Kinarase to omoishi mono o tabigoromo tatsu hi o shirazu narinikeru kana

English Translation

Wear it till it's yours,
so I thought, and cut for you
this travel robe—yet
the day you left I never knew,
and so it has come to be.

Meaning

I cut this travel robe hoping you would wear it until it grew familiar to you, yet I never knew the day you set out, and so it has come to this.

Commentary

Book Nine Parting Poems 863

Headnote: "When the holy man Jakushō went to China, clothing was to be sent to him, but not knowing he had already set out, it was sent after him with this poem."
This is the first poem of an exchange on Jakushō's departure for China. The speaker had prepared a travel robe hoping it would be worn until familiar, yet did not know the day of departure and failed to see the traveler off. According to the headnote, clothing was meant as a gift for Jakushō's journey, but not knowing he had already left, the sender had it carried after him.
The author's name has not come down to us.
The scene is just after Jakushō left the capital to cross to China, and the place is the capital.
The direct occasion was the sending of clothing without knowing that Jakushō had already departed.
Jakushō crossed to Song China in the fifth year of Chōhō (1003). "Nittō" in the headnote follows the customary usage of calling China "Tang." The next poem is Jakushō's reply.

The first line, "kinarase to," means "wear it until it is familiar," that is, wear it long so it fits the body. It expresses the wish that the robe be worn throughout the journey.
The second line, "omoishi mono o," means "though I had thought," the conjunctive "mono o" combining concession and exclamation.
The third line, "tabigoromo," presents the gift as a travel robe. Linked with the following "tatsu," it carries both robe and journey.
In the fourth line, "tatsu hi o shirazu," "tatsu" plays on cutting cloth and setting out, and it is related to "travel robe." The mismatch of the traveler leaving while the robe was still being made is held in a single word.
The last line, "narinikeru kana," means "so it has come to be," closing with the exclamatory "keru kana." It shows regret at having missed the farewell. In the next poem Jakushō takes up this word with "tatsu koto shiranu," and after the preceding poem by Kanesuke, which trusts in reunion, comes a parting where even the seeing off was denied.

Author

Unknown Poet

Source

Shin Kokin Wakashu

Other