いにしへにありきはあらずは知らねども
千歳のためし君にはじめむ
千歳のためし君にはじめむ
- Roma-ji
-
Inishie ni ariki wa arazu wa shiranedomo
chitose no tameshi kimi ni hajimemu - English Translation
-
whether in ages past
such a thing has ever been
I do not know—
but as the first of a thousand years
let it begin with you
- Meaning
- Whether such a thing has ever been in ages past I do not know, but let the example of a thousand years begin with you.
- Commentary
-
Book Seven Felicitations
A poem written on a screen set behind Prince Motoyasu at his seventieth celebration banquet.
The poem celebrates long life, saying that though it is uncertain whether such longevity has existed before, the addressee should become the very first example of living for a thousand years, expressing high praise and blessing.
- Author
- Sosei Hoshi
- Source
- Kokin Wakashu
- Other
-
- idly passing by the months and days I do not feel— yet when I behold the spring spent gazing at blossoms how few such seasons there are
- when spring arrives first to bloom at my dwelling— the plum blossoms there I behold them as adornment for your thousand years of life
- lying down I pray rising I count the years on— ten thousand ages the gods alone must surely know all for the sake of my lord
- crane and tortoise too know not what lies beyond a thousand years— so to my heart that cannot ever be content I yield, and let it reach the end