誰が秋にあらぬものゆゑ女郎花
なぞ色にいでてまだきうつろふ
なぞ色にいでてまだきうつろふ
- Roma-ji
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Ta ga aki ni aranu mono yue ominaeshi
nazo iro ni idete madaki utsurou - English Translation
-
Since autumn belongs
not to any single one,
maidenflower, why
do you show your color so soon,
fading even before its time?
- Meaning
- Since autumn belongs to no one alone, maidenflower, why do you show your color so soon and fade before the proper time?
- Commentary
-
Book Four Autumn Poems (Part One)
Composed and presented at the maidenflower contest held at the Suzaku-in.
At first glance, the poem laments how the maidenflower fades earlier than other flowers. Yet “aki” (autumn) also suggests “weariness in love,” and “utsurou” carries both the meaning of fading color and a change of heart. Thus, from a man’s perspective, the poem expresses a complaint about a woman’s quick change of affection.
“Nazo” means “why.”
“Madaki” means “already” or “before the proper time.”
- Author
- Ki no Tsurayuki
- Source
- Kokin Wakashu
- Prev Poem
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Aki narade au koto kataki ominaeshi
ama no kawara ni oinu mono yue - Next Poem
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Tsuma kouru shika zo naku naru ominaeshi
ono ga sumu no no hana to shirazu ya