君がため

春の野に出でて

若菜つむ

わが衣手に

雪は降りつつ

こうこうてんのう

きみがため

はるののにいでて

わかなつむ

わがころもでに

ゆはふりつつ

Emperor Koko

It is for your sake

That I go out to the fields

In spring to pluck green herbs

While on my sleeves

Falling snow is gathering. 

Kuniyoshi

Emperor Koko (830 - 887) was the 58th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He replaced emperor Yozei (poem 13) and reigned from 884 to 887. His personal name was Tokiyasu Shinno. There is a collection of his poems, the Ninna Gyoshu, 仁和御集.

作者略伝と語釈

A drawing for a woodcut by Hokusai does exist, but is in a closed private collection. It is said to be simply an illustration of the poem, as is the one above.

It is said that this poem was composed for an ailing relative.