mukahe no hito no kinu no suso, tahe gataku, masanaki koto mo ari. Mata aru toki ni ha, e sara nu me-dau no to wo sasi-kome, konata kanata kokoro wo ahase te, hasitaname wadurahase tamahu toki mo ohokari. Koto ni hure te kazu sira zu kurusiki koto nomi masare ba, ito itau omohi wabi taru wo, itodo ahare to go-ran-zi te, Kourau-den ni motoyori saburahi tamahu Kaui no zausi wo hoka ni utusa se tamahi te, Uhe-tubone ni tamaha su. Sono urami masite yara m kata nasi.
　 [1-3　Hakama-gi（age 3）]
　Kono Miko mi-tu ni nari tamahu tosi, ohom-hakama-gi no koto Iti-no-Miya no tatematuri si ni otora zu, Kura-dukasa Wosame-dono no mono wo tukusi te, imiziu se sase tamahu. Sore ni tuke te mo, yo no sosiri nomi ohokare do, kono Miko no oyosuke mote-ohasuru ohom-katati kokoro-bahe arigataku medurasiki made miye tamahu wo, e sonemi ahe tamaha zu. Mono no kokoro siri tamahu hito ha, "kakaru hito mo yo ni ide ohasuru mono nari keri" to, asamasiki made me wo odorokasi tamahu.
　 [1-4　Mother's death]
　Sono tosi no natu, Miyasumdokoro, hakanaki kokoti ni wadurahi tamahi te, makade nam to si tamahu wo, itoma sarani yurusa se tamaha zu. Tosi-goro, tune no atusisa ni nari tamahe re ba, ohom-me nare te, "Naho sibasi kokoromi yo" to nomi notamahasuru ni, hi-bi ni omori tamahi te, tada itu-ka mui-ka no hodo ni ito yowau nare ba, Haha-Gimi naku-naku sousi te, makade sase tatematuri tamahu. Kakaru wori ni mo, arumaziki hadi mo koso to kokoro-dukahi si te, Miko wo ba todome tatematuri te, sinobi te zo ide tamahu.
　Kagiri are ba, sa nomi mo e todome sase tamaha zu, go-ran-zi dani okura nu obotukanasa wo, ihu-kata-naku omohosa ru. Ito nihohi-yaka ni utukusige naru hito no, itau omoyase te, ito ahare to mono wo omohi simi nagara, koto ni ide te mo kikoye-yara zu, aruka-nakika ni kiye iri tutu monosi tamahu wo go-ran-zuru ni, kisi-kata yuku-suwe obosi-mesa re zu, yorodu no koto wo naku-naku tigiri notamaha sure do, ohom-irahe mo e kikoye tamaha zu, mami nado mo ito tayu-ge ni te, itodo nayo-nayo to, ware-ka no kesiki ni te husi tare ba, ika-sama ni to obosi-mesi madoha ru. Te-guruma no senzi nado notamahase te mo, mata ira se tamahi te, sarani e yurusa se tamaha zu.
　"Kagiri ara m miti ni mo, okure saki data zi to, tigira se tamahi keru wo. Sa'ri to mo, uti-sute te ha, e yuki yara zi"
　to notamahasuru wo, Womna mo ito imizi to, mi tatematuri te,
　"Kagiri to te wakaruru miti no kanasiki ni
　ika mahosiki ha inoti nari keri
　Ito kaku omohi tamahe masika ba"
　to, iki mo taye tutu, kikoye mahosi-ge naru koto ha ari-ge nare do, ito kurusi-ge ni tayu-ge nare ba, kaku nagara, tomo-kakumo nara m wo go-ran-zi hate m to obosi-mesu ni, "Kehu hazimu beki inori-domo, sa'ru beki hito-bito uketamahare ru, koyohi yori" to, kikoye isogase ba, warinaku omohosi nagara makade sase tamahu.
　Ohom-mune tuto hutagari te, tuyu madoroma re zu, akasi-kane sase tamahu. Ohom-tukahi no yuki-kahu hodo mo naki ni, naho ibusesa wo kagirinaku notamahase turu wo, "Yonaka uti-suguru hodo ni nam taye hate tamahi nuru" tote naki sawage ba, ohom-tukahi mo ito ahenaku te kaheri mawiri nu. Kikosi-mesu mi-kokoro-madohi, nani-goto mo obosi-mesi waka re zu, komori ohasimasu.
　Miko ha, kakute mo ito go-ran-ze mahosikere do, kakaru hodo ni saburahi tamahu, rei naki koto nare ba, makade tamahi nam to su. Nani-goto ka ara m to mo obosi tara zu, saburahu hito-bito no naki madohi, Uhe mo ohom-namida no hima naku nagare ohasimasu wo, ayasi to mi tatematuri tamahe ru wo. Yorosiki koto ni dani, kakaru wakare no kanasikara nu ha naki waza naru wo, masite ahare ni ihu-kahi-nasi.
　 [1-5　The funeral]
　Kagiri are ba, rei no sahohu ni wosame tatematuru wo, haha Kita-no-kata, onazi keburi ni nobori na m to, naki kogare tamahi te, ohom-okuri no nyoubau no kuruma ni sitahi nori tamahi te, Otagi to ihu tokoro ni ito ikamesiu sono sahohu si taru ni, ohasi tuki taru kokoti, ikabakari ka ha ari kem. "Munasiki ohom-kara wo miru miru, naho ohasuru mono to omohu ga, ito kahi nakere ba, hahi ni nari tamaha m wo mi tatematuri te, ima ha naki hito to, hitaburu ni omohi nari na m" to, sakasiu notamahi ture do, kuruma yori mo oti nu beu marobi tamahe ba, sa ha omohi tu kasi to, hito-bito mote wadurahi kikoyu.
　Uti yori ohom-tukahi ari. Mi-tu no kurawi okuri tamahu yosi, tyokusi ki te sono senmyau yomu nam, kanasiki koto nari keri. Nyougo to dani iha se zu nari nuru ga, aka zu kutiwosiu obosa rure ba, ima hito kizami no kurawi wo dani to, okura se tamahu nari keri. Kore ni tuke te mo nikumi tamahu hito-bito ohokari. Mono omohi siri tamahu ha, sama katati nado no medetakari si koto, kokoro-base no nadaraka ni meyasuku, nikumi gatakari si koto nado, ima zo obosi iduru. Sama asiki ohom-motenasi yuwe koso, sugenau sonemi tamahi sika, hito-gara no ahare ni nasake ari si mi-kokoro wo, Uhe no nyoubau nado mo kohi sinobi-ahe ri. "Naku te zo" to ha, kakaru wori ni ya to miye tari.
　
________________________________________

2　Mikado's grief
　 [2-1　Mikado's grievous days]
　Hakanaku hi-goro sugi te, noti no waza nado ni mo komaka ni toburaha se tamahu. Hodo huru mama ni, semkata-nau kanasiu obosa ruru ni, ohom-kata-gata no ohom-tonowi nado mo taye te si tamaha zu, tada namida ni hiti te akasi kurasa se tamahe ba, mi tatematuru hito sahe tuyu-keki aki nari. "Naki ato made, hito no mune aku mazikari keru hito no ohom-oboye kana!" to zo, Kouki-den nado ni ha naho yurusi nau notamahi keru. Iti-no-Miya wo mi tatematura se tamahu ni mo, Waka-Miya no ohom-kohisisa nomi omohosi ide tutu, sitasiki nyoubau, ohom-menoto nado wo tukahasi tutu, arisama wo kikosimesu.
　 [2-2　The visit in Fall]
　Nowaki-dati te, nihaka ni hada samuki yuhu-gure no hodo, tune yori mo obosi iduru koto ohoku te, Yugehi-no-Myaubu to ihu wo tukahasu. Yuhuzuku-yo no wokasiki hodo ni idasi tate sase tamahi te, yagate nagame ohasimasu. Kau yau no wori ha, ohom-asobi nado se sase tamahi si ni, kokoro koto naru mono no ne wo kaki-narasi, hakanaku kikoye iduru koto-no-ha mo, hito yori ha kotonari si kehahi katati no, omokage ni tuto sohi te obosa ruru ni mo, "Yami-no-ututu" ni ha naho otori keri.
　Myaubu, kasiko ni maude tuki te, kado hiki iruru yori, kehahi ahare nari. Yamome-zumi nare do, hito hitori no ohom-kasiduki ni, tokaku tukurohi tate te, meyasuki hodo ni te sugusi tamahi turu, yami ni kure te husi sidumi tamahe ru hodo ni, kusa mo takaku nari, nowaki ni itodo are taru kokoti si te, tuki-kage bakari zo yahe-mugura ni mo sahara zu sasi-iri taru. Minami-omote ni orosi te, Haha-Gimi mo, tomi ni e mono mo notamaha zu.
　"Ima made tomari haberu ga ito uki wo, kakaru ohom-tukahi no yomogihu no tuyu wake iri tamahu ni tuke te mo, ito hadukasiu nam."
　tote, geni e tahu maziku nai tamahu.
　"'Mawiri te ha, itodo kokoro-gurusiu, kokoro-gimo mo tukuru yau ni nam' to, Naisi-no-Suke no sou-si tamahi si wo, mono omou tamahe sira nu kokoti ni mo, geni koso ito sinobi-gatau haberi kere."
　tote, yaya tamerahi te, ohose-goto tutahe kikoyu.
　"'Sibasi ha yume ka to nomi tadora re si wo, yau-yau omohi sidumaru ni si mo, samu beki kata naku tahe gataki ha, ika ni su beki waza ni ka to mo, tohi ahasu beki hito dani naki wo, sinobi te ha mawiri tamahi nam ya? Waka-Miya no ito obotukanaku, tuyu-keki naka ni sugusi tamahu mo, kokoro-gurusiu obosa ruru wo, toku mawiri tamahe!' nado, haka-bakasiu mo notamaha se yara zu, musekahera se tamahi tutu, katu ha hito mo kokoro yowaku mi tatematu ru ram to, obosi tutuma nu ni si mo ara nu mi-kesiki no kokoro-gurusisa ni, uketamahari mo hate nu yau ni te nam, makade haberi nuru."
　tote, ohom-humi tatematuru.
　"Me mo miye habera nu ni, kaku kasikoki ohose-goto wo hikari ni te nam." tote, mi tamahu.
　"Hodo he ba sukosi uti-magiruru koto mo ya to, mati sugusu tuki-hi ni sohe te, ito sinobi gataki ha warinaki waza ni nam. Ihakenaki hito wo ika ni to omohi-yari tutu, morotomo ni hagukuma nu obotukanasa wo. Ima ha, naho mukasi no katami ni nazurahe te, monosi tamahe!"
　nado, komayaka ni kaka se tamahe ri.
　"Miyagino no tuyu huki musubu kaze no oto ni
　kohagi ga moto wo omohi koso yare"
　to are do, e mi tamahi hate zu.
　"Inoti nagasa no, ito turau omohi tamahe sira ruru ni, matu no omoha m koto dani, hadukasiu omohi tamahe habere ba, momosiki ni yuki-kahi habera m koto ha, masite ito habakari ohoku nam. Kasikoki ohose-goto wo tabi-tabi uketamahari nagara, midukara ha e nam omohi tamahe tatu maziki. Waka-Miya ha, ikani omohosi siru ni ka, mawiri tamaha m koto wo nomi nam obosi isogu mere ba, kotowari ni kanasiu mi tatematuri haberu nado, uti-uti ni omohi tamahuru sama wo sou-si tamahe! Yuyusiki mi ni habere ba, kaku te ohasimasu mo, ima-imasiu katazikenaku nam."
　to notamahu. Miya ha ohotono-gomori ni keri.
　"Mi tatematuri te, kuhasiu ohom-arisama mo sou-si habera mahosiki wo, mati ohasimasu ram ni, yo huke haberi nu besi." tote isogu.
　"Kure madohu kokoro no yami mo tahe gataki katahasi wo dani, haruku bakari ni kikoye mahosiu haberu wo, watakusi ni mo kokoro nodoka ni makade tamahe! Tosi-goro, uresiku omo-datasiki tuide ni te tati-yori tamahi si mono wo, kakaru ohom-seusoko ni te mi tatematuru, kahesu-gahesu turenaki inoti ni mo haberu kana! Mmare si toki yori, omohu kokoro ari si hito ni te, ko-Dainagon, imaha to naru made, 'Tada, kono hito no miya-dukahe no ho'i, kanarazu toge sase tatemature! Ware nakunari nu tote, kutiwosiu omohi kuduhoru na!' to, kahesu-gahesu isame oka re haberi sika ba, haka-bakasiu usiro-mi omohu hito mo naki mazirahi ha, naka-naka naru beki koto to omohi tamahe nagara, tada kano yuigon wo tagahe zi to bakari ni, idasi tate haberi si wo, mi ni amaru made no mi-kokoro-zasi no, yorodu ni katazikenaki ni, hito-ge naki hadi wo kakusi tutu, mazirahi tamahu na'meri turu wo, hito no sonemi hukaku tumori, yasukara nu koto ohoku nari sohi haberi turu ni, yoko-sama naru yau ni te, tuhi ni kaku nari haberi nure ba, kaheri te ha turaku nam, kasikoki mi-kokoro-zasi wo omohi tamahe rare haberu. Kore mo warinaki kokoro no yami ni nam."
　to, ihi mo yara zu musekaheri tamahu hodo ni, yo mo huke nu.
　"Uhe mo sika nam. 'Waga mi-kokoro nagara, anagati ni hito-me odoroku bakari obosare si mo, nagakaru maziki nari keri to, ima ha turakari keru hito no tigiri ni nam. Yo ni isasaka mo hito no kokoro wo mage taru koto ha ara zi to omohu wo, tada kono hito no yuwe ni te, amata saru maziki hito no urami wo ohi si hate-hate ha, kau uti-sute rare te, kokoro wosame m kata naki ni, itodo hito warou katakuna ni nari haturu mo, saki-no-yo yukasiu nam.' to uti-kahesi tutu, ohom-sihotare-gati ni nomi ohasimasu." to katari te tuki se zu. Naku-naku, "Yo itau huke nure ba, koyohi sugusa zu, ohom-kaheri sou-se m" to isogi mawiru.
　Tuki ha iri-gata no, sora kiyou sumi watare ru ni, kaze ito suzusiku nari te, kusamura no musi no kowe-gowe moyohosi-gaho naru mo, ito tati hanare nikuki kusa no moto nari.
　"Suzu-musi no kowe no kagiri wo tukusi te mo
　nagaki yo aka zu huru namida kana"
　E mo nori-yara zu.
　"Itodosiku musi no ne sigeki asadihu ni
　tuyu oki sohuru kumo no uhe-bito
　Kagoto mo kikoye tu beku nam."
　to iha se tamahu. Wokasiki ohom-okuri-mono nado aru beki wori ni mo ara ne ba, tada kano ohom-katami ni tote, kakaru you mo ya to nokosi tamahe ri keru ohom-sauzoku hito-kudari, mi-gusi-age no teudo-meku mono sohe tamahu.
　Wakaki hito-bito, kanasiki koto ha sara ni mo iha zu, Uti watari wo asa-yuhu ni narahi te, ito sau-zausiku, Uhe no ohom-arisama nado omohi-ide kikoyure ba, toku mawiri tamaha m koto wo sosonokasi kikoyure do, kaku ima-imasiki mi no sohi tatematura m mo, ito hito-giki ukaru besi, mata mi tatematura de sibasi mo ara m ha, ito usirometau omohi kikoye tamahi te, suga-suga to mo e mawira se tatematuri tamaha nu nari keri.
　 [2-3　Messenger reports to Mikado]
　Myaubu ha, mada ohotono-gomora se tamaha zari keru to, ahare ni mi tatematuru. O-mahe no tubo-sensai no ito omosiroki sakari naru wo go-ran-zuru yau ni te, sinobi-yaka ni kokoro-nikuki kagiri no nyoubau si, go-nin saburaha se tamahi te, ohom-monogatari se sase tamahu nari keri. Kono-koro, ake-kure go-ran-zuru Tyaugonka no ohom-we, Teizi-no-Win no kaka se tamahi te, Ise, Turayuki ni yoma se tamahe ru, Yamato-koto-no-ha wo mo, Morokosi no uta wo mo, tada sono sudi wo zo, makura-goto ni se sase tamahu. Ito komayaka ni arisama toha se tamahu. Ahare nari turu koto sinobi-yaka ni sou-su. Ohom-kaheri go-ran-zure ba,
　"Ito mo kasikoki ha oki-dokoro mo habera zu. Kakaru ohose-goto ni tuke te mo, kaki-kurasu midari-gokoti ni nam.
　Araki kaze husegi si kage no kare si yori
　Ko-hagi ga uhe zo sizu kokoro naki"
　nado yau ni midari-gahasiki wo, kokoro wosame zari keru hodo to go-ran-zi yurusu besi. Ito kau si mo miye zi to, obosi sidumure do, sarani e sinobi ahe sase tamaha zu, go-ran-zi hazime si tosi-tuki no koto sahe kaki-atume, yorodu ni obosi tuduke rare te, toki no ma mo obotukanakari si wo, kaku te mo tuki-hi ha he ni keri to, asamasiu obosi mesa ru.
　"Ko-Dainagon no yuigon ayamata zu, miya-dukahe no ho'i hukaku monosi tari si yorokobi ha, kahi aru sama ni to koso omoi watari ture. Ihu-kahi-nasi ya!" to uti-notamahase te, ito ahare ni obosi yaru. "Kaku te mo, onodukara Waka-Miya nado ohi-ide tamaha ba, sarubeki tuide mo ari na m. Inoti nagaku to koso omohi nen-ze me."
　nado notamahasu. Kano okuri-mono go-ran-ze sasu. Naki hito no sumika tadune ide tari kem sirusi no kamzasi nara masika ba, to omohosu mo ito kahi nasi.
　"Tadune yuku maborosi mo gana tute ni te mo
　tama no arika wo soko to siru beku"
　We ni kake ru Yaukihi no katati ha, imiziki wesi to ihe do mo, hude kagiri ari kere ba ito nihohi sukunasi. "Taieki-no-huyou Biau-no-yanagi" mo, geni kayohi tari si katati wo, kara-mei taru yosohi ha uruhasiu koso ari keme, natukasiu rauta-ge nari si wo obosi iduru ni, hana tori no iro ni mo ne ni mo yosohu beki kata zo naki. Asa-yuhu no koto-gusa ni, "Hane wo narabe, eda wo kahasa m" to tigira se tamahi si ni, kanaha zari keru inoti no hodo zo, tuki se zu uramesi ki.
　Kaze no oto, musi no ne ni tuke te, mono nomi kanasiu obosa ruru ni, Koukiden ni ha, hisasiku Uhe no mi-tubone ni mo nau-nobori tamaha zu, tuki no omosiroki ni, yo hukuru made asobi wo zo si tamahu naru. Ito susamaziu, monosi to kikosimesu. Kono-goro no mi-kesiki wo mi tatematuru uhe-bito, nyoubau nado ha, kataharaitasi to kiki keri. Ito osi-tati kado-kadosiki tokoro monosi tamahu ohom-kata ni te, koto ni mo ara zu obosi keti te motenasi tamahu naru besi. Tuki mo iri nu.
　"Kumo no uhe mo namida ni kururu aki no tuki
　ikade sumu ram asadihu no yado"
　Obosimesi yari tutu, tomosibi wo kakage tukusi te oki ohasimasu. Ukon-no-Tukasa no tonowi-mausi no kowe kikoyuru ha, usi ni nari nuru naru besi. Hito-me wo obosi te, Yoru-no-otodo ni ira se tamahi te mo, madoroma se tamahu koto katasi. Asita ni oki sase tamahu tote mo, "Akuru mo sira de" to obosi iduru ni mo, naho Asamaturi-goto ha okotara se tamahi nu beka'meri.
　Mono nado kikosimesa zu, Asagarehi no kesiki bakari hure sase tamahi te, Daisyauzi no o-mono nado ha, ito haruka ni obosimesi tare ba, haizen ni saburahu kagiri ha, kokoro-gurusiki mi-kesiki wo mi tatematuri nageku. Subete, tikau saburahu kagiri ha, wotoko womna, "Ito wari naki waza kana" to ihi ahase tutu nageku. "Sa'ru beki tigiri koso ha ohasimasi keme. Sokora no hito no sosiri, urami wo mo habakara se tamaha zu, kono ohom-koto ni hure taru koto wo ba, dauri wo mo usinaha se tamahi, ima hata, kaku yononaka no koto wo mo, omohosi sute taru yau ni nari yuku ha, ito tai-daisiki waza nari." to, hito-no-mikado no tamesi made hiki ide, sasameki nageki keri.
　
________________________________________

3　Tale of Hikaru-Genji
　 [3-1　Genji's return to the Court（age 4）]
　Tuki-hi he te, Waka-Miya mawiri tamahi nu. Itodo ko-no-yo no mono nara zu kiyora ni oyosuke tamahe re ba, ito yuyusiu obosi tari.
　Akuru-tosi no haru, Bau sadamari tamahu ni mo, ito hiki-kosa mahosiu obose do, ohom-usiromi su beki hito mo naku, mata yo no ukehiku maziki koto nari kere ba, naka-naka ayauku obosi habakari te, iro ni mo idasa se tamaha zu nari nuru wo, "Sabakari obosi tare do, kagiri koso ari kere" to, yo-hito mo kikoye, Nyougo mo mi-kokoro oti wi tamahi nu.
　Kano ohom-oba haha Kita-no-kata, nagusamu kata naku obosi sidumi te, ohasu ram tokoro ni dani tadune yuka m to negahi tamahi si sirusi ni ya, tuhi ni use tamahi nure ba, mata kore wo kanasibi obosu koto kagiri nasi. Miko mu-tu ni nari tamahu tosi nare ba, kono tabi ha obosi siri te kohi naki tamahu. Tosi-goro nare mutubi kikoye tamahi turu wo, mi tatematuri oku kanasibi wo nam, kahesu-gahesu notamahi keru.
　 [3-2　A child prodigy（age 7）]
　Ima ha Uti ni nomi saburahi tamahu. Nana-tu ni nari tamahe ba, Humi-hazime nado se sase tamahi te, yo ni sira zu satou kasikoku ohasure ba, amari osorosiki made go-ran-zu.
　"Ima ha tare mo tare mo e nikumi tamaha zi. Haha-Gimi naku te dani rautau si tamahe." tote, Kouki-den nado ni mo watara se tamahu ohom-tomo ni ha, yagate mi-su no uti ni ire tatematuri tamahu. Imiziki mononohu, ata kataki nari to mo, mi te ha uti-wema re nu beki sama no si tamahe re ba, e sasi-hanati tamaha zu. Womna-Miko-tati huta-tokoro, kono ohom-hara ni ohasimase do, nazurahi tamahu beki dani zo nakari keru. Ohom-kata-gata mo kakure tamaha zu, ima yori namamekasiu hadukasi-ge ni ohasure ba, ito wokasiu uti-toke nu asobi-gusa ni, tare mo tare mo omohi kikoye tamahe ri.
　Wazato no go-gakumon ha saru mono ni te, koto hue no ne ni mo kumo-wi wo hibikasi, subete ihi tuduke ba, koto-gotosiu, utate zo nari nu beki hito no ohom-sama nari keru.
　 [3-3　A prophecy by Koma-udo]
　Sono-koro, Koma-udo no mawire ru naka ni, kasikoki Sau-nin ari keru wo kikosimesi te, Miya no uti ni mesa m koto ha, Uda-no-Mikado no ohom-imasime are ba, imiziu sinobi te, kono Miko wo Kouro-kwan ni tukahasi tari. Ohom-usiromi-dati te tukau maturu U-dai-Ben no ko no yau ni omohase te wi te tatematuru ni, Sau-nin odoroki te, amata tabi katabuki ayasibu.
　"Kuni no oya to nari te, Teiwau no kami naki kurawi ni noboru beki sau ohasimasu hito no, sonata ni te mire ba, midare urehuru koto ya ara m. Ohoyake no katame to nari te, ame-no-sita wo tasukuru kata ni te mire ba, mata sono sau tagahu besi." to ihu.
　Ben mo, ito zae kasikoki hakase ni te, ihi-kahasi taru koto-domo nam, ito kyou ari keru. Humi nado tukuri kahasi te, kehu asu kaheri sari na m to suru ni, kaku arigataki hito ni taimen si taru yorokobi, kaheri te ha kanasikaru beki kokoro-bahe wo omosiroku tukuri taru ni, Miko mo ito ahare naru ku wo tukuri tamahe ru wo, kagiri nau mede tatematuri te, imiziki okuri-mono-domo wo sasage tatematuru. Ohoyake yori mo ohoku no mono tamahasu.
　Onodukara koto hirogori te, morasa se tamaha ne do, Touguu no ohodi-Otodo nado, ikanaru koto ni ka to obosi utagahi te nam ari keru.
　Mikado, kasikoki mi-kokoro ni, Yamato-sau wo ohose te, obosi yori ni keru sudi nare ba, ima made kono Kimi wo Miko ni mo nasa se tamaha zari keru wo, Sau-nin ha makoto ni kasikokari keri, to obosi te, mu-hon-no-Sinwau no gesaku no yose naki ni te ha tadayoha sa zi, waga mi-yo mo ito sadame naki wo, tada-udo ni te ohoyake no ohom-usiromi wo suru nam, yuku-saki mo tanomosi-ge na'meru koto, to obosi sadame te, iyo-iyo miti-miti no zae wo naraha sase tamahu.
　Kiha koto ni kasikoku te, tada-udo ni ha ito atarasikere do, Miko to nari tamahi na ba, yo no utagahi ohi tamahi nu beku monosi tamahe ba, Sukueu no kasikoki miti no hito ni kamgahe sase tamahu ni mo, onazi sama ni mau-se ba, Genzi ni nasi tatematuru beku obosi oki te tari.
　 [3-4　Fujitsubo enters the Court]
　Tosi-tuki ni sohe te, Miyasumdokoro no ohom-koto wo obosi wasururu wori nasi. Nagusamu ya to, sa'ru beki hito-bito mawira se tamahe do, nazurahi ni obosa ruru dani ito kataki yo kana to, utomasiu nomi yorodu ni obosi nari nuru ni, Sen-dai no Si-no-Miya no, ohom-katati sugure tamahe ru kikoye takaku ohasimasu, Haha-Gisaki yo ni naku kasiduki kikoye tamahu wo, Uhe ni saburahu Naisi-no-Suke ha, Sen-dai no ohom-toki no hito ni te, kano Miya ni mo sitasiu mawiri nare tari kere ba, ihakenaku ohasimasi si toki yori mi tatematuri, ima mo hono-mi tatematuri te, "Use tamahi ni si Miyasumdokoro no ohom-katati ni ni tamahe ru hito wo, sam-dai no miya-dukahe ni tutahari nuru ni, e mi tatematuri tuke nu wo, Kisai-no-Miya no Hime-Miya koso ito you oboye te ohi-ide sase tamahe ri kere. Ari-gataki ohom-katati-bito ni nam." to sou-si keru ni, makoto ni ya? to mi-kokoro tomari te, nemgoro ni kikoye sase tamahi keri.
　Haha-Gisaki, "Ana osorosi ya! Touguu-no-Nyougo no ito saga-naku te, Kiritubo-no-Kaui no, araha ni hakanaku mote-nasa re ni si tamesi mo yuyusiu." to, obosi tutumi te, suga-sugasiu mo obosi tata zari keru hodo ni, Kisaki mo use tamahi nu.
　Kokoro-bosoki sama ni te ohasimasu ni, "Tada, waga Womna-Miko-tati no onazi tura ni omohi kikoye m" to, ito nemgoro ni kikoye sase tamahu. Saburahu hito-bito, ohom-usiromi-tati, ohom-seuto no Hyaubu-kyau-no-Miko nado, kaku kokoro-bosoku te ohasimasa m yori ha, Uti-zumi se sase tamahi te, mi-kokoro mo nagusamu beku nado obosi nari te, mawira se tatematuri tamahe ri.
　Huditubo to kikoyu. Geni, ohom-arisama ayasiki made zo oboye tamahi keru. Kore ha, hito no ohom-kiha masari te, omohi nasi medetaku, hito mo e otosime kikoye tamaha ne ba, ukebari te aka nu koto nasi. Kare ha, hito no yurusi kikoye zari si ni, mi-kokoro-zasi ayaniku nari si zo kasi. Obosi magiru to ha nakere do, onodukara mi-kokoro uturohi te, koyonau obosi nagusa m yau naru mo, ahare naru waza nari keri.
　 [3-5　Genji falls in love with Fujitsubo]
　Genzi-no-kimi ha, ohom-atari sari tamaha nu wo, masite sigeku watara se tamahu Ohon-kata ha, e hadi ahe tamaha zu. Idure no ohom-kata mo, ware hito ni otora m to oboi taru ya ha aru, tori-dori ni ito medetakere do, uti-otonabi tamahe ru ni, ito wakau utukusi-ge ni te, seti ni kakure tamahe do, onodukara mori mi tatematuru.
　Haha-Miyasumdokoro mo, kage dani oboye tamaha nu wo, "Ito you ni tamahe ri" to, Naisi-no-Suke no kikoye keru wo, wakaki mi-kokoti ni ito ahare to omohi kikoye tamahi te, tune ni mawira mahosiku, nadusahi mi tatetematura baya to oboye tamahu.
　Uhe mo kagiri naki ohom-omohi-doti ni te, "Na utomi tamahi so! Ayasiku yosohe kikoye tu beki kokoti nam suru. Namesi to obosa de, rautaku si tamahe. Tura-tuki, mami nado ha, ito you ni tari si yuwe, kayohi te miye tamahu mo, nigenakara zu nam." nado kikoye tuke tamahe re ba, wosana-gokoti ni mo, hakanaki hana momidi ni tuke te mo kokoro-zasi wo miye tatematuru. Koyonau kokoro yose kikoye tamahe re ba, Koukiden-no-Nyougo, mata kono Miya to mo ohom-naka soba-sobasiki yuwe, uti-sohe te moto yori no nikusa mo tati ide te, monosi to obosi tari.
　Yo ni taguhi nasi to mi tatematuri tamahi, na-dakau ohasuru Miya no ohom-katati ni mo, naho nihohasisa ha tatohe m kata naku, utukusi-ge naru wo, yo no hito, "Hikaru-Kimi" to kikoyu. Huditsubo narabi tamahi te, ohom-oboye mo tori-dori nare ba, "Kakayaku Hi-no-Miya" to kikoyu.
　 [3-6　Genji grows up（age 12）]
　Kono Kimi no ohom-waraha-sugata, ito kahe-ma-uku obose do, zihu-ni ni te go-genpuku si tamahu. Wi-tati obosi itonami te, kagiri aru koto ni koto wo sohe sase tamahu.
　Hito-tose no Touguu no go-genpuku, Na'den ni te ari si gisiki, yosohosikari si ohom-hibiki ni otosa se tamaha zu. Tokoro-dokoro no kyau nado, Kura-Dukasa, Kokusau-win nado, ohoyake-goto ni tukau mature ru, orosoka naru koto mo zo to, tori-waki ohose-goto ari te, kiyora wo tukusi te tukau mature ri.
　Ohasimasu-Den no himgasi no Hisasi, himgasi muki ni isi tate te, kwanza no go-za, hiki-ire no Otodo no go-za, o-mahe ni ari. Saru no toki ni te Genzi mawiri tamahu. Midura yuhi tamahe ru tura-tuki, kaho no nihohi, sama kahe tamaha m koto wosi-ge nari. Ohokura-kyau, Kura-bito tukau maturu. Ito kiyora naru mi-gusi wo sogu hodo, kokoro-gurusi-ge naru wo, Uhe ha, Miyasumdokoro no mi masika ba to, obosi iduru ni, tahe gataki wo, kokoro-duyoku nen-zi kahesa se tamahu.
　Kauburi si tamahi te, ohom-yasumi-dokoro ni makade tamahi te, ohom-zo tatematuri kahe te, ori te hai-si tatematuri tamahu sama ni, mina-hito namida otosi tamahu. Mikado hata, masite e sinobi ahe tamaha zu, obosi magiruru wori mo ari turu mukasi no koto, tori-kahesi kanasiku obosa ru. Ito kau kibiha naru hodo ha, age-otori ya to utagahasiku obosare turu wo, asamasiu utukusi-ge-sa sohi tamahe ri.
　Hiki-ire no Otodo no Miko-bara ni, tada hitori kasiduki tamahu ohom-musume, Touguu yori mo mi-kesiki aru wo, obosi wadurahu koto ari keru, kono Kimi ni tatematura m no mi-kokoro nari keri. Uti ni mo, mi-kesiki tamahara se tamahe ri kere ba, "Sa'ra ba, kono wori no usiromi naka'meru wo, sohi-busi ni mo" to moyohosa se tamahi kere ba, sa obosi tari.
　Saburahi ni makade tamahi te, hito-bito ohomiki nado mawiru hodo, Miko-tati no go-za no suwe ni Genzi tuki tamahe ri. Otodo kesiki-bami kikoye tamahu koto are do, mono no tutumasiki hodo ni te, tomo-kakumo ahe-sirahi kikoye tamaha zu.
　O-mahe yori, Naisi, senzi uketamahari tutahe te, Otodo mawiri tamahu beki mesi are ba, mawiri tamahu. Ohom-roku no mono, Uhe no Myaubu tori te tamahu. Siroki oho-utiki ni ohom-zo hito-kudari, rei no koto nari.
　Ohom-sakaduki no tuide ni,
　"Itokinaki hatu-motoyuhi ni nagaki yo wo
　tigiru kokoro ha musubi kome tu ya"
　Mi-kokoro-bahe ari te odoroka sase tamahu.
　"Musubi turu kokoro mo hukaki motoyuhi ni
　koki murasaki no iro si ase zu ha"
　to sou-si te, naga-hasi yori ori te butahu si tamahu.
　Hidari-no-Tukasa no ohom-mma, Kura-udo-dokoro no taka suwe te tamahari tamahu. Mi-hasi no moto ni miko-tati kamdatime turane te, roku-domo sina-zina ni tamahari tamahu.
　Sono hi no o-mahe no woribitu-mono, ko-mono nado, U-dai-Ben nam uketamahari te tukaumatura se keru. Tonziki, roku no karabitu-domo nado, tokoro-seki made, Touguu no go-genpuku no wori ni mo kazu masare ri. Naka-naka kagiri mo naku ikamesiu nam.
　 [3-7　Genji gets married to Sadaijin's daughter]
　Sono yo, Otodo no ohom-sato ni Genzi-no-Kimi makade sase tamahu. Sahohu yo ni medurasiki made, mote-kasiduki kikoye tamahe ri. Ito kibiha ni te ohasi taru wo, yuyusiu utukusi to omohi kikoye tamahe ri. Womna-Gimi ha sukosi sugusi tamahe ru hodo ni, ito wakau ohasure ba, nigenaku hadukasi to oboi tari.
　Kono Otodo no ohom-oboye ito yamgotonaki ni, haha-Miya, Uti no hito-tu Kisai-bara ni nam ohasi kere ba, idu-kata ni tuke te mo ito hanayaka naru ni, kono Kimi sahe kaku ohasi sohi nure ba, Touguu no ohom-ohodi ni te, tuhi ni yo-no-naka wo siri tamahu beki Migi-no-Otodo no ohom-ikihoi ha, mono ni mo ara zu osa re tamahe ri.
　Miko-domo amata hara-bara ni monosi tamahu. Miya no ohom-hara ha, Kuraudo-no-Seusyau ni te ito wakau wokasiki wo, Migi-no-Otodo no, ohom-naka ha ito yokara ne do, e mi sugusi tamaha de, kasiduki tamahu Si-no-Kimi ni ahase tamahe ri. Otora zu mote-kasiduki taru ha, aramahosiki ohom-ahahi-domo ni nam.
　Genzi-no-Kimi ha, Uhe no tune ni mesi matuhase ba, kokoro-yasuku sato-zumi mo e si tamaha zu. Kokoro no uti ni ha, tada Huditubo no ohom-arisama wo, taguhi nasi to omohi kikoye te, sayau nara m hito wo koso mi me, niru hito naku mo ohasi keru kana, Ohoi-dono-no-Kimi, ito wokasi-ge ni kasiduka re taru hito to ha miyu re do, kokoro ni mo tuka zu oboye tamahi te, wosanaki hodo no kokoro hito-tu ni kakari te, ito kurusiki made zo ohasi keru.
　 [3-8　Genji's life]
　Otona ni nari tamahi te noti ha, ari si yau ni mi-su no uti ni mo ire tamaha zu. Ohom-asobi no wori-wori, koto hue no ne ni kikoye kayohi, honoka naru ohom-kowe wo nagusame ni te, Uti-zumi nomi konomasiu oboye tamahu. Itu-ka mui-ka saburahi tamahi te, Ohoi-dono ni hutu-ka mi-ka nado, taye-daye ni makade tamahe do, tada ima ha, wosanaki ohom-hodo ni, tumi naku obosi-nasi te, itonami kasiduki kikoye tamahu.
　Ohom-kata-gata no hito-bito, yo-no-naka ni osinabe tara nu wo eri totonohe suguri te saburaha se tamahu. Mi-kokoro ni tuku beki ohom-asobi wo si, ohona-ohona obosi itatuku.
　Uti ni ha, moto no Sigei-sa wo ohom-zausi ni te, haha-Miyasumdokoro no ohom-kata no hito-bito makade tira zu saburaha se tamahu.
　Sato no tono ha, Suri-siki, Takumi-dukasa ni senzi kudari te, ni-nau aratame tukura se tamahu. Moto no kodati, yama no tatazumahi, omosiroki tokoro nari keru wo, ike no kokoro hiroku si-nasi te, medetaku tukuri nonosiru.
　Kakaru tokoro ni omohu yau nara m hito wo suwe te suma baya to nomi, nagekasiu obosi wataru.
　"Hikaru-Kimi" to ihu na ha, Koma-udo no mede kikoye te tuke tatematuri keru to zo, ihi-tutahe taru to nam.
いづれの御時にか、女御、更衣あまたさぶらひたまひけるなかに、いとやむごとなき際にはあらぬが、すぐれて時めきたまふありけり。
　はじめより我はと思ひ上がりたまへる御方がた、めざましきものにおとしめ嫉みたまふ。同じほど、それより下臈の更衣たちは、ましてやすからず。朝夕の宮仕へにつけても、人の心をのみ動かし、恨みを負ふ積りにやありけむ、いとあつしくなりゆき、もの心細げに里がちなるを、いよいよあかずあはれなるものに思ほして、人の そしりをもえ憚らせたまはず、世のためしにもなりぬべき御もてなしなり。
　上達部、上人なども、あいなく目を側めつつ、「いとまばゆき人の御おぼえなり。唐土にも、かかる事の起こりにこそ、世も乱れ、あしかりけれ」と、やうやう天の下にもあぢきなう、人のもてなやみぐさになりて、楊貴妃の例も引き出でつべくなりゆくに、いとはしたなきこと多かれど、かたじけなき御心ばへのたぐひなきを頼みにてまじらひたまふ。
　父の大納言は亡くなりて、母北の方なむいにしへの人のよしあるにて、親うち具し、さしあたりて世のおぼえはなやかなる御方がたにもいたう劣らず、なにごとの儀式をももてなしたまひけれど、とりたててはかばかしき後見しなければ、事ある時は、なほ拠り所なく心細げなり。
　 先の世にも御契りや深かりけむ、世になく清らなる玉の男御子さへ生まれたまひぬ。いつしかと心もとながらせたまひて、急ぎ参らせて御覧ずるに、めづらかなる稚児の御容貌なり。
　一の皇子は、右大臣の女御の御腹にて、寄せ重く、疑ひなき儲けの君と、世にもてかしづききこゆれど、この御にほひには並びたまふべくもあらざりければ、おほかたのやむごとなき御思ひにて、この君をば、私物に思ほしかしづきたまふこと限りなし。
　初めよりおしなべての上宮仕へしたまふべき際にはあらざりき。おぼえいとやむごとなく、上衆めかしけれど、わりなくまつはさせたまふあまりに、さるべき御遊びの折をり、何事にもゆゑある事のふしぶしには、まづ参う上らせたまふ。ある時には大殿籠りすぐして、やがてさぶらはせたまひなど、あながちに御前去らずもてなさせたまひしほどに、おのづから軽きかたにも見えしを、この御子生まれたまひてのちは、いと心ことに思ほしおきてたれば、坊にも、ようせずは、この御子の居たまふべきなめりと、一の皇子の女御はおぼし疑へり。人より先に参りたまひて、やむごとなき御思ひなべてならず、皇女たちなどもおはしませば、この御方の御いさめをのみぞ、なほわづらはしう心苦しう思ひきこえさせたまひける。
　かしこき御蔭をば頼みきこえながら、おとしめ疵を求めたまふ人は多く、わが身はか弱くものはかなきありさまにて、なかなかなるもの思ひをぞしたまふ。御局は桐壷なり。あまたの御方がたを過ぎさせたまひて、ひまなき御前渡りに、人の御心を尽くしたまふも、げにことわりと見えたり。参う上りたまふにも、あまりうちしきる折をりは、打橋、渡殿のここかしこの道に、あやしきわざをしつつ、御送り迎への人の衣の裾、堪へがたく、まさなきこともあり。またある時には、え避らぬ馬道の戸を鎖しこめ、こなたかなた心を合はせて、はしたなめわづらはせたまふ時も多かり。事にふれて数知らず苦しきことのみまされば、いといたう思ひわびたるを、いとどあはれと御覧じて、後涼殿にもとよりさぶらひたまふ更衣の曹司を他に移させたまひて、上局に賜はす。その恨みましてやらむかたなし。
　 この御子三つになりたまふ年、御袴着ぎのこと一の宮のたてまつりしに劣らず、内蔵寮、納殿の物を尽くして、いみじうせさせたまふ。それにつけても、世の誹りのみ多かれど、この御子のおよすけもておはする御容貌心ばへありがたくめづらしきまで見えたまふを、え嫉みあへたまはず。ものの心知りたまふ人は、かかる人も世に出でおはするものなりけりと、あさましきまで目をおどろかしたまふ。
　 その年の夏、御息所、はかなき心地にわづらひて、まかでなむとしたまふを、暇さらに許させたまはず。年ごろ、常のあつしさになりたまへれば、御目馴れて、「なほしばしこころみよ」とのみのたまはするに、日々に重りたまひて、ただ五六日のほどにいと弱うなれば、母君泣く泣く奏して、まかでさせたてまつりたまふ。かかる折にも、あるまじき恥もこそと心づかひして、御子をばとどめたてまつりて、忍びてぞ出でたまふ。
　限りあれば、さのみもえ留めさせたまはず、御覧じだに送らぬおぼつかなさを、言ふ方なく思ほさる。いとにほひやかにうつくしげなる人の、いたう面痩せて、いとあはれとものを思ひしみながら、言に出でても聞こえやらず、あるかなきかに消え入りつつものしたまふを御覧ずるに、来し方行く末思し召されず、よろずのことを泣く泣く契りのたまはすれど、御いらへもえ聞こえたまはず、まみなどもいとたゆげにて、いとどなよなよと、我かの気色にて臥したれば、いかさまにと思し召しまどはる。輦車の宣旨などのたまはせても、また入らせたまひて、さらにえ許させたまはず。
　「限りあらむ道にも、後れ先立たじと、契らせたまひけるを。さりとも、うち捨てては、え行きやらじ」
　とのたまはするを、女もいといみじと、見たてまつりて、
　「限りとて別るる道の悲しきに
　　いかまほしきは命なりけり
　いとかく思ひたまへましかば」
　と、息も絶えつつ、聞こえまほしげなることはありげなれど、いと苦しげにたゆげなれば、かくながら、ともかくもならむを御覧じはてむと思し召すに、「今日始むべき祈りども、さるべき人々うけたまはれる、今宵より」と、聞こえ急がせば、わりなく思ほしながらまかでさせたまふ。
　御胸つとふたがりて、つゆまどろまれず、明かしかねさせたまふ。御使の行きかふほどもなきに、なほいぶせさを限りなくのたまはせつるを、「夜半うち過ぐるほどになむ、絶えはてたまひぬる」とて泣き騒げば、御使もいとあへなくて帰り参りぬ。聞こし召す御心まどひ、何ごとも思し召しわかれず、籠りおはします。
　御子は、かくてもいと御覧ぜまほしけれど、かかるほどにさぶらひたまふ、例なきことなれば、まかでたまひなむとす。何事かあらむとも思したらず、さぶらふ人々の泣きまどひ、主上も御涙のひまなく流れおはしますを、あやしと見たてまつりたまへるを。よろしきことにだに、かかる別れの悲しからぬはなきわざなるを、ましてあはれに言ふかひなし。
　 限りあれば、例の作法にをさめたてまつるを、母北の方、同じ煙にのぼりなむと、泣きこがれたまひて、御送りの女房の車に慕ひ乗りたまひて、愛宕といふ所にいといかめしうその作法したるに、おはし着きたる心地、いかばかりかはありけむ。「むなしき御骸を見る見る、なほおはするものと思ふが、いとかひなければ、灰になりたまはむを見たてまつりて、今は亡き人と、ひたぶるに思ひなりなむ」と、さかしうのたまひつれど、車よりも落ちぬべうまろびたまへば、さは思ひつかしと、人々もてわづらひきこゆ。
　内裏より御使あり。三位の位贈りたまふよし、勅使来てその宣命読むなむ、悲しきことなりける。女御とだに言はせずなりぬるが、あかず口惜しう思さるれば、いま一階の位をだにと、贈らせたまふなりけり。これにつけても憎みたまふ人々多かり。もの思ひ知りたまふは、様、容貌などのめでたかりしこと、心ばせのなだらかにめやすく、憎みがたかりしことなど、今ぞ思し出づる。さまあしき御もてなしゆゑこそ、すげなう嫉みたまひしか、人柄のあはれに情ありし御心を、主上の女房なども恋ひしのびあへり。 「なくてぞ」とは、かかる折にやと見えたり。
　　 はかなく日ごろ過ぎて、後のわざなどにもこまかにとぶらはせたまふ。ほど経るままに、せむ方なう悲しう思さるるに、御方がたの御宿直なども絶えてしたまはず、ただ涙にひちて明かし暮らさせたまへば、見たてまつる人さへ露けき秋なり。「亡きあとまで、人の胸あくまじかりける人の御おぼえかな」とぞ、弘徽殿などにはなほ許しなうのたまひける。一の宮を見たてまつらせたまふにも、若宮の御恋しさのみ思ほし出でつつ、親しき女房、御乳母などを遣はしつつ、ありさまを聞こしめす。
　 野分だちて、にはかに肌寒き夕暮のほど、常よりも思し出づること多くて、靫負命婦といふを遣はす。夕月夜のをかしきほどに出だし立てさせたまひて、やがてながめおはします。かうやうのをりは、御遊びなどせさせたまひしに、心ことなる物の音を掻き鳴らし、はかなく聞こえ出づる言の葉も、人よりはことなりしけはひ容貌の、面影につと添ひて思さるるにも、 「闇の現」にはなほ劣りけり。
　命婦、かしこに参で着きて、門引き入るるより、けはひあはれなり。やもめ住みなれど、人ひとりの御かしづきに、とかくつくろひ立てて、めやすきほどにて過ぐしたまひつる、闇に暮れて臥し沈みたまへるほどに、草も高くなり、野分にいとど荒れたる心地して、月影ばかりぞ 「八重葎にも障はらず」差し入りたる。南面に下ろして、母君も、とみにえものものたまはず。
　「今までとまりはべるがいと憂きを、かかる御使の蓬生の露分け入りたまふにつけても、いと恥づかしうなむ」
　とて、げにえ堪ふまじく泣いたまふ。
　「『参りては、いとど心苦しう、心肝も尽くるやうになむ』と、典侍の奏したまひしを、もの思うたまへ知らぬ心地にも、げにこそいと忍びがたうはべりけれ」
　とて、ややためらひて、仰せ言伝へきこゆ。
　「『しばしは夢かとのみたどられしを、やうやう思ひ静まるにしも、さむべき方なく堪へがたきは、いかにすべきわざにかとも、問ひあはすべき人だになきを、忍びては参りたまひなむや。若宮のいとおぼつかなく、露けき中に過ぐしたまふも、心苦しう思さるるを、とく参りたまへ』など、はかばかしうものたまはせやらず、むせかへらせたまひつつ、かつは人も心弱く見たてつらむと、思しつつまぬにしもあらぬ御気色の心苦しさに、うけたまはり果てぬやうにてなむ、まかではべりぬる」
　とて、御文奉る。
　「目も見えはべらぬに、かくかしこき仰せ言を光にてなむ」とて、見たまふ。
　「ほど経ばすこしうち紛るることもやと、待ち過ぐす月日に添へて、いと忍びがたきはわりなきわざになむ。いはけなき人をいかにと思ひやりつつ、もろともに育まぬおぼつかなさを。今は、なほ昔のかたみになずらへて、ものしたまへ」
　など、こまやかに書かせたまへり。
　「宮城野の露吹きむすぶ風の音に
　　小萩がもとを思ひこそやれ」
　とあれど、え見たまひ果てず。
　「命長さの、いとつらう思ひたまへ知らるるに、 「松の思はむこと」だに、恥づかしう思ひたまへはべれば、百敷に行きかひはべらむことは、ましていと憚り多くなむ。かしこき仰せ言をたびたびうけたまはりながら、自らはえなむ思ひたまへたつまじき。若宮は、いかに思ほし知るにか、参りたまはむことをのみなむ思し急ぐめれば、ことわりに悲しう見たてまつりはべるなど、うちうちに思ひたまふるさまを奏したまへ。ゆゆしき身にはべれば、かくておはしますも、いまいましうかたじけなくなむ」
　とのたまふ。宮は大殿籠りにけり。
　「見たてまつりて、くはしう御ありさまも奏しはべらまほしきを、待ちおはしますらむに、夜更けはべりぬべし」とて急ぐ。
　 「暮れまどふ心の闇も堪へがたき片端をだに、はるくばかりに聞こえまほしうはべるを、私にも心のどかにまかでたまへ。年ごろ、うれしく面だたしきついでにて立ち寄りたまひしものを、かかる御消息にて見たてまつる、返す返すつれなき命にもはべるかな。生まれし時より、思ふ心ありし人にて、故大納言、いまはとなるまで、『ただ、この人の宮仕への本意、かならず遂げさせたてまつれ。われ亡くなりぬとて、口惜しう思ひくづほるな』と、返す返すいさめおかれはべりしかば、はかばかしう 後見思ふ人もなきまじらひは、なかなかなるべきことと思ひたまへながら、ただかの遺言を違へじとばかりに、出だし立てはべりしを、身に余るまでの御心ざしの、よろづにかたじけなきに、人げなき恥を隠しつつ、まじらひたまふめりつるを、人の嫉み深くつもり、やすからぬこと多くなり添ひはべりつるに、横様なるやうにて、つひにかくなりはべりぬれば、かへりてはつらくなむ、かしこき御心ざしを思ひたまへられはべる。これもわりなき心の闇になむ」
　と、言ひもやらずむせかへりたまふほどに、夜も更けぬ。
　「主上もしかなむ。『わが御心ながら、あながちに人目おどろくばかり思されしも、長かるまじきなりけりと、今はつらかりける人の契りになむ。世にいささかも人の心をまげたることはあらじと思ふを、ただこの人のゆゑにて、あまたさるまじき人の恨みを負ひし果て果ては、かううち捨てられて、心をさめむかたなきに、いとど人悪ろうかたくなになり果つるも、前の世ゆかしうなむ』とうち返しつつ、御しほたれがちにのみおはします」と語りて尽きせず。泣く泣く、「夜いたう更けぬれば、今宵過ぐさず、御返り奏せむ」と急ぎ参る。
　月は入り方の、空清う澄みわたれるに、風いと涼しくなりて、草むらの虫の声々もよほし顔なるも、いと立ち離れにくき草のもとなり。
　「鈴虫の声の限りを尽くしても
　　長き夜あかずふる涙かな」
　えも乗りやらず。
　「いとどしく虫の音しげき浅茅生に
　　露置き添ふる雲の上人
　かごとも聞こえつべくなむ」
　と言はせたまふ。をかしき御贈り物などあるべきをりにもあらねば、ただかの御かたみにとて、かかる用もやと残したまへりける御装束一領、御髪上の調度めく物添へたまふ。
　若き人々、悲しきことはさらにもいはず、内裏わたりを朝夕にならひて、いとさうざうしく、主上の御ありさまなど思ひ出できこゆれば、とく参りたまはむことをそそのかしきこゆれど、かくいまいましき身の添ひたてまつらむも、いと人聞き憂かるべし、また、見たてまつらでしばしもあらむは、いとうしろめたう思ひきこえたまひて、すがすがともえ参らせたてまつりたまはぬなりけり。
　　 命婦は、まだ大殿籠らせたまはざりけると、あはれに見たてまつる。御前の壷前栽のいとおもしろき盛りなるを御覧ずるやうにて、忍びやかに心にくき限りの女房四五人さぶらはせたまひて、御物語せさせたまふなりけり。このころ、明け暮れ御覧ずる長恨歌の御絵、亭子院の描かせたまひて、伊勢、貫之に詠ませたまへる、大和言の葉をも、唐土の詩をも、ただその筋をぞ、枕言にせさせたまふ。いとこまやかにありさま問はせたまふ。あはれなりつること忍びやかに奏す。御返り御覧ずれば、
　「いともかしこきは置き所もはべらず。かかる仰せ言につけても、かきくらす乱り心地になむ。
　荒き風ふせぎし蔭の枯れしより
　小萩がうへぞ静心なき」
　などやうに乱りがはしきを、心をさめざりけるほどと御覧じ許すべし。いとかうしも見えじと、思ししづむれど、さらにえ忍びあへさせたまはず、御覧じ初めし年月のことさへかき集め、よろづに思し続けられて、時の間もおぼつかなかりしを、かくても月日は経にけりと、あさましう思し召さる。
　「故大納言の遺言あやまたず、宮仕への本意深くものしたりしよろこびは、かひあるさまにとこそ 思ひわたりつれ。いふかひなしや」とうちのたまはせて、いとあはれに思しやる。「かくても、おのづから若宮など生ひ出でたまはば、さるべきついでもありなむ。命長くとこそ思ひ念ぜめ」
　などのたまはす。かの贈り物御覧ぜさす。亡き人の住処尋ね出でたりけむしるしの釵ならましかば、と思ほすもいとかひなし。
　「尋ねゆく幻もがなつてにても
　　魂のありかをそこと知るべく」
　絵に描ける楊貴妃の容貌は、いみじき絵師といへども、筆限りありければいとにほひ少なし。 「太液芙蓉未央柳」も、げに通ひたりし容貌を、唐めいたる装ひはうるはしうこそ ありけめ、なつかしうらうたげなりしを思し出づるに、花鳥の色にも音にもよそふべき方ぞなき。朝夕の言種に、 「翼をならべ、枝をかさはむ」と契らせたまひしに、かなはざりける命のほどぞ、尽きせずうらめしき。
　風の音、虫の音につけて、もののみ悲しう思さるるに、弘徽殿には、久しく上の御局にも参う上りたまはず、月のおもしろきに、夜更くるまで遊びをぞしたまふなる。いとすさまじう、ものしと聞こしめす。このごろの御気色を見たてまつる上人、女房などは、かたはらいたしと聞きけり。いとおし立ちかどかどしきところものしたまふ御方にて、ことにもあらず思し消ちてもてなしたまふなるべし。月も入りぬ。
　「雲の上も涙にくるる秋の月
　　いかですむらむ浅茅生の宿」
　思し召しやりつつ、 燈火をかかげ尽くして起きおはします。右近の司の宿直奏の声聞こゆるは、丑になりぬるなるべし。人目を思して、夜の御殿に入らせたまひても、まどろませたまふことかたし。朝に起きさせたまふとても、 「明くるも知らで」と思し出づるにも、なほ朝政は怠らせたまひぬべかめり。
　ものなどもきこしめさず、朝餉のけしきばかり触れさせたまひて、大床子の御膳などは、いと遥かに思し召したれば、陪膳にさぶらふ限りは、心苦しき御気色を見たてまつり嘆く。すべて、近うさぶらふ限りは、男女、「いとわりなきわざかな」と言ひあはせつつ嘆く。「さるべき契りこそはおはしましけめ。そこらの人の誹り、恨みをも憚らせたまはず、この御ことに触れたることをば、道理をも失はせたまひ、今はた、かく世の中のことをも、思ほし捨てたるやうになりゆくは、いとたいだいしきわざなり」と、人の朝廷の例まで引き出で、ささめき嘆きけり。
　 月日経て、若宮参りたまひぬ。いとどこの世のものならず清らにおよすけたまへれば、いとゆゆしう思したり。
　明くる年の春、坊定まりたまふにも、いと引き越さまほしう思せど、御後見すべき人もなく、また世のうけひくまじきことなりければ、なかなか危く思し憚りて、色にも出ださせたまはずなりぬるを、「さばかり思したれど、限りこそありけれ」と、世人も聞こえ、女御も御心落ちゐたまひぬ。
　かの御祖母北の方、慰む方なく思し沈みて、おはすらむ所にだに尋ね行かむと願ひたまひししるしにや、つひに亡せたまひぬれば、またこれを悲しび思すこと限りなし。御子六つになりたまふ年なれば、このたびは思し知りて恋ひ泣きたふ。年ごろ馴れむつびきこえたまひつるを、見たてまつり置く悲しびをなむ、返す返すのたまひける。
　 今は内裏にのみさぶらひたまふ。七つになりたまへば、読書始めなどせさせたまひて、世に知らず聡う賢くおはすれば、あまり恐ろしきまで御覧ず。
　「今は誰も誰もえ憎みたまはじ。母君なくてだにらうたうしたまへ」とて、弘徽殿などにも渡らせたまふ御供には、やがて御簾の内に入れたてまつりたまふ。いみじき武士、仇敵なりとも、見てはうち笑まれぬべきさまのしたまへれば、えさし放ちたまはず。女御子たち二ところ、この御腹におはしませど、なずらひたまふべきだにぞなかりける。御方がたも隠れたまはず、今よりなまめかしう恥づかしげにおはすれば、いとをかしううちとけぬ遊び種に、誰も誰も思ひきこえたまへり。
　わざとの御学問はさるものにて、琴笛の音にも雲居を響かし、すべて言ひ続けば、ことごとしう、うたてぞなりぬべき人の御さまなりける。
　 そのころ、高麗人の参れる中に、かしこき相人ありけるを聞こし召して、宮の内に召さむことは、宇多帝の御誡めあれば、いみじう忍びて、この御子を鴻臚館に遣はしたり。御後見だちて仕うまつる右大弁の子のやうに思はせて率てたてまつるに、相人おどろきて、あまたたび傾きあやしぶ。
　「国の親となりて、帝王の上なき位にのぼるべき相おはします人の、そなたにて見れば、乱れ憂ふることやあらむ。朝廷のかためとなりて、天の下を輔くる方にて見れば、またその相違ふべし」と言ふ。
　弁も、いと才かしこき博士にて、言ひかはしたることどもなむ、いと興ありける。文など作りかはして、今日明日帰り去りなむとするに、かくありがたき人に対面したるよろこび、かへりては悲しかるべき心ばへをおもしろく作りたるに、御子もいとあはれなる句を作りたまへるを、限りなうめでたてまつりて、いみじき贈り物どもを捧げたてまつる。朝廷よりも多くの物賜はす。
　おのづから事ひろごりて、漏らさせたまはねど、春宮の祖父大臣など、いかなることにかと思し疑ひてなむありける。
　帝、かしこき御心に、倭相を仰せて、思しよりにける筋なれば、今までこの君を親王にもなさせたまはざりけるを、相人はまことにかしこかりけり、と思して、無品の親王の外戚の寄せなきにては漂はさじ、わが御世もいと定めなきを、ただ人にて朝廷の御後見をするなむ、行く先も頼もしげなめること、と思し定めて、いよいよ道々の才をならはさせたまふ。
　際ことにかしこくて、ただ人にはいとあたらしけれど、親王となりたまひなば、世の疑ひ負ひたまひぬべくものしたまへば、宿曜のかしこき道の人に勘へさせたまふにも、同じさまに申せば、源氏になしたてまつるべく思しきおきてたり。
　 年月に添へて、御息所の御ことを思し忘るるをりなし。慰むやと、さるべき人々参らせたまへど、なずらひに思さるるだにいとかたき世かなと、疎ましうのみよろづに思しなりぬるに、先帝の四の宮の、御容貌すぐれたまへる聞こえ高くおはします、母后世になくかしづききこえたまふを、上にさぶらふ典侍は、先帝の御時の人にて、かの宮にも親しう参り馴れたりければ、いはけなくおはしましし時より見たてまつり、今もほの見たてまつりて、「亡せたまひにしに御息所の御容貌に似たまへる人を、三代の宮仕へに伝はりぬるに、え見たてまつりつけぬを、后の宮の姫宮こそ、いとようおぼえて生ひ出でさせたまへりけれ。ありがたき御容貌人になむ」と奏しけるに、まことにや、と御心とまりて、ねむごろに聞こえさせたまひけり。
　母后、「あな恐ろしや。春宮の女御のいとさがなくて、桐壷の更衣の、あらはにはかなくもてなされにし例もゆゆしう」と、思しつつみて、すがすがしうも思し立たざりけるほどに、后も亡せたまひぬ。
　心細きさまにておはしますに、「ただ、わが女御子たちの同じ列に思ひきこえむ」と、いとねむごろに聞こえさせたまふ。さぶらふ人々、御後見たち、御兄の兵部卿の親王など、かく心細くておはしまさむよりは、内裏住みせさせたまひて、御心も慰むべくなど思しなりて、参らせたてまつりたまへり。
　藤壷ときこゆ。げに、御容貌ありさま、あやしきまでぞおぼえたまへる。これは、人の御際まさりて、思ひなしめでたく、人もえおとしめきこえたまはねば、うけばりて飽かぬことなし。かれは、人の許しきこえざりしに、御心ざしあやにくなりしぞかし。思しまぎるとはなけれど、おのづから御心うつろひて、こよなう思し慰むやうなるも、あはれなるわざなりけり。
　 源氏の君は、御あたり去りたまはぬを、ましてしげく渡らせたまふ御方は、え恥ぢあへたまはず。いづれの御方も、われ人に劣らむと思いたるやはある、とりどりにいとめでたけれど、うちおとなびたまへるに、いと若ううつくしげにて、切に隠れたまへど、おのづから漏り見たてまつる。
　母御息所も、影だにおぼえたまはぬを、「いとよう似たまへり」と、典侍の聞こえけるを、若き御心地にいとあはれと思ひきこえたまひて、常に参らまほしく、なづさひ見たてまつらばやとおぼえたまふ。
　上も限りなき御思ひどちにて、「な疎みたまひそ。あやしくよそへきこえつべき心地なむする。なめしと思さで、らうたくしたまへ。つらつき、まみなどは、いとよう似たりしゆゑ、かよひて見えたまふも、似げなからずなむ」など聞こえつけたまへれば、幼心地にも、はかなき花紅葉につけても心ざしを見えたてまつる。こよなう心寄せきこえたまへれば、弘徽殿の女御、またこの宮とも御仲そばそばしきゆゑ、うち添へて、もとよりの憎さも立ち出でて、ものしと思したり。
　世にたぐひなしと見たてまつりたまひ、名高うおはする宮の御容貌にも、なほにほはしさはたとへむ方なく、うつくしげなるを、世の人、「光る君」と聞こゆ。藤壷ならびたまひて、御おぼえもとりどりなれば、「かかやく日の宮」と聞こゆ。
　 この君の御童姿、いと変へまうく思せど、十二にて御元服したまふ。居起ち思しいとなみて、限りある事に事を添えさせたまふ。
　一年の春宮の御元服、南殿にてありし儀式、よそほしかりし御ひびきにおとさせたまはず。所々の饗など、内蔵寮、穀倉院など、おほやけごとに仕うまつれる、おろそかなることもぞと、とりわき仰せ言ありて、清らを尽くして仕うまつれり。
　おはします殿の東の廂、東向きに椅子立てて、冠者の御座、引入の大臣の御座、御前にあり。申の時にて源氏参りたまふ。角髪結ひたまへるつらつき、顔のにほひ、さま変へたまはむこと惜しげなり。大蔵卿、蔵人仕うまつる。いと清らなる御髪を削ぐほど、心苦しげなるを、上は、御息所の見ましかばと、思し出づるに、堪へがたきを、心強く念じかへさせたまふ。
　かうぶりしたまひて、御休所にまかでたまひて、御衣奉り替へて、下りて拝したてまつりたまふさまに、皆人涙落としたまふ。帝はた、ましてえ忍びあへたまはず、思しまぎるるをりもありつる昔のこと、とりかへし悲しく思さる。いとかうきびはなるほどは、あげ劣りやと疑はしく思されつるを、あさましううつくしげさ添ひたまへり。
　引入の大臣の皇女腹に、ただ一人かしづきたまふ御女、春宮よりも御気色あるを、思しわづらふことありける、この君に奉らむの御心なりけり。内裏にも、御気色賜はらせたまへりければ、「さらば、このをりの後見なかめるを、添ひ臥しにも」ともよほさせたまひければ、さ思したり。
　さぶらひにまかでたまひて、人々大御酒など参るほど、親王たちの御座の末に源氏着きたまへり。大臣気色ばみきこえたまふことあれど、もののつつましきほどにて、ともかくもあへしらひきこえたまはず。
　御前より、内侍、宣旨うけたまはり伝へて、大臣参りたまふべき召しあれば、参りたまふ。御禄の物、上の命婦取りて賜ふ。白き大袿に御衣一領、例のことなり。
　御盃のついでに、
　「いときなきはつもとゆひに長き世を
　　契る心は結びこめつや」
　御心ばへありておどろかさせたまふ。
　「結びつる心も深きもとゆひに
　　濃きむらさきの色しあせずは」
　と奏して、長橋より下りて舞踏したまふ。
　左馬寮の御馬、蔵人所の鷹据ゑて賜はりたまふ。御階のもとに親王たち上達部つらねて、禄ども品じなに賜はりたまふ。
　その日の御前の折櫃物、籠物など、右大弁なむうけたまはりて仕うまつらせける。屯食、禄の唐櫃どもなど、ところせきまで、春宮の御元服のをりにも数まされり。なかなか限りもなくいかめしうなむ。
　 その夜、大臣の御里に源氏の君まかでさせたまふ。作法世にめづらしきまで、もてかしづききこえたまへり。いときびはにておはしたるを、ゆゆしううつくしと思ひきこえたまへり。女君はすこし過ぐしたまへるほどに、いと若うおはすれば、似げなく恥づかしと思いたり。
　この大臣の御おぼえいとやむごとなきに、母宮、内裏のひとつ后腹になむおはしければ、いづ方につけてもいとはなやかなるに、この君さへかくおはし添ひぬれば、春宮の御祖父にて、つひに世の中を知りたまふべき右大臣の御勢ひは、ものにもあらず圧されたまへり。
　御子どもあまた腹々にものしたまふ。宮の御腹は、蔵人少将にていと若うをかしきを、右大臣の、御仲はいとよからねど、え見過ぐしたまはで、かしづきたまふ四の君にあはせたまへり。劣らずもてかしづきたるは、あらまほしき御あはひどもになむ。
　源氏の君は、上の常に召しまつはせば、心やすく里住みもえしたまはず。心のうちには、ただ藤壷の御ありさまを、たぐひなしと思ひきこえて、さやうならむ人をこそ見め、似る人なくもおはしけるかな、大殿の君、いとをかしげにかしづかれたる人とは見ゆれど、心にもつかずおぼえたまひて、幼きほどの心ひとつにかかりて、いと苦しきまでぞおはしける。
　 大人になりたまひて後は、ありしやうに御簾の内にも入れたまはず。御遊びの折をり、琴笛の音に聞こえかよひ、ほのかなる御声をなぐさめにて、内裏住みのみ好ましうおぼえたまふ。五六日さぶらひたまひて、大殿に二三日など、絶え絶えにまかでたまへど、ただ今は幼き御ほどに、罪なく思しなして、いとなみかしづききこえたまふ。
　御方がたの人々、世の中におしなべたらぬを選りととのへすぐりてさぶらはせたまふ。御心につくべき御遊びをし、おほなおほな思しいたつく。
　内裏には、もとの淑景舎を御曹司にて、母御息所の御方の人々まかで散らずさぶらはせたまふ。
　里の殿は、修理職、内匠寮に宣旨下りて、二なう改め造らせたまふ。もとの木立、山のたたずまひ、おもしろき所なりけるを、池の心広くしなして、めでたく造りののしる。
　かかる所に思ふやうならむ人を据ゑて住まばやとのみ、嘆かしう思しわたる。
　「光る君」といふ名は、高麗人のめできこえてつけたてまつりけるとぞ、言ひ伝へたるとなむ。

The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu and Edward G. Seidensticker
Edward G. Seidensticker, an eminent translator from the Japanese who brought the work of ancient and modern writers to a wide English-speaking public, died on Sunday in Tokyo. He was 86 and made his home in Tokyo.

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Kyodo News, via Associated Press
Edward G. Seidensticker
The cause was complications of a head injury Mr. Seidensticker sustained several months ago, said Haruo Shirane, Shincho Professor of Japanese Literature at Columbia University. Mr. Seidensticker, who leaves no immediate survivors, was, at his death, emeritus professor of Japanese literature at Columbia.

Mr. Seidensticker was most widely known for his translation of “The Tale of Genji,” the 11th-century epic of love and intrigue by Murasaki Shikibu, a Japanese lady-in-waiting at the imperial court. Mr. Seidensticker’s translation, published by Alfred A. Knopf in 1976, was praised by critics and attracted a popular following.

In addition, Mr. Seidensticker was closely associated with the work of three 20th-century novelists: Yukio Mishima (“The Decay of the Angel,” 1974); Junichiro Tanizaki (“Some Prefer Nettles,” 1955); and, most notably, Yasunari Kawabata, whose novels “Snow Country” and “Thousand Cranes” appeared in the United States in 1956 and 1959.

Mr. Seidensticker’s translations of Kawabata’s work are generally credited with helping Kawabata secure the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1968, the first Japanese writer to receive the award. Mr. Seidensticker himself won a National Book Award in 1971 for his translation of Kawabata’s novel “The Sound of the Mountain.”

A longtime commentator for American newspapers on the Japanese literary scene, Mr. Seidensticker also wrote several nonfiction books about Japan, including a two-volume history of Tokyo, comprising “Low City, High City: Tokyo From Edo to the Earthquake” (Knopf, 1983) and “Tokyo Rising: The City Since the Great Earthquake” (Knopf, 1990); and a memoir, “Tokyo Central,” published by the University of Washington in 2002.

Translating “The Tale of Genji,” as Mr. Seidensticker later described it, was a labor of love that took 10 years. At the time, the most complete English translation available was by Arthur Waley, published in the 1920s and ’30s. Though respected, Waley’s translation was lushly Victorian, and it fell to Mr. Seidensticker to produce something sparer. Here is Waley’s version of the tale’s opening line:

“At the Court of an Emperor (he lived it matters not when) there was among the many gentlewomen of the Wardrobe and Chamber one, who though she was not of very high rank was favored far beyond all the rest.”

Here is Mr. Seidensticker’s, short and sweet:

“In a certain reign there was a lady not of the first rank whom the emperor loved more than any of the others.”

Edward George Seidensticker was born on Feb. 11, 1921, on his family’s isolated ranch in Castle Rock, Colo. He earned a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Colorado in 1942. At the university, he also attended the Navy’s Japanese Language School, which had been moved there from the West Coast after Pearl Harbor.

In World War II, Mr. Seidensticker was a language officer with the Marines in the Pacific, going ashore at Iwo Jima, he later recalled, “loaded down with dictionaries.” At war’s end, he worked as a translator in occupied Japan.

Wanting to return there, Mr. Seidensticker earned a master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia in 1947. He spent several years in Japan as a foreign-service officer and studied Japanese literature at Tokyo University. He lived in Japan full time from 1948 to 1962. On his return to the United States, he taught at Stanford and the University of Michigan before joining the Columbia faculty in 1978.

During his years in Japan Mr. Seidensticker became friends with many of the writers he translated, though the friendships were sometimes tested during the delicate diplomatic dance that is central to the translator’s art. As Mr. Seidensticker recalled in “Tokyo Central,” some writers required more dancing than others:

“Tanizaki wrote clear, rational sentences,” Mr. Seidensticker wrote. “I do not, certainly, wish to suggest that I disapprove of such sentences; but translating them is not very interesting. There was little I felt inclined to ask Tanizaki about.”

Not so with Kawabata. “Do you not, my esteemed master, find this a rather impenetrable passage?” Mr. Seidensticker recalled asking him, ever so gently, during the translation of “Snow Country.”

“He would dutifully scrutinize the passage, and answer: ‘Yes,’ ” Mr. Seidensticker wrote. “Nothing more.”

English translations (chronological order)
Suematsu, Kencho. The Tale of Genji. London: Trubner, 1882. [The date of 1881 sometimes seen in online listings is incorrect, being based on the date of the translator's preface.]
Waley, Arthur. The Tale of Genji. A Novel in Six Parts by Lady Murasaki. 1926-1933.
Seidensticker, Edward G. The Tale of Genji. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1976.
McCullough, Helen Craig. Genji & Heike: Selections from The Tale of Genji and The Tale of the Heike. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1994. [Selections]
Tyler, Royall. The Tale of Genji. New York: Viking, 2001.

Chapter 1

The Paulownia Court



In a certain reign there was a lady not of the first rank whom the emperor loved more than any of the others. The grand ladies with high ambitions thought her a presumptuous upstart, and lesser ladies were still more resentful. Everything she did offended someone. Probably aware of what was happening, she fell seriously ill and came to spend more time at home than at court. The emperor's pity and affection quite passed bounds. No longer caring what his ladies and courtiers might say, he behaved as if intent upon stirring gossip.
His court looked with very great misgiving upon what seemed a reckless infatuation. In China just such an unreasoning passion had been the undoing of an emperor and had spread turmoil through the land. As the resentment grew, the example of Yang Kuei-fei was the one most frequently cited against the lady.

She survived despite her troubles, with the help of an unprecedented bounty of love. Her father, a grand councillor, was no longer living. Her mother, an old-fashioned lady of good lineage, was determined that matters be no different for her than for ladies who with paternal support were making careers at court. The mother was attentive to the smallest detail of etiquette and deportment. Yet there was a limit to what she could do. The sad fact was that the girl was without strong backing, and each time a new incident arose she was next to defenseless.


It may have been because of a bond in a former life that she bore the emperor a beautiful son, a jewel beyond compare. The emperor was in a fever of impatience to see the child, still with the mother's family; and when, on the earliest day possible, he was brought to court, he did indeed prove to be a most marvelous babe. The emperor's eldest son was the grandson of the Minister of the Right. The world assumed that with this powerful support he would one day be named crown prince; but the new child was far more beautiful. On public occasions the emperor continued to favor his eldest son. The new child was a private treasure, so to speak, on which to lavish uninhibited affection.

The mother was not of such a low rank as to attend upon the emperor's personal needs. In the general view she belonged to the upper classes. He insisted on having her always beside him, however, and on nights when there was music or other entertainment he would require that she be present. Sometimes the two of them would sleep late, and even after they had risen he would not let her go. Because of his unreasonable demands she was widely held to have fallen into immoderate habits out of keeping with her rank.

With the birth of the son, it became yet clearer that she was the emperor's favorite. The mother of the eldest son began to feel uneasy. If she did not manage carefully, she might see the new son designated crown prince. She had come to court before the emperor's other ladies, she had once been favored over the others, and she had borne several of his children. However much her complaining might trouble and annoy him, she was one lady whom he could not ignore.

Though the mother of the new son had the emperor's love, her detractors were numerous and alert to the slightest inadvertency. She was in continuous torment, feeling that she had nowhere to turn. She lived in the paulownia Court. The emperor had to pass the apartments of other ladies to reach hers, and it must be admitted that their resentment at his constant comings and goings was not unreasonable. Her visits to the royal chambers were equally frequent. The robes of her women were in a scandalous state from trash strewn along bridges and galleries. Once some women conspired to have both doors of a gallery she must pass bolted shut, and so she found herself unable to advance or retreat. Her anguish over the mounting list of insults was presently more than the emperor could bear. He moved a lady out of rooms adjacent to his own and assigned them to the lady of the paulownia Court and so, of course, aroused new resentment.


When the young prince reached the age of three, the resources of the treasury and the stewards' offices were exhausted to make the ceremonial bestowing of trousers as elaborate as that for the eldest son. Once more there was malicious talk; but the prince himself, as he grew up, was so superior of mien and disposition that few could find it in themselves to dislike him. Among the more discriminating, indeed, were some who marveled that such a paragon had been born into this world.


In the summer the boy's mother, feeling vaguely unwell, asked that she be allowed to go home. The emperor would not hear of it. Since they were by now used to these indispositions, he begged her to stay and see what course her health would take. It was steadily worse, and then, suddenly, everyone could see that she was failing. Her mother came pleading that he let her go home. At length he agreed.

Fearing that even now she might be the victim of a gratuitous insult, she chose to go off without ceremony, leaving the boy behind. Everything must have an end, and the emperor could no longer detain her. It saddened him inexpressibly that he was not even permitted to see her off. A lady of great charm and beauty, she was sadly emaciated. She was sunk in melancholy thoughts, but when she tried to put them into words her voice was almost inaudible. The emperor was quite beside himself, his mind a confusion of things that had been and things that were to come. He wept and vowed undying love, over and over again. The lady was unable to reply. She seemed listless and drained of strength, as if she scarcely knew what was happening. Wanting somehow to help, the emperor ordered that she be given the honor of a hand-drawn carriage. He returned to her apartments and still could not bring himself to the final parting.

"We vowed that we would go together down the road we all must go. You must not leave me behind."

She looked sadly up at him. "If I had suspected that it would be so -- " She was gasping for breath.

"I leave you, to go the road we all must go.
The road I would choose, if only I could, is the other."
It was evident that she would have liked to say more; but she was so weak that it had been a struggle to say even this much.

The emperor was wondering again if he might not keep her with him and have her with him to the end.

But a message came from her mother, asking that she hurry. "We have obtained the agreement of eminent ascetics to conduct the necessary services, and I fear that they are to begin this evening."

So, in desolation, he let her go. He passed a sleepless night.

He sent off a messenger and was beside himself with impatience and apprehension even before there had been time for the man to reach the lady's house and return. The man arrived to find the house echoing with laments. She had died at shortly past midnight. He returned sadly to the palace. The emperor closed himself up in his private apartments.
He would have liked at least to keep the boy with him, but no precedent could be found for having him away from his mother's house through the mourning. The boy looked in bewilderment at the weeping courtiers, at his father too, the tears streaming over his face. The death of a parent is sad under any circumstances, and this one was indescribably sad.


But there must be an end to weeping, and orders were given for the funeral. If only she could rise to the heavens with the smoke from the pyre, said the mother between her sobs. She rode in the hearse with several attendants, and what must her feelings have been when they reached Mount Otaki? It was there that the services were conducted with the utmost solemnity and dignity.

She looked down at the body. "With her before me, I cannot persuade myself that she is dead. At the sight of her ashes I can perhaps accept what has happened."

The words were rational enough, but she was so distraught that she seemed about to fall from the carriage. The women had known that it would be so and did what they could for her.

A messenger came from the palace with the news that the lady had been raised to the Third Rank, and presently a nunciary arrived to read the official order. For the emperor, the regret was scarcely bearable that he had not had the courage of his resolve to appoint her an imperial consort, and he wished to make amends by promoting her one rank. There were many who resented even this favor. Others, however, of a more sensitive nature, saw more than ever what a dear lady she had been, simple and gentle and difficult to find fault with. It was because she had been excessively favored by the emperor that she had been the victim of such malice. The grand ladies were now reminded of how sympathetic and unassuming she had been. It was for just such an occasion, they remarked to one another, that the phrase "how well one knows" had been invented.

The days went dully by. The emperor was careful to send offerings for the weekly memorial services. His grief was unabated and he spent his nights in tears, refusing to summon his other ladies. His serving women were plunged into dew-drenched autumn.

There was one lady, however, who refused to be placated. "How ridiculous," said the lady of the Kokiden pavilion, mother of his eldest son, "that the infatuation should continue even now."


The emperor's thoughts were on his youngest son even when he was with his eldest. He sent off intelligent nurses and serving women to the house of the boy's grandmother, where he was still in residence, and made constant inquiry after him.

The autumn tempests blew and suddenly the evenings were chilly. Lost in his grief, the emperor sent off a note to the grandmother. His messenger was a woman of middle rank called Myobu, whose father was a guards officer. It was on a beautiful moonlit night that he dispatched her, a night that brought memories. On such nights he and the dead lady had played the koto for each other. Her koto had somehow had overtones lacking in other instruments, and when she would interrupt the music to speak, the words too carried echoes of their own. Her face, her manner-they seemed to cling to him, but with "no more substance than the lucent dream."

Myobu reached the grandmother's house. Her carriage was drawn through the gate -- and what a lonely place it was! The old lady had of course lived in widowed retirement, but, not wishing to distress her only daughter, she had managed to keep the place in repair. Now all was plunged into darkness. The weeds grew ever higher and the autumn winds tore threateningly at the garden. Only the rays of the moon managed to make their way through the tangles.

The carriage was pulled up and Myobu alighted.

The grandmother was at first unable to speak. "It has been a trial for me to go on living, and now to have one such as you come through the dews of this wild garden -- I cannot tell you how much it shames me."

"A lady who visited your house the other day told us that she had to see with her own eyes before she could really understand your loneliness and sorrow. I am not at all a sensitive person, and yet I am unable to control these tears."

After a pause she delivered a message from the emperor. "He has said that for a time it all seemed as if he were wandering in a nightmare, and then when his agitation subsided he came to see that the nightmare would not end. If only he had a companion in his grief, he thought -- and it occurred to him that you, my lady, might be persuaded to come unobtrusively to court. He cannot bear to think of the child languishing in this house of tears, and hopes that you will come quickly and bring him with you. He was more than once interrupted by sobs as he spoke, and It was apparent to all of us that he feared having us think him inexcusably weak. I came away without hearing him to the end."

"I cannot see for tears," said the old lady. "Let these sublime words bring me light."

This was the emperor's letter: "It seems impossibly cruel that although I had hoped for comfort with the passage of time my grief should only be worse. I am particularly grieved that I do not have the boy with me, to watch him grow and mature. Will you not bring him to me? We shall think of him as a memento."

There could be no doubting the sincerity of the royal petition. A poem was appended to the letter, but when she had come to it the old lady was no longer able to see through her tears:

"At the sound of the wind, bringing dews to Miyagi plain,

I think of the tender hagi upon the moor."

"Tell His Majesty," said the grandmother after a time, "that it has been a great trial for me to live so long.'Ashamed before the Takasago pines I think that it is not for me to be seen at court. Even if the august invitation is repeated, I shall not find it possible to accept. As for the boy, I do not know what his wishes are. The indications are that he is eager to go. It is sad for me, but as it should be. please tell His Majesty of these thoughts, secret until now. I fear that I bear a curse from a previous existence and that it would be wrong and even terrible to keep the child with me."

"It would have given me great pleasure to look in upon him," said Myobu, getting up to leave. The child was asleep. "I should have liked to report to his royal father. But he will be waiting up for me, and it must be very late."

"May I not ask you to come in private from time to time? The heart of a bereaved parent may not be darkness, perhaps, but a quiet talk from time to time would do much to bring light. You have done honor to this house on so many happy occasions, and now circumstances have required that you come with a sad message. The fates have not been kind. All of our hopes were on the girl, I must say again, from the day she was born, and until he died her father did not let me forget that she must go to court, that his own death, if it came early, should not deter me. I knew that another sort of life would be happier for a girl without strong backing, but I could not forget his wishes and sent her to court as I had promised. Blessed with favors beyond her station, she was the object of insults such as no one can be asked to endure. Yet endure them she did until finally the strain and the resentment were too much for her. And so, as I look back upon them, I know that those favors should never have been. Well, put these down, if you will, as the mad wanderings of a heart that is darkness." She was unable to go on.

It was late.

"His Majesty says much the same thing," replied Myobu. "it was, he says, an intensity of passion such as to startle the world, and perhaps for that very reason it was fated to be brief. He cannot think of anything he has done to arouse such resentment, he says, and so he must live with resentment which seems without proper cause. Alone and utterly desolate, he finds it impossible to face the world. He fears that he must seem dreadfully eccentric. How very great -- he has said it over and over again -- how very great his burden of guilt must be. One scarcely ever sees him that he is not weeping." Myobu too was in tears. "It is very late. I must get back before the night is quite over and tell him what I have seen."

The moon was sinking over the hills, the air was crystal clear, the wind was cool, and the songs of the insects among the autumn grasses would by themselves have brought tears. It was a scene from which Myobu could not easily pull herself.

"The autumn night is too short to contain my tears
Though songs of bell cricket weary, fall into silence."
This was her farewell poem. Still she hesitated, on the point of getting into her carriage.

The old lady sent a reply:

"Sad are the insect songs among the reeds.
More sadly yet falls the dew from above the clouds.
"I seem to be in a complaining mood."

Though gifts would have been out of place, she sent as a trifling memento of her daughter a set of robes, left for just such an occasion, and with them an assortment of bodkins and combs.

The young women who had come from court with the little prince still mourned their lady, but those of them who had acquired a taste for court life yearned to be back. The memory of the emperor made them join their own to the royal petitions.

But no -- a crone like herself would repel all the fine ladies and gentlemen, said the grandmother, while on the other hand she could not bear the thought of having the child out of her sight for even a moment.


Myobu was much moved to find the emperor waiting up for her. Making it seem that his attention was on the small and beautifully plant garden before him, now in full autumn bloom, he was talking quietly with four or five women, among the most sensitive of his attendants. He had become addicted to illustrations by the emperor Uda for "The Song of Everlasting Sorrow" and to poems by Ise and Tsurayuki on that subject, and to Chinese poems as well. He listened attentively as Myobu described the scene she had found so affecting. He took up the letter she had brought from the grandmother.

"I am so awed by this august message that I would run away and hide; and so violent are the emotions it gives rise to that I scarcely know what to say.

"The tree that gave them shelter has withered and died. One fears for the plight of the hagi shoots beneath." A strange way to put the matter, thought the emperor; but the lady must still be dazed with grief. He chose to overlook the suggestion that he himself could not help the child.

He sought to hide his sorrow, not wanting these women to see him in such poor control of himself. But it was no use. He reviewed his memo ries over and over again, from his very earliest days with the dead lady. He had scarcely been able to bear a moment away from her while she lived. How strange that he had been able to survive the days and months since on memories alone. He had hoped to reward the grandmother's sturdy devotion, and his hopes had come to nothing.

"Well," he sighed, "she may look forward to having her day, if she will only live to see the boy grow up."

Looking at the keepsakes Myobu had brought back, he thought what a comfort it would be if some wizard were to bring him, like that Chinese emperor, a comb from the world where his lost love was dwelling. He whispered:

"And will no wizard search her out for me,
That even he may tell me where she is?"
There are limits to the powers of the most gifted artist. The Chinese lady in the paintings did not have the luster of life. Yang Kuei-fei was said to have resembled the lotus of the Sublime Pond, the willows of the Timeless Hall. No doubt she was very beautiful in her Chinese finery. When he tried to remember the quiet charm of his lost lady, he found that there was no color of flower, no song of bird, to summon her up. Morning and night, over and over again, they had repeated to each other the lines from "The Song of Everlasting Sorrow" :

"In the sky, as birds that share a wing.
On earth, as trees that share a branch."
It had been their vow, and the shortness of her life had made it an empty dream.

Everything, the moaning of the wind, the humming of autumn insects, added to the sadness. But in the apartments of the Kokiden lady matters were different. It had been some time since she had last waited upon the emperor. The moonlight being so beautiful, she saw no reason not to have music deep into the night. The emperor muttered something about the bad taste of such a performance at such a time, and those who saw his distress agreed that it was an unnecessary injury. Kokiden was of an arrogant and intractable nature and her behavior suggested that to her the emperor's grief was of no importance.

The moon set. The wicks in the lamps had been trimmed more than once and presently the oil was gone. Still he showed no sign of retiring. His mind on the boy and the old lady, he jotted down a verse:

"Tears dim the moon, even here above the clouds.
Dim must it be in that lodging among the reeds."
Calls outside told him that the guard was being changed. It would be one or two in the morning. people would think his behavior strange in deed. He at length withdrew to his bedchamber. He was awake the whole night through, and in dark morning, his thoughts on the blinds that would not open, he was unable to interest himself in business of state. He scarcely touched his breakfast, and lunch seemed so remote from his inclinations that his attendants exchanged looks and whispers of alarm.

Not all voices were sympathetic. perhaps, some said, it had all been foreordained, but he had dismissed the talk and ignored the resentment and let the affair quite pass the bounds of reason; and now to neglect his duties so -- it was altogether too much. Some even cited the example of the Chinese emperor who had brought ruin upon himself and his country.


The months passed and the young prince returned to the palace. He had grown into a lad of such beauty that he hardly seemed meant for this world -- and indeed one almost feared that he might only briefly be a part of it. When, the following spring, it came time to name a crown prince, the emperor wanted very much to pass over his first son in favor of the younger, who, however, had no influential maternal relatives. It did not seem likely that the designation would pass unchallenged. The boy might, like his mother, be destroyed by immoderate favors. The emperor told no one of his wishes. There did after all seem to be a limit to his affections, people said; and Kokiden regained her confidence.

The boy's grandmother was inconsolable. Finally, because her prayer to be with her daughter had been answered, perhaps, she breathed her last. Once more the emperor was desolate. The boy, now six, was old enough to know grief himself. His grandmother, who had been so good to him over the years, had more than once told him what pain it would cause her, when the time came, to leave him behind.


He now lived at court. When he was seven he went through the ceremonial reading of the Chinese classics, and never before had there been so fine a performance. Again a tremor of apprehension passed over the emperor -- might it be that such a prodigy was not to be long for this world?

"No one need be angry with him now that his mother is gone." He took the boy to visit the Kokiden Pavilion. "And now most especially I hope you will be kind to him."

Admitting the boy to her inner chambers, even Kokiden was pleased. Not the sternest of warriors or the most unbending of enemies could have held back a smile. Kokiden was reluctant to let him go. She had two daughters, but neither could compare with him in beauty. The lesser ladies crowded about, not in the least ashamed to show their faces, all eager to amuse him, though aware that he set them off to disadvantage. I need not speak of his accomplishments in the compulsory subjects, the classics and the like. When it came to music his flute and koto made the heavens echo -- but to recount all his virtues would, I fear, give rise to a suspicion that I distort the truth.


An embassy came from Korea. Hearing that among the emissaries was a skilled physiognomist, the emperor would have liked to summon him for consultation. He decided, however, that he must defer to the emperor Uda's injunction against receiving foreigners, and instead sent this favored son to the Koro mansion, where the party was lodged. The boy was disguised as the son of the grand moderator, his guardian at court. The wise Korean cocked his head in astonishment.

"It is the face of one who should ascend to the highest place and be father to the nation," he said quietly, as if to himself. "But to take it for such would no doubt be to predict trouble. Yet it is not the face of the minister, the deputy, who sets about ordering public affairs."

The moderator was a man of considerable learning. There was much of interest in his exchanges with the Korean. There were also exchanges of Chinese poetry, and in one of his poems the Korean succeeded most skillfully in conveying his joy at having been able to observe such a countenance on this the eve of his return to his own land, and sorrow that the parting must come so soon. The boy offered a verse that was received with high praise. The most splendid of gifts were bestowed upon him. The wise man was in return showered with gifts from the palace.

Somehow news of the sage's remarks leaked out, though the emperor himself was careful to say nothing. The Minister of the Right, grandfather of the crown prince and father of the Kokiden lady, was quick to hear, and again his suspicions were aroused. In the wisdom of his heart, the emperor had already analyzed the boy's physiognomy after the japanese fashion and had formed tentative plans. He had thus far refrained from bestowing imperial rank on his son, and was delighted that the Korean view should so accord with his own. Lacking the support of maternal relatives, the boy would be most insecure as a prince without court rank, and the emperor could not be sure how long his own reign would last. As a commoner he could be of great service. The emperor therefore encouraged the boy in his studies, at which he was so proficient that it seemed a waste to reduce him to common rank. And yet -- as a prince he would arouse the hostility of those who had cause to fear his becoming emperor. Summoning an astrologer of the Indian school, the emperor was pleased to learn that the Indian view coincided with the japanese and the Korean; and so he concluded that the boy should become a commoner with the name Minamoto or Genji.


The months and the years passed and still the emperor could not forget his lost love. He summoned various women who might console him, but apparently it was too much to ask in this world for one who even resembled her. He remained sunk in memories, unable to interest himself in anything. Then he was told of the Fourth Princess, daughter of a former emperor, a lady famous for her beauty and reared with the greatest care by her mother, the empress. A woman now in attendance upon the emperor had in the days of his predecessor been most friendly with the princess, then but a child, and even now saw her from time to time.

"I have been at court through three reigns now," she said, "and never had I seen anyone who genuinely resembled my lady. But now the daughter of the empress dowager is growing up, and the resemblance is most astonishing. One would be hard put to find her equal."

Hoping that she might just possibly be right, the emperor asked most courteously to have the princess sent to court. Her mother was reluctant and even fearful, however. One must remember, she said, that the mother of the crown prince was a most willful lady who had subjected the lady of the paulownia Court to open insults and presently sent her into a fatal decline. Before she had made up her mind she followed her husband in death, and the daughter was alone. The emperor renewed his petition. He said that he would treat the girl as one of his own daughters.

Her attendants and her maternal relatives and her older brother, Prince Hyobu, consulted together and concluded that rather than languish at home she might seek consolation at court; and so she was sent off. She was called Fujitsubo. The resemblance to the dead lady was indeed astonishing. Because she was of such high birth (it may have been that people were imagining things) she seemed even more graceful and delicate than the other. No one could despise her for inferior rank, and the emperor need not feel shy about showing his love for her. The other lady had not particularly encouraged his attentions and had been the victim of a love too intense; and now, though it would be wrong to say that he had quite forgotten her, he found his affections shifting to the new lady, who was a source of boundless comfort. So it is with the affairs of this world.


Since Genji never left his father's side, it was not easy for this new lady, the recipient of so many visits, to hide herself from him. The other ladies were disinclined to think themselves her inferior, and indeed each of them had her own merits. They were all rather past their prime, however. Fujitsubo's beauty was of a younger and fresher sort. Though in her childlike shyness she made an especial effort not to be seen, Genji occasionally caught a glimpse of her face. He could not remember his own mother and it moved him deeply to learn, from the lady who had first told the emperor of Fujitsubo, that the resemblance was striking. He wanted to be near her always.

"Do not be unfriendly," said the emperor to Fujitsubo. "Sometimes it almost seems to me too that you are his mother. Do not think him forward, be kind to him. Your eyes, your expression: you are really so uncommonly like her that you could pass for his mother."

Genji's affection for the new lady grew, and the most ordinary flower or tinted leaf became the occasion for expressing it. Kokiden was not pleased. She was not on good terms with Fujitsubo, and all her old resentment at Genji came back. He was handsomer than the crown prince, her chief treasure in the world, well thought of by the whole court. People began calling Genji "the shining one." Fujitsubo, ranked beside him in the emperor's affections, became "the lady of the radiant sun."


It seemed a pity that the boy must one day leave behind his boyish attire; but when he reached the age of twelve he went through his initiation ceremonies and received the cap of an adult. Determined that the ceremony should be in no way inferior to the crown prince's, which had been held some years earlier in the Grand Hall, the emperor himself bustled about adding new details to the established forms. As for the banquet after the ceremony, he did not wish the custodians of the storehouses and granaries to treat it as an ordinary public occasion.

The throne faced east on the east porch, and before it were Genji's seat and that of the minister who was to bestow the official cap. At the appointed hour in midafternoon Genji appeared. The freshness of his face and his boyish coiffure were again such as to make the emperor regret that the change must take place. The ritual cutting of the boy's hair was per formed by the secretary of the treasury. As the beautiful locks fell the emperor was seized with a hopeless longing for his dead lady. Repeatedly he found himself struggling to keep his composure. The ceremony over, the boy withdrew to change to adult trousers and descended into the courtyard for ceremonial thanksgiving. There was not a person in the assembly who did not feel his eyes misting over. The emperor was stirred by the deepest of emotions. He had on brief occasions been able to forget the past, and now it all came back again. Vaguely apprehensive lest the initiation of so young a boy bring a sudden aging, he was astonished to see that his son delighted him even more.

The Minister of the Left, who bestowed the official cap, had only one daughter, his chief joy in life. Her mother, the minister's first wife, was a princess of the blood. The crown prince had sought the girl's hand, but the minister thought rather of giving her to Genji. He had heard that the emperor had similar thoughts. When the emperor suggested that the boy was without adequate sponsors for his initiation and that the support of relatives by marriage might be called for, the minister quite agreed.

The company withdrew to outer rooms and Genji took his place below the princes of the blood. The minister hinted at what was on his mind, but Genji, still very young, did not quite know what to say. There came a message through a chamberlain that the minister was expected in the royal chambers. A lady-in-waiting brought the customary gifts for his services, a woman's cloak, white and of grand proportions, and a set of robes as well. As he poured wine for his minister, the emperor recited a poem which was in fact a deeply felt admonition:

"The boyish locks are now bound up, a man's.
And do we tie a lasting bond for his future?"
This was the minister's reply:

"Fast the knot which the honest heart has tied.
May lavender, the hue of the troth, be as fast."
The minister descended from a long garden bridge to give formal thanks. He received a horse from the imperial stables and a falcon from the secretariat. In the courtyard below the emperor, princes and high courtiers received gifts in keeping with their stations. The moderator, Genji's guardian, had upon royal command prepared the trays and baskets now set out in the royal presence. As for Chinese chests of food and gifts, they overflowed the premises, in even larger numbers than for the crown prince's initiation. It was the most splendid and dignified of ceremonies.

Genji went home that evening with the Minister of the Left. The nuptial observances were conducted with great solemnity. The groom seemed to the minister and his family quite charming in his boyishness. The bride was older, and somewhat ill at ease with such a young husband.


The minister had the emperor's complete confidence, and his principal wife, the girl's mother, was the emperor's sister. Both parents were therefore of the highest standing. And now they had Genji for a son-in-law. The Minister of the Right, who as grandfather of the crown prince should have been without rivals, was somehow eclipsed. The Minister of the Left had numerous children by several ladies. One of the sons, a very handsome lad by his principal wife, was already a guards lieutenant. Relations between the two ministers were not good; but the Minister of the Right found it difficult to ignore such a talented youth, to whom he offered the hand of his fourth and favorite daughter. His esteem for his new son-inlaw rivaled the other minister's esteem for Genji. To both houses the new arrangements seemed ideal.


Constantly at his father's side, Genji spent little time at the Sanjo mansion of his bride. Fujitsubo was for him a vision of sublime beauty. If he could have someone like her -- but in fact there was no one really like her. His bride too was beautiful, and she had had the advantage of every luxury; but he was not at all sure that they were meant for each other. The yearning in his young heart for the other lady was agony. Now that he had come of age, he no longer had his father's permission to go behind her curtains. On evenings when there was music, he would play the flute to her koto and so communicate something of his longing, and take some comfort from her voice, soft through the curtains. Life at court was for him much preferable to life at Sanjo. Two or three days at Sanjo would be followed by five or six days at court. For the minister, youth seemed sufficient excuse for this neglect. He continued to be delighted with his son-in-law

The minister selected the handsomest and most accomplished of ladies to wait upon the young pair and planned the sort of diversions that were most likely to interest Genji. At the palace the emperor assigned him the apartments that had been his mother's and took care that her retinue was not dispersed. Orders were handed down to the offices of repairs and fittings to remodel the house that had belonged to the lady's family. The results were magnificent. The plantings and the artificial hills had always been remarkably tasteful, and the grounds now swarmed with workmen widening the lake. If only, thought Genji, he could have with him the lady he yearned for.

The sobriquet "the shining Genji," one hears, was bestowed upon him by the Korean.

The Tale of Genji

The Classical Story of Japan
Makura-no-soshi was written by Seisho Nagon in the same period.


Author
Murasaki Shikibu. The daughter of Fujiwara Tametoki.
Date of creation
About the year 1000 during the Heian Period.

Overview
The Tale of Genji centers on the life and loves of a handsome son, Hikaru Genji, born to an Emperor during the Heian Period.
In the story, the beloved concubine of the Emperor gives birth to Genji and dies soon after. Raised within the Royal Family, Genji has his first illicit affair with Fujitsubo, the young wife of the Emperor. She gives birth to a boy who was raised by the unknowing Emperor as his own son. Although feeling guilt because of this affair Genji goes on to have numerous other affairs with other court ladies including Utsusemi, Yugao, Murasaki-no-ue, and Hanachirusato. At one point, Genji's adultery with a lady of the opposite faction results in his being exiled for a period to Suma After a short time, he returns to the capital, where he rises further in status and position being appointed to high official ranking reaching the apogee of his career. However, his newly wed young bride, Onna-Sannomiya, has an illicit affair that results in a child, Kaoru, reminding Genji of his own similar past actions. Then Murasaki-no-ue, Genji's real love and wife, in fact, if not in law, of more than twenty years, passes away. Left in deep despondence Genji decides to leave the capital to enter a small mountain temple.
The Tale of Genji continues, although without the hero Genji. In his place are Kaoru, his grandson, and Niou-no-miya, Kaoru's friend. These two youths carry on the Genji tradition with the princesses in the palace at Uji. The story centers on the young lady, Ukibune, whose heart and mind is set a flutter by the courtship of these two young men.

Structure of Story
Composed of 54 chapters, The Tale of Genji is broadly divided into three sections. The first part of thirty-three chapters concerns itself with the first half of Genji's life starting with Chapter Kiritsubo and ending with Chapter Fuji-no-uraba (Arthur Waley's translation of The Tale of Genji, Part 1 Chapter 1 to Part 4 Chapter 5). The second portion begins with the marriage of Onna-Sannomiya to a commoner in Chapter Wakana Part I (Ibid., Part 4 Chapter 6) and ends with Chapter Mirage (Ibid., Part 4 Chapter 12). There is a chapter following this that is entitled "Hidden Behind the Clouds" which has no text. This chapter is not found in The Tale of Genji.
The third section starts with Chapter Niou (Ibid., Part 5 Chapter 1) in which Kaoru plays the major role. It ends with Chapter The Bridge of Dreams (Ibid., Part 6 Chapter 13). From Chapter The Bridge Maiden (Ibid., Part 5 Chapter 4) to the end shifts the stage to Uji city and is thus often called the Uji Appendix.


Murasaki Shikibu is said to be the author of The Tale of Genji. Although the same can be said for all women of Murasaki's time, her real name and the date of birth and death cannot be confirmed even for her, the leading author of her day. The name of Murasaki Shikibu was that used for a court lady with "Murasaki" being used as a given name while "Shikibu" refers to her father's position at the court. Beside writing The Tale of Genji, Murasaki also showed her genius in her other famous book called The Diary of Murasaki Shikibu.
Murasaki Shikibu was born in a middle-level family of nobility during the middle of the Heian Period. Her father, Fujiwara Tametoki, was known as a scholar and man of literacy although he accomplished little of note as an official in the government. Perhaps in compensation for this, he took pains to see that his daughter was well learned. Murasaki Shikibu was remarkable when yet a child learning to read books that even educated boys found difficult.
Murasaki's childhood was not a happy one as her mother passing away soon after she was born followed by her elder sister on whom she depended. Murasaki married rather late into a family of similar social class. Within a few years, her husband died leaving Murasaki with a daughter and much grief and pain. It was against this background that Murasaki began writing The Tale of Genji in which she looks closely at the relationships of men and women and the unfortunate circumstances in which women find themselves placed in.
Prime Minister Fujiwara no Michinaga appears to have found Murasaki a position working for the Empress Akiko based on the Murasaki's fame that resulted from the popularity of The Tale of Genji. Various theories exist as to when the writing of The Tale of Genji was finished but it seems likely that she continued writing it while serving the Empress. Although it is not certain as to the date of Murasaki's death, she likely passed away shortly after she finished the famous novel, perhaps when she was forty or so.

Synopsis of Each Chapter
Chapter 1: The Paulownia Court
The emperor's favourite lady, Kiritsubo, has no strong family backing at court and suffers greatly from the insults of jealous competitors. She bears the emperor a beautiful son, which makes matters worse as he may one day be a rival to the future crown prince, the emperor's eldest son. Kiritsubo falls ill and dies, so the child is taken in by his grandmother. The emperor is distraught and asks for the boy to be sent back. Eventually he returns to the palace and the grandmother dies shortly afterwards. Korean ambassadors arrive in the capital and predict a brilliant future for the six-year-old boy.

Although of royal blood, the boy has no maternal relatives to support him as a prince at court and is instead made a member of the non-royal Genji clan, henceforth being known as "Genji." The emperor's eldest son by Lady Kokiden is made crown prince and the emperor subsequently finds a new concubine, Fujitsubo, who resembles Kiritsubo but has better family connections. By the end of the chapter, Genji is married off to the daughter of the Minister of the Left, Princess Aoi.

Chapter 2: The Broom Tree
The first part of this chapter is the famous "Appraisal of Women on a Rainy Night" scene. Genji and his brother-in-law To-no-Chujo meet at Genji's palace and compare notes about women. They are joined by a guards officer and other friends. The guardsman casually suggests there may be a beautiful unknown woman hidden away somewhere because her family has fallen upon hard times. Genji then falls asleep as his companions discuss several types of women, all of whom he will meet later in the Tale. After Genji wakes, Chujo tells the story of a lover - who is later revealed to be Yugao - who bore his daughter but was discarded because of her meek and forgiving nature. Shikibu, a young man from the Ministry of Rites, tells the gathering of a lady who was too scholarly, preferring the rather masculine Chinese language to Japanese, and whose breath on one occasion had smelled of garlic. The friends decide that the perfect woman should be loyal and cultured, but passive and willing to feign ignorance when the situation requires.

The scene then shifts to Sanjo, where Genji is visiting his wife Aoi, but he finds her distant and cold. Since his home lies in an unlucky direction, Genji is invited to Kii-no-kami's house. Kii-no-kami's father has married a young lady, and Genji overhears her apparently discussing himself. Genji also meets an attractive young boy, her brother, and Kii-no-kami's stepuncle. When everyone is asleep, Genji breaks into the lady's apartment and carries her off to his room. Leaving the next day, Genji employs the boy as a page and has him deliver messages to his sister, but the lady discourages any further relationship. Genji manages to visit her once more but is rebuffed, leaving him to write a poem about the inhospitable broom tree and sleep with her young brother instead.

Chapter 3: The Shell of the Locust
Hurt by the rejection, Genji is unwilling to give up his pursuit of Utsusemi ("the lady of the locust shell"). Her young brother sympathizes and resolves to help him try again. Wearing plain clothes, Genji sneaks into her rooms and spies her playing Go with a lively companion, Nokiba-no-ogi. After the game, Genji prepares to surprise Utsusemi but she catches the distinctive scent of his robes and flees, leaving one of her own outer robes behind. Genji mistakenly breaks in on her companion and is forced to improvise. He then returns home sulking and pens a poem comparing Utsusemi's robe to a cast-off cicada shell.

Chapter 4: Evening Faces
On his way to visit Lady Rokujo, Genji learns that his old nursemaid, who has since become a Buddhist nun, is sick and may be near death, so he goes to visit her with her natural son, Koremitsu. At a nearby house, they are admiring the beautiful flowers called yugao ("evening faces"), when a little girl comes out with a scented white fan for Genji to take a flower on.

They then go in to visit the nun, and she shows an even greater attachment to Genji than to her own son. On his way out, Genji's curiosity is aroused by whoever might be in the house of yugao, so he sends Koremitsu to investigate, who reports back that To-no-Chujo had been there and that a lady evidently resided within. Genji cannot resist, so he disguises himself and arranges a secret meeting through her maid, Ukon.

Yugao is a very frail, submissive beauty, and Genji is reminded of To-no-Chujo's rainy night story. Unlike To-no-Chujo, however, Genji is attracted by this gentility, and resolves to take her away. Unable to resist, and very frightened, Yugao is rushed off with Ukon to a deserted mansion. That night, Genji dreams of a jealous lady resembling Lady Rokujo, and when he wakes he sees an apparition by Yugao's pillow. He tries to wake her, but she is no longer breathing. Genji panics, wakes Ukon and Koremitsu, but it is too late, she is dead. Koremitsu sends Genji back to his palace at Nijo and takes her body to a nunnery in the eastern hills for funeral rites.

At Nijo, Genji is unsettled by recent events and cannot appear at court. He sets out on horseback with Koremitsu to see Yugao's body, but on the return journey he feels ill and falls off his horse. The illness lasts for quite some time, and when he recovers he confirms with Ukon that Yugao was in fact To-no-Chujo's mistress. Genji retains Ukon and asks her to find Yugao's daughter, intending to raise her himself. The chapter end with a final poetic exchange with Utsusemi, whom Genji also loses.

Chapter 5: Waka Murasaki
Genji is sick and decides to seek help from a holy man living in a cave in the northern hills. He goes there and receives treatment from the recluse. While recovering, his attendants tell him the story of a Governor of Akashi who became a lay priest and retired there with his daughter, for whom he had great expectations.

During his convalesence in the hills, Genji wanders to a nearby house and catches a glimse of a beautiful 10-year-old girl, who reminds him of Fujitsubo, the favourite concubine of his father, the emperor. The priest at the villa invites Genji to visit, during the course of which he discovers that the child Murasaki is in fact Fujitsubo's niece. Genji - already smitten with Fujitsubo - seeks to adopt the child but is not taken seriously.

When fully recovered from his illness, Genji asks again about adopting Murasaki, but is again refused. To-no-Chujo and some friends from court arrive to escort him back. Back at court, Genji's father-in-law arrives and takes him to meet Aoi, who turns out to be cold and unreceptive. Genji sleeps and dreams of the little girl. The next day he renews his request to adopt Murasaki, this time by letter, but without success.

Fujitsubo leaves court due to an illness and, through her maid Omyobu, Genji arranges a secret visit and stays the night. Fujitsubo becomes pregnant, but the emperor is unaware of Genji's role in this. Meanwhile, the little girl is made available for adoption because her grandmother, the nun, has died. However, Murasaki's father, Prince Hyobu, decides to take charge of her and Genji is forced to kidnap her before he does so. Back at his Nijo palace, Genji begins her education.



(Royall Tyler)

INTRODUCTION

The Tale of Genji, written a thousand years ago in Japan, is a great masterpiece of world literature. Although not the oldest surviving example of prose fiction, it may well be the first novel ever written. In The Progress of Fiction, the British novelist Clara Reeve (1729-1807) distinguished the novel from the romance and wrote, "The Novel is a picture of real life and manners, and ... gives a familiar relation of such things as pass every day before our eyes.... [It] represent[s] every scene in so easy and natural a manner ... as to deceive us into a persuasion (at least while we are reading) that all is real, until we are affected by the joys or distresses of the persons in the story as if they were our own." Her words describe The Tale of Genji. Remarkably, Murasaki Shikibu, the tale's author, was also a woman.

Murasaki Shikibu (973?-1014?) was born into the middle level of the Japanese aristocracy. In about 1006 she was called to serve the Empress of the time, perhaps because she wrote such good stories. Nobody knows just when she began her Tale or when she finished it, but what remains of her diary alludes to the work as it existed in 1007 or 1008, and she has been recognized ever since as the author of all fifty-four chapters. Unfortunately, no manuscript survives from her time. The earliest known text dates from about 1200.

Murasaki Shikibu wrote above all for the Empress, her patron, and through her for other members of the highest aristocracy. A great lady did not normally read a story silently by herself. Instead, she listened while one of her women read it aloud and she herself looked at the pictures. Murasaki Shikibu may well have read some chapters in person to the Empress, and she certainly wrote her tale in that spirit. The Tale of Genji is ostensibly told by a female narrator (perhaps more than one) whose language often suggests that she is addressing a superior.

The tale features several unforgettable major heroines, such as Fujitsubo, Murasaki (apparently the source of her creator's name), Akashi, Rokujo, and Ukifune, as well as many striking minor ones. However, the thread that holds things together is the life of Genji, the hero. Genji is an Emperor's son by a relatively low-ranking lady who dies not long after his birth. Even as a boy, Genji is extraordinarily beautiful and gifted, but his father, who longs to appoint him Heir Apparent, understands that the court would never accept his doing so. He therefore decides to make Genji a commoner, so that Genji can at least serve the realm in due course as a senior official.

The tale often highlights the social boundary that separates a commoner from someone imperial, but for the rest of his life Genji will hover between the two worlds, and this will give him, as a fictional hero, a particularly wide scope. To free him further from the constraints of the commonplace, the author also gives him practically unlimited material means. In the first dozen or so chapters, the young Genji becomes entangled in a dazzling assortment of love affairs that range from broad comedy to disaster. The most agonizing of them is his relationship with his father's Empress—the princess whom his father married explicitly in order to seek solace after the death of Genji's mother. Genji was told as a child that this lady closely resembled his mother, and he fell deeply in love with her. In time she bears a son who is really Genji's, not Genji's father's, and this boy eventually accedes to the throne. When, years later, he learns the secret of his birth, he decides to honor his real father by appointing Genji Honorary Retired Emperor, even though Genji has never reigned. This step, which in the author's time could be taken only in fiction, brings Genji to an unheard-of pinnacle of glory. Meanwhile, he finds his lifelong love and companion (Murasaki) in a beautiful niece of his father's empress, someone who closely resembles that empress and therefore Genji's late mother herself. This theme—the hero's nostalgia for his lost mother—has fascinated many readers.

Genji's rise to ultimate glory marks a turning point, and soon his world begins slowly to crumble around him. Murasaki comes to feel estranged from him, though he will not let her go. Then her death destroys him. In the last chapter in which he appears, he is only a shell of what he once was, and past the end of that chapter he dies, too. The remaining third of the book picks up the story some eight years later. It now centers on a young man, Kaoru, whom the world accepts as Genji's son, although in reality he is not. Kaoru has nothing like Genji's stature. The mood of this last third of the tale is dark with intimations of betrayal and failure, so much so that Kaoru has seemed to many readers a remarkably modern hero. The tale ends at last on an inconclusive note, one that leaves many wondering "what happened next." Only the reader's imagination can provide an answer. The genius of The Tale of Genji is all the more impressive because the author had few models to work from. Many things about the lives of the characters—the clothes they wore, the kinds of houses they lived in, their pastimes, their rules of deportment, and so on—are of course unfamiliar now, but their feelings, motives, and experiences are recognizable to anyone. Love, ambition, pride, anguish, bitterness, and disappointment affect us all, and The Tale of Genji presents them with a freshness of insight that has made it famous for its psychological immediacy. It is a rich and astonishing work.



ABOUT MURASAKI SHIKIBU

Murasaki Shikibu, born in 978, was a member of Japan's Fujiwara clan, which ruled behind the scenes during the Heian Period by providing the brides and courtesans of all the emperors. Lady Murasaki's rare literary talent, particularly her skill as a poet, secured her a place in the court of Empress Akiko. After the death of her husband, she cloistered herself to study Buddhism, raise her daughter, and write the world's first novel Genji Monogatari, the tale of the shining Prince Genji.






DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1.What do the men in the tale value in a woman?


2.How does a man gain access to a woman, and how does a woman safeguard her dignity?


3.How do the characters in the tale define personal worth? What do they admire?


4.What consequences flow from the birth of Genji's son by his father's Empress?


5.What are the reasons for Genji's exile (chapter 13) and its consequences?


6.How do the characters view the native (Japanese) in comparison with the foreign (Chinese)?


7.Is there humor in the tale? How does it work?


8.What are the erotic elements in the tale? What is their value?


9.Spirits speak several times in the tale. How do the characters react to these events? What do you make of them?


10.In chapter 2 a young courtier discourses generally on art, in chapter 17 the issue is painting, and in chapter 25 Genji discusses fiction. How do the views expressed relate to more recent ones, including yours?


11.How do you imagine the men and women in the tale spending their time when the text does not tell you what they are doing?


12.Why does Genji marry Onna San no Miya (the Third Princess)?


13.What role do dreams play in the tale?


14.What do you make of the tale's last heroine, Ukifune?


15.What do you think happens beyond the tale's last page?