いぶせくも心にものをなやむかな
やよやいかにと問ふ人もなみ
やよやいかにと問ふ人もなみ
- Roma-ji
-
Ibuseku mo kokoro ni mono o nayamu kana
yayo ya ika ni to tou hito mo nami - English Translation
-
How the heart is closed
and troubled with what it holds—
and there is no one
to say, well now, how is it
with you, and ask after me
- Meaning
- My heart is closed and troubled with what it carries, and there is no one to say "well now, how are you?" and ask after me.
- Commentary
-
Part One: Akashi
Given a reply written by her father, Genji wrote again. This poem went with the second letter. It was plain enough whose hand had answered, and he says how it frustrates him to have no word from the woman herself. After this she did at last take up a brush.
"Ibuseshi" is a mind that will not clear. "Nayamu" is to be troubled, here with love. "Yayoya" is an interjection used to call out to someone—well now, hello there. "Since there is no one to ask" gives the reason. Putting a call inside the poem makes it address the silent party directly, and the intent is to push the proxy aside and get the woman's own voice.
- Author
- Murasaki Shikibu
- Source
- Genji Monogatari
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