68. The Retired Emperor Sanjō: Sanjō In
68
THE RETIRED EMPEROR SANJŌ
SANJŌ IN
Kokoro ni mo
Arade uki yo ni
Nagaraeba
Koishikarubeki
Yowa no tsuki kana.
Arade uki yo ni
Nagaraeba
Koishikarubeki
Yowa no tsuki kana.
IF in this troubled world of ours
I still must linger on,
My only friend shall be the moon,
Which on my sadness shone,
When other friends were gone.
The Emperor Sanjō, who reigned A.D. 1012-1015) was the son of the Emperor Reisei; he fell into ill health, his palace was burnt down twice, and he was forced to abdicate by Michinaga Fujiwara (see verse No. 59)