Though I promise you
a long age of years, what still
grieves me is only
this: that our lives are lives which
know nothing of tomorrow

Meaning

Though I promise you long years, what grieves me still is only this: that our lives know nothing of tomorrow.

Commentary

Part Three: Ukifune

　Having got out of the Chief Chronicler Michisada what lay between Kaoru and Ukifune, Niou rode down to Uji late in the First Month with only a few attendants. He looked in on her, then imitated Kaoru's voice, made his way into her bedroom, and left her no escape. The next day he did not go back to the capital but stayed on, and while Ukon covered for them the two spent the day together. This poem belongs to that day. Ukifune answered it, and they passed another day in the same way.

　Nagaki yo is a long stretch of years to come, the standard way of swearing that a bond will last. Tanomete is to make another expect something. Yet immediately after it comes "lives that do not know their own tomorrow," so that the oath cancels itself. It shows Niou exactly as he is, ardent and without foresight, and things fall out as the words say: the tie between them soon reaches its limit.

Author

Murasaki Shikibu

Source

Genji Monogatari

Other

Though I promise you a long age of years, what still grieves me is only this: that our lives are lives which know nothing of tomorrow

Though I promise you
a long age of years, what still
grieves me is only
this: that our lives are lives which
know nothing of tomorrow