Classic Poem

In the beginning of heaven and earth
on the riverbanks of celestial heaven,
the eight hundred myriad, thousand myriad gods,
when in divine assembly they assembled
and in divine decision they decided
that the heaven-shining sun-woman sovereign
would reign and rule in heaven
and that in the land of rice and reed plains,
until heaven and earth came to a close,
the divine sovereign was to reign and rule,
they opened the eightfold heavenly clouds
and in divine descent sent down
the high-shining sun prince,
who in the palace of Kiyomi in Asuka,
being divine, firmly ruled and decreed
that the land would be ruled by the heavenly lords,
then opened the stone gates to the heavenly plain,
and in divine ascent has ascended.
Our great lord the sovereign prince,
the realm he is to reign and rule beneath heaven,
may it flourish nobly like the spring blossoms,
may it wax great like the full moon,
thus the people of the four corners beneath heaven
hope for his reign as if for a great ship
and wait in awe as for water from heaven
— but what designs are in his mind? —
on Mayumi Hill, where he has no destiny,
he firmly builds the palace pillars,
he raises high the sacred hall
and does not speak his morning words.
Now many days and months have passed
and that is why the prince's courtiers
do not know where to go.

Two Envoys

As though looking up at celestial heaven
we looked up in awe at the prince's palace
and now we grieve at its abandonment.

Although the striking red sun shines,
the moon crosses the black jewel night
and we grieve at its concealment. In another text, the second poem is the envoy to a poem from the time of the temporary burial palace of another sovereign prince.